1963 Chevrolet Suburban K10 Carryall

[gtyap]

Restoring this ‘63 K10 Suburban.

Pictures: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#...3-1E866C070C63

Things I’ve done:
- put in new main wiring harness
- Put in new front emergency brake cable (had to fabricate it with a make your own kit, as after weeks of searching could not find a like cable anywhere)
- Fixed the horn and put a new shiny bowtie steering wheel cap on
- got turn signals working (not great, but functional)
- Replaced 64 year old disintegrated glove box liner
- replaced lighter and glove box light
- replaced headlights and a couple of turn signal/brake bulbs
- got brakes functioning - (these K10 front axle DANA Spicer brake parts are SUPER HARD to find; they don’t appear to be made anymore and are different than conventional drum brakes. NOTE: an extremely close replacement for the clips that hold the brake pads in place is a late 70s Jeep part, noted in one of my images.)

Things I’m working on now:
- fix the brakes again! In an accident (stupidly had not checked that the lug nuts were tightened down adequately after last break adjustment, and wheel fell off driving down the freeway…) I destroyed the front driver side drum backing plate, and cannot find a replacement anywhere!
- If I can’t find that backing plate, will do the front drum to disc conversion. And there’s a dilemma there, in that the original configuration has the master cylinder with one line to the brakes and one line to the clutch slave cylinder… do I just put the new master cylinder on and have one line go to the discs in front, and the other line go to the rear drums and do a T on that line to the clutch slave cylinder?
- restore rear license plate light, which was painted over and the electrical line to it missing (cannot find that light anywhere either - “GUIDE L1A-60” - so going to try to disassemble and put new fabricated rubber gasket, and probably get new rear wiring harness).
- install passenger side mirror (originally didn’t have one).
- replace wipers rubber (old style wipers don’t take any new inserts that I can find, so have to fabricate…)
- Get air vent cables working and replace knobs, and replace under dash heater air hose.
- restore side sliding window pieces with new (fabricated) rubber and felt and install new locking brackets.
- put on new visors
- repair or replace overhead headliner pieces
- put in/restore windshield washer hoses and sprayers (missing), and figure out how to wire it, as that wire is missing from the knob.
- replace headlight knob/switch, as it function is worn and not good for the gauge/interior lights.

Future:
- install seatbelts (purchased. Did not have them that year yet)
- find or fabricate dash speaker bracket (missing, unusual, and can’t find. I show a picture of what it’s supposed to look like that I found on the Internet in my pictures)
- install air conditioning with as close to original as I can find.
- Strip off old bondo that is clearly covering up some rust and see what I got and repair it,
- restore original paint color.
- perhaps reupholster

If anyone can help me find that front driver side drum brake backing plate, I can’t tell you how grateful I would be! DANA 44 K10 backing plate with the number “310299-L”.

[VictoriaHardware]

For the license lamp there are no repros so you have to restore what you got, find a better used one, or luck into an NOS one. The p/n is 899290.

I have a '65 K10 front diff. I'll check tomorrow if the p/n is the same as your '63.

[gtyap]

Originally Posted by VictoriaHardware

For the license lamp there are no repros so you have to restore what you got, find a better used one, or luck into an NOS one. The p/n is 899290.

I have a '65 K10 front diff. I'll check tomorrow if the p/n is the same as your '63.

That is indeed the lamp!
I'd love to find one! Restoring my existing one will be a pain!
And I can't tell you how grateful I would be to find that backing plate.
Patrick

[VictoriaHardware]

Regarding the Backing Plate- the only number I find is BENDIX 314957. The whole brake assembly looks different from your picture- cylinder, shoes, springs, etc. I am sure this is a Dana 44 Closed Knuckle axle from a 1965 Chevrolet K10. I have no reason to believe it was swapped out in the past. So, I am not sure it is what you need.

[gtyap]

Originally Posted by VictoriaHardware

Regarding the Backing Plate- the only number I find is BENDIX 314957. The whole brake assembly looks different from your picture- cylinder, shoes, springs, etc. I am sure this is a Dana 44 Closed Knuckle axle from a 1965 Chevrolet K10. I have no reason to believe it was swapped out in the past. So, I am not sure it is what you need.

No. Different configuration/part. But thanks so much for checking!!

I have found only two things anywhere showing this brake system, and one was a youtube guy restoring a '63 K10 pickup, and when he got to the front brakes and pulled off the drum, it was exactly like this. I think the other was some obscure DANA document. It's not even in the 1963 Chevy Truck Shop Manual. On the page where it talks about the front drum brakes, it shows a diagram of the one on all the C10's and virtually all their smaller trucks, and has the note "(Except the K10)", but doesn't show or mention the K10 front drum anywhere else. It's kind of maddening.
Thanks again for looking. Open to suggestions.

[VictoriaHardware]

Long shot, but I wonder if your could transfer all of the '65 brakes to your '63 axle. Should still be functional, not be obvious (if you're trying to stay original), and may be easier to get parts in the future. Just a thought, seems like you're running out of options.

[Short 3/4]

Originally Posted by VictoriaHardware

Long shot, but I wonder if your could transfer all of the '65 brakes to your '63 axle. Should still be functional, not be obvious (if you're trying to stay original), and may be easier to get pats in the future. Just a thought, seems like you're running out of options.

Agree completely with Victoria. As an added bonus, 65 type should also be self adjusting

[gtyap]

Originally Posted by Short 3/4

Agree completely with Victoria. As an added bonus, 65 type should also be self adjusting

Thank you gentlemen! How would I determine if the ‘65’s would work? And any good ideas on the best way of finding those parts if it does appear that will work?

[gtyap]

Originally Posted by Short 3/4

Agree completely with Victoria. As an added bonus, 65 type should also be self adjusting

Another question I could use help with: if I just do a front drum to disc conversion, I’ve discovered something I don’t know what to do with. The existing configuration has one hydraulic line coming from the master cylinder to the brakes, and the second line from the master cylinder going to the clutch slave cylinder… So if I convert to disc brakes in front, do I take one line from the master cylinder to the front discs, and the other line to the back drums and just “T” off of that line to the clutch slave cylinder?

[Short 3/4]

Think of your existing master cylinder as two completely separate master cylinders that share a common fluid reservoir. The outputs of the two sides are controlled by separate cylinders operated by the two different pedals (clutch and brake). To convert to a disc system you would need a later disc brake type master cylinder (one pedal input, two hydraulic outputs) and then you would have to run two separate lines, one to feed the front discs, and another to feed the back drums. Probably need to modify holes in firewall to make new master cylinder fit, and possibly fabricate linkage to make the pedal work properly. While I’ve not done this on your particular truck style, have done this on other vehicles. Can be a real PITA if you’re not good at tube bending/ flaring etc. Also, getting the stroke of the pedal and rod to work properly with the new master cylinder can also be a challenge.

After that you have to find a stand alone master cylinder for the clutch and basically do the same as above for it.

Not impossible, lots on this forum have probably done it, but definitely not a simple bolt on modification. And that’s before you have to either swap out the entire front end or modify the one you have to accept discs

If it was my truck I’d simply find some late 60’s drums to bolt on and be done with it.

Good luck whatever you decide
Tom

[Short 3/4]

Originally Posted by gtyap

Thank you gentlemen! How would I determine if the ‘65’s would work? And any good ideas on the best way of finding those parts if it does appear that will work?

65-69 parts should bolt up just fine. The basic D44 housing didn’t change (you can even bolt up 3/4 ton brakes to a 1/2 ton axle (or vise versa).

I would look to members of this forum for used later style backing plates. I myself got rid of exactly what you need here a number of years ago. Unlike your rare early ones, should be easy to find the later type. Lots of members have helped me out in the past with hard to find stuff- they are truly great!

Everything else you need will be easily found new, either locally or mail order.

[VictoriaHardware]

Regarding parts- I have a complete front axle assembly minus the hub loks. I was trying to sell it but have no takers so I'm willing to part it out. I suspect there are others here who have them also who may be closer to you as well. Shipping or driving may become the biggest expense here. To make it "legal" you may want to become a forum member since it becomes a WTB posting. $25 well spent.