[cobrae]

I just got my 63 Lemans convertible and well some things were very cleverly hidden. The car only has front brakes literally the rear drums are gutted. The local shops don't even list a 63 Lemans or Tempest in their books or computers they start at 64. Is there any other cars that are compadible? I was thinking corvair brakes might work but I don't know.

In total I need pretty much everything for the rears new pads for the fronts new rubber lines for the fronts lower ball joints, idler arm.

Drove the car and checked it out when I got it and it was all fine. Got it home and the ball joints were so bad I wouldn't take it around the block. Kinda need to get it done as I traded my daily for it.

[mechanickeith]

Lots of stuff available at www.kanter.com & www.rockauto.com Do you mean the rear drums are empty, as in shoes & hardware is missing?? Corvair brake stuff wont work. New catalog for the 61-63 Tempest's just came out from Ames. Lots of stuff there. Lots of people here will have some parts.

[cobrae]

Yea the drums are completely empty nothing at all. ordered some wheel cyls at like $30 a pop locally. Only thing I could actually find.

He didn't even notice anything wrong with it and hes been working on cars for over 40 years.

Wish I still had my old Mustang lol. 8.8 posi rear same bolt pattern. put that under the back set my 327 under the hood with a 5 speed and get the tri power intake setup down the road. Those plans will probably work better for the Tempest that came with it. Providing its still there when I go to get it.... Something like a 4 hour drive to get there it better be there lol.

[mechanickeith]

Put in your parts request in the Parts wanted section. See what shows up.

[TempestFugit]

Somebody capped off the rear brakes and sold it to you like that... Yikes, that's almost criminal... Don't drive that thing more than 30mph they don't stop all that well with four brakes.

Rubber front lines are fairly easy Ames Performance has them (left & right side are the same)
The rear rubber lines are harder to find the left side and right side are unique.. i.e. different ends on L & R.

when you sort it all out, list the brake parts that you need here too. I have some spares and I'm sure others will have stuff too.

Did you say this is going to be your daily driver??? in Maine!!???

You found wheel cyls for $30 locally!? Luck-e-e (If they fit and are correct, tell me where you got em.)

[cobrae]

yep my daily for now or will be soon I hope. I have a problem cause of my father I have a slight addiction to classic cars. I'm 25 and have had mostly classics other than the oddball newer mustang or camaro and a couple trucks. I was trying to get something practical and economical but I ended up split between this 63 Lemans and a 1937 Lincoln zephyr v12 and nowhere near the Honda civic or something that makes sense since I plan on going down to Boston now and then to visit my girl lol. I'm in northern Maine at that ...

I actually got them at Napa. I see Kanter has a master set with all the pads n stuff. says 4 pads wondering if thats all 4 wheels or just 4 pads (2 wheels) Also comes with rubber lines. The wheel cyls were actually $28 now that I think of it. I ordered the 2 rears. The fronts work fine.

I have a bit of work to do on the carb though it has a massive hesitation if you give it gas it stalls. The carb wasn't even bolted down and had screws loose all over it. I got a nice rebuilt one though might just throw it on.

My dad wasn't too happy when I took the rear wheels off and the drums fell off. Was a nice old man that I got it from said he restored it and drove it for 7 years,

[TempestFugit]

Not sure how "Practical and Economical" left you deciding between A Zephyr/12 or a Transaxle Tempest either way it's going to be an interesting winter. You better get that heater/blower in tip-top shape, those ragtops are cold in January.

Compared to a Tempest, a twelve cylinder Zephyr could almost be considered "Conventional". Get used to the terms "Unique" "Quirky" and "What the ...."

Check out the discussions about unique handling characteristics... not to scare you but just better to understand that there are parameters that need to be respected...

What engine and trans do you have?

[cobrae]

Well I was lined up to get a newer honda 40mpg sounded nice then this guy offered me the Lemans and another offered me the Lincoln. The honda kinda got pushed aside by the blinding beauty of the curves on the Lincoln and the neat aspect of the Lemans lol.

Honestly the Lemans has to handle better than the RX7 did that I traded for it. That car couldnt even be driven in the rain it would just slide all over the place. I'm a careful driver anyway not like most people my age in a hurry to get everywhere even when they arnt going anywhere lol.

Its the 4cyl 1bbl auto. Honestly one of the reasons I got it was I assumed it would be easy to put my 327/5spd in it. I didn't realize the tranny was in the back and all that lol.

I don't drive much in the winter so its not going to be too crazy bad. Also have a lil Samurai and a friends H2 I can steal now and then if I need it.

[GaryK]

Careful with the NAPA rear wheel cylinders, most likely the wrong ones. I tried to find a set last year and the store said they were no longer available. The one they ordered for me were the wrong ones. Their computer says everything will fit a Tempest but it doesn't.

I prefer to deal with Ames since they are the first supplier to put together a catalog for these cars.

[Ron Landis]

Pete Serio did TWO of these cars and knows them inside-out. He loves helping fellow hobbyists! Hope I'm not speaking out of school here, Pete! Anyway...he IS the Man when it comes to these cars. Just sayin'. Ron

[cobrae]

I know where I can get a 64 389 with the better crank. the originals were weak if I remember right. I was tempted to put that in my Lemans but I was reading on here you need to drill the crank or get a 326 crank I guess. I plan on giving dad the Tempest if/when I go down to get it. Might get that 389 for him to put into it. Not like he needs more projects though lol. 59 Edsel, 63 Olds, 62 Galaxie, Good fun though.

I do like this lil Lemans though. If I can't get all the parts I need (without breaking the bank) I might have to sell it though most likely at a loss as I'm not about to sell it like he did but I don't want to sell it at all thats a last resort.

[Doug]

Lots of stuff is advertised as fitting 63 Tempests when they don't. Among items you need to be sure of are front (and back) wheel cylinders, outer tie rod ends and LOWER ball joints!

As for using a 389, the transaxle setup can't handle a good running 326 if the car is "romped on" much.

If you are thinking of rebuilding the front suspension, save yourself a lot of time and hassle by going ahead and buying a complete kit from Kanter instead of trying to piece together parts off Ebay or swap meets.

P.S. The manual and power steering boxes are the same. (No quick ratio boxes were offered.) The Pitman arms are totally different too.

[cobrae]

The wheel cyls were massive compared to the stock ones so bringing them back in a few min.

[gstoib]

Ames probably has the idler arm, but if not, check eBay. I've seen several there lately.

[cobrae]

What years of brake shoes will fit? This one site says 63-75 lemans shoes are all the same.

[GaryK]

61-63 only. All websites say that.

[cobrae]

Not entirely. Been looking at shoes allot this morning and quite a few list the shoes as 1963-75 Lemans. Mostly sites that sell AC Delco brakes. Gutted the wheel cyls this morning and replaced all the internals with ones out of a 60s nova I think it was and they work beautiful. The guy had taken a hammer to the wheel cyls and busted up the internals. Just need the brake shoes now ordered some form a newer lemans at napa the pictures looked exactly the same. same dimensions and everything the only difference was the newer shoes need a hole drilled out for one of the springs. If it works then its better than what they wanted to reline my pads and better than $80 per wheel cyl on Kanter. Never know till you try.

[Doug]

63 brake shoes are 9"x 1.5" (9" diameter drums). 64 and later shoes are 9.5"x 2.5" (9.5" diameter). Also, 61-63's have lug bolts on 4 1/2" pattern. 64 and later have 4 3/4" pattern. I think maybe the 63's (and earlier?) have left-hand thread lug bolts on driver side.

Seems like when I was scrounging up suspension parts I ran into a "Cadillac" idler arm that interchanged with a 63 Tempest and it cost somewhat less than the Tempest.

[JohnFromVentura]

err ... I might be wrong bit I thought the shoes were 2" wide by 9" diameter. I have extra both sides, including brake drums, new shoes, good cylinders and backing plates.

[mechanickeith]

You are both wrong!! Shoes for all 3 years are 1.75"X9" drum.