Kanter also sells new (Chinesium) wheel cylinders for $44 each or $146/set of four.

Oh, well, if it’s on the internet, then….

Look, I understand that tire section width will vary with wheel width for a given tire, but common sense should tell you that the exact amount of change will depend on the height of the sidewall and on the difference between the section width and the rim width. This can’t be a single number for ALL…[Read more]

Actually, I’m not sure where you got this 2/10″ per half inch of width formula. That will actually vary based on sidewall height.

Correct, and an extra 0.2″ of section width means all of 1/10″ wider on each side. I have waaaay more than 1/10″ of clearance to my fender lips.

What difference does that make? A 205 tire is still 205 MM wide (OK, give or take a little due to the rim width). My 205/70-14s are 25.3″ diameter and 8″ section width. 205/60-16s are 25.7″ in diameter and 8″ section width. My friend’s 215/60-15s are 25.2″ in diameter and just about 8.5″ wide, and they also fit fine.

Meaning what?

I’m running 14×6 aluminum slot mags with slight negative offset (maybe half an inch). Tires are 205/70-14.

Well, you definitely don’t have zero offset wheels. Mine has 205s on the back and I’ve had no issues for eight years now. My slot mags actually have some negative offset, which pushes the tires closer to the fender lip – still no problems. Mine are 14×6 wheels; overall tire diameter is 25.3″.

Are you asking about a Powermaster alternator that looks like a generator?

If all you care about is changing to a alternator, I also used the bracket from a 1963 215. Both a 12SI and a CS130 will fit this bracket with no mods. I swapped the pulley from the generator onto the CS130. Use the CS130 from a 1988-1990 Cadillac Fleetwood with the Olds…[Read more]

You can likely use brackets from an early Buick V6. The 215 is just a Buick V6 with two cylinders cut off. You likely can find Sanden brackets for that configuration.

Edit: Vintage Air sells Sanden brackets for a Buick 231 that can be adapted. You might need to modify or change the alternator/generator bracket,…[Read more]

I have 205s on my 62 with no issues. My friend has the 215s on his 62.

Well, I know first hand that 215/60-15s fit at all four corners on zero offset wheels. Your 225/50-16s are only 0.4″ wider and about a quarter inch SMALLER in diameter. The real question is, what is the width and offset of the wheels you are running, and do you have adapters or anything that pushes the wheels outward? Where do they rub?

Um… buy larger wheels with the 4 x 4.5″ bolt pattern.

Wheel Vintiques sells new 15″ wheels with that pattern. Many cars used the 4 x 4.5″ bolt pattern, including six cylinder versions of the early Falcon, Comet, Mustang, and Maverick. I have 14″ aluminum slot mags on my 62 that were originally on an early 60s Mustang. FYI, the Mustang II and…[Read more]

Keep in mind that the Jag has a real frame. The Y-body cars (along with the Corvair) were GM’s first production unibody cars. They had a lot of learning to do. With the roof cut off, there isn’t a lot of structure between the firewall and the rear quarters – just the rocker panels and those two little “frame rails” that are spot welded to the…[Read more]

It’s called “cowl shake” and is common in convertibles, especially unibody ones. The 61-63 converts don’t have nearly as much additional stiffening as do new convertibles.

Could it be that only the three speed crossmember is hard mounted? The illustration I posted shows the hard mount as “synchromesh” and the isolated as “hydramatic”, but that’s an early parts book illustration and may only include the 3spd and RH5. The book does show three different P/Ns for crossmembers (3spd, 4spd, and AT). In any case,…[Read more]

I’m a little confused here. The illustration in the parts book calls the rubber mount a “Rear Mounting Assy” in Group 4.081. I don’t see that part in either the page that Jim posted or the one from the Oct 1962 revision book that is available on line. The “Support” is the actual crossmember, and there are different P/Ns for 3spd, 4spd, and AT.…[Read more]

It’s pretty easy. Remove the brake drum. Remove the four nuts that hold the retainer plate to the axle housing flange. Slide the brake drum back over the wheel studs with the open end out. Loosely install some of the lug nuts onto the wheel studs, flat side towards the drum. Now use the drum as a slide hammer to pop the axle shaft out. Now is…[Read more]

Keep in mind that a larger bore increased pedal force requirements for a given braking force.