65-66 Rear Brake callipers

[John M.]

I have come across a pair of rear brake callipers 5465905 / 5465902 for 65-66 . Casting numbers are very readable. The old seals and pistons are out showing a sleeve sticking up in the middle of the bores with a slot in it and the pistons have a shaft that I assume goes into the sleeve. i have not seen these before,should I just get these stainless sleeved in the normal way to accept todays pistons or is there anything special about these.

Thank you John

[Gene M.]

Re: 65-66 Rear Brake callipers

John sounds like the first design calipers. They can be machined to the later configuration and be just the same as that later configuration.

[John M.]

Re: 65-66 Rear Brake callipers

Thanks Gene,I thought it would be OK to machine them out,just checking they were not special before doing so.

Thank you John

[Don H.]

Re: 65-66 Rear Brake callipers

John,
please read this old thread where Joe Lucia discusses 1st series (546) calipers.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?32979-Question-for-Joe-Lucia-re-1st-Gen-Brake-Calipers&highlight=5465902+delco

They are "special" in that, they have the guides in them that you described and use a unique insulated piston, that now is very difficult to find. As a result, and because most want to use O-ring pistons with SS sleeves, the guides get machined out. This is what I had done to my original 546 calipers, very happy with the results. Still, it is good to at least know why 1st series calipers differ from 2nd and 3rd series, and why they are "special" even if you alter their innards.