Late GT6 Mk3 rear back plates

[Roger K]

Does anyone know if the correct (auto-adjust brakes) rear backplates for a late GT6 Mk3 non roto are the same as those fitted to anything else?  Mine spent its early years near the sea and the back plates are very badly pitted and rusted, but I'd prefer to keep it standard.

Thanks

Roger

[Clive]

Possibly dolomites? That rings a bell. Not sprint of the OHV models (sprint has bigger rear brakes, the OHV are all manual adjusters I believe, but needs checking)

Are you sure you wouldn't prefer manual adjusting brakes? removes many headaches.....

[Roger K]

I've just cross-checked Rimmers website, and Mk1 GT6 backplates have the same part number as the late self-adjusting MkIII cars.  So presumably all non-roto GT6s use the same backplate, whether or not the brakes self adjust.  I would expect the shoes to be the same, so I'm guessing it's just the wheel cyiinder and manual adjuster parts (snail cam in the end of cylinder, accessed through hole in brake drum?) that are different.

[Roger K]

Looking further, Rimmers have got it wrong.  The late MkIII backplate has no mounting for the adjuster, which should bolt through it to support the lower brake shoe mount.

That means that to convert to manual adjusters, I need to replace backplates, wheel cylinders, fit new adjusters etc. etc.  I'm not bothered too much about the cost, but I don't think those parts are available anywhere to allow me to do the conversion.  As far as I can tell they need to be from a MkI or II GT6 - doesn't matter if roto or not, but I don't think these are getting broken up these days.  Think I'm stuck with the self-adjusters, and probably with my badly pitted backplates!

[NonMember]

I'm fairly sure Clive's right about the Dolomite brake backplate being the same. I don't know about his OHV comment - I thought it was only Toledos and 1500TC that were manual adjuster - the 1300 and 1500 Dolomites I thought were self-adjusting.

[Roger K]

Dolomite and GT6 part numbers are different on Rimmers' website, so I don't know really.  That said, my chances of finding any back plates seem pretty slim anyway, going by ebay and the classifieds!

[dougbgt6]

I also have a late GT6 with “self adjusting” brakes. They don’t! The lever that works the ratchet gets bent and is such a contorted shape can’t be returned to normal.

This makes adjusting the brakes tedious and frustrating. Wheel off, drum off, adjust, put it all back, repeat, repeat.

I looked into doing the conversion, the back plate and adjuster were available. BUT, the drum is 1/2” wider than previous models, consequently the wheel cylinders are larger bore and they are no longer available. So change the drum? Also the servo only works on the front because of the beefed up rear. Reconfigure the hydraulics so the servo includes the rear? This was how it was with a servo  as an extra on previous models.

I stopped there! 

Doug

[Nick Jones]

Rimmers are wrong. The late Mk3 self-adjusting (hah!) backplates are definitely not the same as Mk1 GT6 and Vitesse, though they would be interchangeable (with a number of other parts needed as well) if you wanted to convert to manual adjustment.

As Clive and Rob are saying, I think they are common with Dolomite. Most likely 1850 and possibly 1500.  I had an 1850 once and the self adjusters.... didn’t.

Nick