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HH,
My guess to your question is that the V8 bodies were based off the straight 8 bodies, and that's where the brake system was.
If factory A/C was already on the drawing board that would be the other system that would have had to be reengineered to put the brake system up the fire wall.


James/Fred,
I again applaud your efforts. I am still courious about my questions in #4 post of this thread.

What would be your recommendations be for maintenance of the factory power brake system that Packard used?

This would be my opinion for maintenance as Fred may have his own. The major contributing factor for failures of any classic car is that the majority of these cars are not in daily use. Many sitting idle for 3-5 month during the winter months. So following recommended factory service intervals can be tough as you may not meet interval requirements. I own 5 classic cars and trying to spread my time between the vehicles to give them attention and use can become very difficult especially now that I have my 2 year old daughter that constantly wants to help with the cars. Some of my cars see as little as 50 miles a year while others see a couple thousand. But each year I spend a months worth of weekends going through each car from front to back. I do this normally between March and April. I go through every system of the car. But on the brake system I do a visual inspection of the lines, hoses and master cylinder. Then I pull the wheels check the wheel cylinders and adjust the brakes. Then this my own personal preference I bleed the system at each wheel and top the fluid off. While bleeding the system I asses the fluid. I do this as my cars are stored indoors but not heated so they do see a fluctuation in temperature and with moisture being a major contributor to master cylinder and wheel cylinder failure I feel that it is good idea.

I learned this method of maintenance from a restoration shop that I worked prior to coming to Kanter. The owner was big on maintenance.Any car that we restored was put on a maintenance plan. They would come back once a year and all systems were gone over to ensure that they were no problems.

Its kind like going to the Dr's for a physical but for your car.

Thanks
James

On the subject of a "flurry" of reports of failures.

We have been asking for members to submit failed units for 2-3 years, since we saw those reports. Since then we have had exactly one (1) unit submitted for a FREE rebuild. I therefore question the veracity of failure reports.

Some people "guessed" that particulate matter under the compensator port valve, or the weakening over time of its spring or the rusting of the spring (it's stainless steel!!) causes failure. Rebuilding hundreds of units tells us that these "guesses" are as about as accurate as guessing the serial number of a Packard your grandfather rode in in 1928.

AS I'VE SAID IN ANOTHER FORUM, LACK OF USE WHICH LEADS TO MOISTURE ABSORBPTION OF THE FLUID WHICH LEADS TO DETERIORATION OF THE FLUID AND CORROSION OF THE MAIN HYDRAULIC PISTON IS WHAT LEADS TO FAILURE.

ALSO SOME REBUILDERS WHO THINK THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT DESIGN THAN THE BENDIX ENGINEERS PLUG A CRITICAL RETURN PASSAGE WHICH IS THERE TO PREVENT FAILURE.

There are different versions of the BTV P-1 through P-6. The major difference along the way was in changing the vacuum section valve from a slide valve to a poppet valve. The "no stop" failures of BTV units are not in the vacuum section , they are in the hydraulic section which remain virtually unchanged in all Packard units and in Rambler, Mercury, Lincoln, Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln and all others.

We find no difference in failure rates of different years/part #'s although we haven't studied it. Collectability and survival rates would have to be calculated and that's not possible.

Again, as with almost 3 years of offering a free rebuild so we can do a failure analysis and getting only one submitted I doubt the existence of a "crisis". Poor maintenance, failure to check and fill the unit, and incompetent rebuilders seem to be the cause of all the failures, but it's much more convenient to point the finger at Bendix

On the question/subject of failure caused by heat. There are two materials used that could be subject to decomposition from heat, rubber and leather. We have never seen any sign of such deterioration in any BTV usage, Packard or otherwise.

It was a good suggestion to look for that but there is no evidence of it. If heat were a problem it would have shown up early in the years of usage in the 50's and predominantly in AZ, NM, CA and other hot states. We find with casual observation no particular geographical concentration of failures.

Asking again that readers with a recently failed Bendix Treadle Vac to send it to us for a failure analysis and a free rebuild

In 3 years of asking we only had one submitted and it was clear that lengthy storage without use was the culprit. Keep in mind that every complex system eventually fails, engines, transmissions, fuel and water pumps etc etc.

PM ME FIRST FOR AUTHORIZATION

Fred,
I recently got back a 1953 clipper deluxe that I owned about twenty years ago. Brakes are not working-- I'll be pulling wheels to check the brakes themselves but it I believe the power brake unit is the culprit. If that is the case would you like to see it?

George

Please pm Fred or I for approval. Please provide us your full contact details.

Thanks
James

Thanks for getting back to me. The of previous owner of 15 years died 5 years ago but was very good with keeping up on the car. I suspect my issue has to do with the car sitting with very little use the past 5 years. As I stated I'll be pulling all wheels to check the brakes. Brakes don't feel frozen but I have to push past the Bendix to get brake-- e-brake works fine and stops the vehicle. My 1954 Cavalier has a Bendix unit also and works great but it has been garaged it's entire life.
My contact info. is as follows

George Wallace
52 Huxley way
Fairport NY 14450
pkdnut1@yahoo.com
585-223-8471 after 6:15 pm

I was on a forum for foreign cars and read that the Austin Healey shop manual recommends CHANGING BRAKE FLUID EVERY 18 to 24 MONTHS. Enough said??