Date on the gear set 1972 O Center section
Crazy backing plates and wide shoe

I can find no code stamps on the tubes
It has GM gears

Leave it??
Or change backing plates and make a regular cutlass
Then what to do with the BIG brakes??

 

 

What's wrong with bigger brakes?

 

Only down to the bigger brakes is finding and buying the brakes... I have not looked up the parts to see how difficult they would be to get.
Shoes ? should be out there hardware definitely easy left right adjust kits same as 9.5 x 2
wheel cylinder is different for sure.
Drums might be a pain? Wagon only. If the drums look like they have life... blast and have them machined, reuse.

Jim
JD

 

The Vista rear brakes use the same 9.5 x 2.5 shoes as the front brakes on A-body cars. The parts grow on trees. The front drums also interchange with the rears.

 

I agree that the bigger brakes are a plus, and REPAIR parts are available. But those backing plates are unique to the Vista rears, are they not? IIRC, sourcing those was the roadblock to me swapping to Vista brakes when I rebuilt my rear end. DO NOT SCRAP those.

 

He's already got the backing plates. Yes they are unique to the Vista and SportWagon

 

There you go...All the info you need.
Do not do front ends...lol

 

Thanks for the replies
The brakes were really rusted on. The drums have chunks "shrapnel" missing from the edge from hammer and pry bars.
It is nice to know there are parts available for the big brakes today. I am going to mothball the axle for now and try and find a posi unit or two and some gears
Cheers
brian

 

The bigger rear brakes is a nice upgrade without the hassle of going through a disc conversion or worrying about wheels fitting. I had them on my 71 and the distribution block didn't need changed either. I will tell you the rear cylinders are like 3 times the cost of a regular A body one. Atleast that's what I found for an O type Vista Rear. Gears and posi should be cheaper and easier to find than an O type too.