Concerning IPD, already spoke with them today for the first project...BRAKES. The master cylinder is shot and probably original. A rebuild kit probably won't do the trick and a new one can be had for ~$120. Problem, the original is a single circuit design and as I eventually wan to go to a disk rear (and more safety) I want to go with a dual circuit master. 2nd problem: While I can use a dual circuit master out of a '70-73 P1800 (direct bolt in), they now do not come with the reservoir so I would have to find one (kinda hard) and then find a proportioning valve (really hard) out of a donor P1800. Not many of those to be found. Also, I HATE the gas/brake pedal setup in this car. WAY too close together and my fat feet seem to always find both. SOOO, thinking about "fixing the glitch" by putting in a Tilton pedal assembly with individual cylinders and a balance bar, possibly even with a new clutch cylinder built in. Something like this.
What say the masses?
We rebuilt the old single MC on our race car for a $20 kit, and it works fine. You will want a brake cylinder hone, we bought 3 of them for $25 at NAPA. Its super easy, and works on rear cylinders, too. Rebuilding is much, much cheaper than replacing and very satisfying and easy. Unless the cylinder is scored or rusty, then its toast.
Interesting, my '67 122 has a dual circuit brake system. I think it was changed over in 67 at some point. Yours may be an earlier car.
I have tons and tons of 122 and 1800 parts. I converted a '68 122 to the full 1800 4 wheel disc brake setup. It flat stops. But, it uses 1800 wheels, which are a different bolt pattern. Stock 122 uses a 5 on 4.5 that can be found on most fords and chryslers from the 60's thru the 80's. In fact, my 122 wagon has 14" wheels in the rear from a '60 dodge dart. The 67 and later 122 had a different rear suspension than the 66 and earlier, which makes bolting on the 1800 suspension bits super easy. You can also get a 4.3 gear ratio, as opposed to your stock 4.1.
The 122's dual circuit MC has no problem working the 4 wheel discs on my '68, even without a booster (the early boosters are unreliable and $$$ to rebuild and replace) I've thought about retrofitting the 1800's booster (more common pancake type) and MC, but that would require modifying the firewall attachment points, and the booster gets in the way of the distributor. If you have strong legs, you don't need the brake booster. Its a 2500 pound car. I have a 3800 pound Plymouth with disc brakes and no power booster.
The pedal setup is tightly placed. My wagon is even worse, since it was originally an automatic car (with a wider trans tunnel) converted to stick. But I drive it even with my size 13 feet and wearing steel toed work boots every day. You get acclimated to it.
Watch out for overboring b18 to 2 litres. Some b18's had casting defects and when you try to punch them out, you hit porosity and now have a very effective paperweight. B20's aren't like 350 chevies, but if you look you can find them- hell, I have 3 or 4 cores at my house that need rebuilding. Find a rusty or smashed fuel injected 1800 and go to town. The FI heads and cam are better, anyway.
