1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

[Michael J.]

I found out a very interesting thing about these caps. I have the '63 and '64s equipped with J56 brakes, and am familiar with the unique cap. I also have a '64 1/2 Mustang K-code, and those cars also had a unique MC cap very unlike the '65s had. I finally found one, and guess what, they are identical. I guess some brake supplier, like Bendix, must have sold them to different manufacturers? Here is the '64 1/2 Mustang one......but it was painted semi-gloss black as an assembly with the MC, so I have to paint it.20231203_103013.jpg

[James G.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

I too noticed that some of the early 60's FORD's had the same appearing cap - which led to my dreams of finding a mismarked 63 Z06 Master Cylinder for $20.
Much like the pair of 2 bar knock off spinners I found for $20.

[Michael J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Yes, I will tell this one was a fraction of the cost of a '63 Z06 cap.......

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

[QUOTE=James Groome (65120);941702]I too noticed that some of the early 60's FORD's had the same appearing cap - which led to my dreams of finding a mismarked 63 Z06 Master Cylinder for $20.
Much like the pair of 2 bar knock off spinners I found for $20.[/QUOTE

With your luck you probably will.
Those caps were used on a BUNCH of 60s Ford and Mercury cars/trucks plus other makes.
BUT there were many differences between those and a true Z06 cap. Especially the little thing clipped onto the inside bottom.
I think that was Z06 only.
Hanson and I looked at many NOS ford caps trying to find the correct wording,wording placement, spot welds etc....not many were close and none were exact.
I think some T-birds even had a chrome version.
Amazing that Chevy listed the cap, and the cap gasket through service for so few cars that used them.
Bob Jorjorian

[Michael J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Yes, I should have mentioned this cap does not have the hangy down divider the Z06 caps do, but it does have the two holes on the underside that divider hooked into. When this one is on the MC, they are identical from the top and sides, wording, grips, and notches.

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

I'm too lazy to pull stuff out and picture prove things.
Some have the wording running around the cap so it's not easy to read from one side....others break the wording up into 2 sets so it can all be read from one side.
Some have 2 spot welds, some three.
All I'm saying is all Ford caps don't look exactly like Z,and NONE have the Z clipped on piece underneath
Sorry I mentioned anything.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

The original cap for the 63-64 HD brake master cylinder was GM #3830056. This was discontinued in December, 1968 and replaced by GM #3943682. The latter was discontinued without supercession in October, 1973 with a GM list price at that time of 63 cents. I do not know how the 2 caps differed.

[Michael J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

I guess my question would be what cars was it used on after the Corvette J56 brake option was not the same size cap.

[Joseph S.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Mike, I think you'll find that your Z06 cap has 3 depressions (not evenly spaced) along the top ridge and this Ford cap only has 2 depressions.

[Michael J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Correct Joe, the "notches", as I call them, are 2 instead of 3. But that is the only exterior difference I can see. And that distinction is also not called out in the '63-'64 TIM&JG for the J56 brakes cap.

[Gary B.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Correct Joe, the "notches", as I call them, are 2 instead of 3. But that is the only exterior difference I can see. And that distinction is also not called out in the '63-'64 TIM&JG for the J56 brakes cap.

[Michael J.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Ha! Considering the huge price differential, the parts vendors would appreciate that.

[Joseph S.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Gary, We don't need to see the 2 depression caps. Our team has already addressed that in the next revision. We're making changes daily so this next book gets out before the summer!

[James G.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

Jorjorian... just noticed the name... I read alot of Vette Vues when I was an adolecent in the 70's and early 80's, you had one of the first restored Z06's I had ever seen IIRC it was in primer in one of the articles.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1963-64 J56 brakes MC cap

I guess my question would be what cars was it used on after the Corvette J56 brake option was not the same size cap.

Michael------

The 1963-64 Corvette Z-06 master cylinder and cap was not used on any other Chevrolet or, even, any other GM vehicle. Primarily, GM used master cylinders manufactured by Delco-Moraine although there were a few that did use Bendix manufactured master cylinders.

Other car manufacturers did use a lot of Bendix-manufactured brake parts, including master cylinders. But, I do not know which manufacturers or models, if any, that used a Bendix master cylinder that was the same as the Corvette piece.