New:- `62 Bleeder Screws

[Gary Bishop]

Earlier I posted:-
"I am in the midst of flushing my brake lines on my `62. The front bleeders use a 3/8th wrench and the rear bleeders use a 5/16 wrench. Is this normal?"

Looking in "Dr Rebuilds" Volume 29 Catalog, page 161, shows two different parts for "Front" and "Rear" bleeders.
Fronts are 5000142 @ $2.75 53-60 Front & Rear 61-62 Front
Rears are 5000143 & $3.25 61-62 Rear & 63-64 Front

What is the difference?

[Joe L.]

Re: New:- `62 Bleeder Screws

Gary-----

Yes, it's quite normal. The front and rear bleeder valves for 61-62 Corvettes were different. What's the difference? It's exactly as you've found. What's the reason for the difference? I have no idea.

Incidentally, the front and rear bleeder valves for 53-60 Corvettes were the same. The front and rear bleeder valves for 63-79 Corvettes were the same. So, only 61-62 used a different size front and rear.

Late 1980 through 1982 owners beware, though! In mid 1980 the bleeder valves were changed from an english size to metric.

[Brian W.]

Re: New:- `62 Bleeder Screws

I think the wheel cylinders are different size front to back. This could be reason.

[Joe L.]

Re: New:- `62 Bleeder Screws

Brian-----

Yes, I thought that the 53-60 were different size wheel cylinders front and rear, too, but that's not the case; they were the same size front and rear. 1961-62 used different size wheel cylinders front and rear so that's likely the reason for the bleeder valve difference.