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Given the other parts included in the minor kit. which was reproduced years ago and should remain widely available, the parts issues seem to be limited to the hydraulic plunger, which is feasible to fabricate locally, and that compensator port spring.

As such, reworking the TreadleVac to accept some other innards maybe overkill. Same for the compensator port if we can come up with an alternate source for that spring.

Bendix acquired the former Studebaker proving grounds outside of South Bend, IN back in the 1960s. Bosch, apparently a successor to Bendix, continues to operate as a test track to this day. However, I doubt if they are intersted in providing parts or details of design of such an old technology. Most Amerikan automtive korporations don't give a rat's patoot about the past, but most korporate legal counsels these dyas recommend the destruction of engineering doucumentation that is no longer required, by law.

Well, if I can get through this winter and get caught up with obligations to the CVOA and P'Info.com, I wanna look into finding a reasonable facsimile of the spring and will report back with my findings. This fine-wire spring is not something you'll find on the shelf at any hardware store, but I'm confident that there's something out there that will work.

Ain't it the truth, Peter.

That's what made me shy away 25 years ago from attempting to procure $500 worth of new leather piston seals from Albert Trostel and Sons, the manufacturer of the replacement seals found in Bendix repair kits...the originals were made by Chicago Rawhide.

That and the $500 minimum order!

But that sheared compensator valve poppet and stem of yours might be used to refurbish an old stem with a bad seal. If you take a close look the part's design, there is a flange on the stem and a spring-steel speed nut that holds the rubber seal against it.

I seems to me, just from looking at the part, the speed nut could be removed (preferably by breaking it, and eventually replacing it with a new one of the same size), and the old rubber seal with the indentation, slid off the stem and replaced with the good seal from the sheared stem.
It's possible the old spring steel nut could be salvaged off the sheared stem by cutting the broken tip off right at the nut.

Keep the parts anyway...you never know when something stuck in an old Band-Aid tin will be useful!

Gauss of the Edsels

HELP WITH INSTALLING NEW BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER - 1955 PATRICIAN - My mechanic tells me I need a new brake master cylinder for my 1955 Patrician. He says that the Treadlevac unit appears fine (I had it rebuilt 15 years ago and it has only about 500 miles on it). My mechanic says that special tools and expertise are required to disconnect the old master cylinder from the Treadlevac unit and to attach the replacement, which I am thinking of ordering from Max Merritt in Indiana. I live in No. California but could ship the parts to anywhere in the country if someone could tell me a shop that can do this work.

See my reply to your similar post in the "BRAKES: Easamatic Power Brakes aka Bendix Treadle-Vac--Change or Not??" thread.

What about Packards International???? They're in Cali aren't they???