What year was the first year for dual reservoirs? I'm pretty sure my 66GS Riv that I owned a few years back had a single reservoir. I can remember one night at about 2am coming home and having to go about 20 miles after the brakes had failed completely. I managed to pace all the stop lights okay. But what I hadn't counted on was stopping once I got home. Rolled down the ramp into the underground garage and picked up a lot of speed even in L1, rounded the corner (L shaped building) and was heading straight for a cement wall. Threw it into park (emergency brake didn't work either). My heart was in my mouth with visions of unobtainable car parts to fix the damage. Even opened the door and put my left foot out while still sitting in the drivers seat to try to stop, Fred Flintstone style. After a lot of gear grinding it stuck just about three feet short of hitting the wall. Fortunately I was stone cold sober and able to keep my wits about me during this whole episode. With that all said, I don't ever want to go through total brake failure again. With dual reservoir it won't happen, is that correct? What year are the first dual reservoir systems to get parts from to rebuild the older cars?
Don't take this as gospel... but I'm 99.99% sure that 67 was the first year for dual reservior. At least it was for the A-body. Not so sure about the big cars.. I feel your pain with the single reservoir systems... I had a 63 Impala that blew a front rubber hose once. VERY scary, all of a sudden you have NOTHING for brakes. ou: I don't think I could own a single reservoir car again without swapping to a dual system.
I put one on my 64 and I think you are correct with the 67 being the first year. I've lost the brakes twice on first gen Rivs and I am not going there again. One brake hose while backing a boat into the water and one time the rear wheel came off at highway speeds and I lost the brake drum as well. First you say it then you do it. For mine there were two styles made a long shaft and a short shaft. You need to find out which one you have. The plumbing is easy. I think Buick even had a retro kit available in the late 60's. Larry
I can tell you I lost a brake line to the rear of my old Skylark just as I reached the bottom of a mountain I had driven up. MAde it home ~20 miles becausea of the dual reservoir (It was still scarey, being that I had to go through a short section of high traffic area before I hit the back roads and could go 30mph)... not sure of the first year, but so long as you don't lose front AND back lines, it is the answer. What happened was that I had no pedal pressure until the last 1/2" or so, then very hard pressure (they were not power anyway). Scrubbed speed off slowly but surely.
1966 was the last year for single reservoirs in all cars sold in the U.S. The DOT made dual reservoirs mandatory for the 1967 model year. Yancy Everhart 1966 Skylark Convertible 1966 Volkswagen Squareback
I had a 65 Malibu SS that I just dropped a 454 into and a 125 shot and I was ready to make my first pass at Orlando Speedworld. I get into the staging lanes and BAM, no brakes! I was able to get out without damaging my car or anyone elses and drive (better yet coast) the car back to Cocoa Beach (50 miles maybe?). It was a horrible experience so PLEASE switch to dual reservoir. I have a 65 Skylark now that is being restored and it will not go on the road with the single cylinder. Disc brakes here I come .
Dual will greatly reduce your risk of completely losing your brakes, but it is still possible (though highly unlikely).
1967 was the first year that it was mandatory by the government to have the dual reservoir master cylinder. There were other safety improvements that became mandatory in '67 (I will try to find the list of the others but I know one of them was the collapable steering column). Unless your car is for show only, I would definitely convert to a dual reservoir master cylinder.
