July 2014

Old Sport

Hoke-chevelleWho says you can’t love inanimate objects? This ’72 Chevelle SS disclaims that theory.

By Owner Brad Hoke #22043783, Port St. John, FL

Photography by Colin Date

This was supposed to be a car story. But once into it, it occurred to me it was actually more of a love story. Its original owner doted on it from day one, and so has our entire family.

Our 1972 Chevelle SS Convertible “Old Sport” has had only two owners– the original purchaser and us. It has always been licensed and insured, and has never been out of service even for a few weeks. It has never been in even the most minor of accidents, has been in a garage under a cover every night for the last thirty years, and has been a fully restored showpiece for most of that time. Even at this writing, Old Sport has accumulated only 72,000 original miles. Continue reading →

50 Years of Chevelle!

colin-head-shotBy Colin Date

As most of you good folks have probably surmised by now, I’m pretty much an all Chevy models car guy. Corvette, Camaro, Chevelle, El Camino, Tri-5, Impala, Nova, etc., I’m smitten by them all. Chevelles are right up there at the top of my all-time favorites chart– a Bowtie model I’ve gushed over since I was about 10 years old. I’ve driven them, wrenched on them, photographed and written about them, but, alas, have not yet actually owned one. Continue reading →

Braking System Basics: Master cylinder and power booster conversion

master-cylinderStory and photography by Colin Date

Performance gains: A new, dual circuit master cylinder and power booster will enhance the ease and safe operation of your brake system.

Most vehicles on the road today, both old and new, use hydraulic systems to actuate the brakes. Hydraulic systems allow pressure to be delivered through small diameter hoses and lines from the pedal to the braking surfaces at each wheel without taking up a large amount of room. They also decrease the amount of foot pressure required by making the surface area of the master cylinder pistons smaller than that of the wheel cylinder or caliper pistons.

The master cylinder consists of a fluid reservoir mated to a cylinder and piston assembly. Late models (typically post-1967) came equipped with a dual reservoir master cylinder. The dual reservoir was designed to separate the front and rear braking systems hydraulically in case of a leak. These dual circuit master cylinders utilize two pistons, a primary and a secondary, to keep the braking system safely in order. The primary piston is actuated mechanically by the linkage of the brake pedal. The secondary piston, located directly behind the primary, is set in motion by trapped fluid between the two pistons. If a leak occurs forward of the secondary piston, it will move forward to the front of the master cylinder, and the trapped fluid between the two pistons will operate the rear brakes. If the rear brakes develop a leak, the primary piston advances until it reaches the secondary– forcing it to apply pressure to the front brakes.

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