Power Brake Booster Valve: A Comparison between Original vs Reproduction

[ko-lek-tor]

I took a few side by side comparison pictures of a good reproduction and an original brake booster valves. This part is available @ http://www.johnsclassiccars.com/
Credit ZLP955 (Tim Stone) for telling me about this decent reproduction. The two most notable differences (to me) appear to be the depth of that small center hole. Repro is shallower. And, the outer lip or rim is a little deeper or thicker (evident in pic 2,diameter is ok though). I did not feel it necessary to use a caliper to illustrate, but will be happy to measure the parts dimensions, if some insist.

[Mike S]

 I've seen that very accurate reproduction valve being sold is L.I. Corvette Supply too.

Mike

[ZLP955]

Good pictures to compare them Bentley. The only other difference I can make out is the lack of the 3 dots on the face of the repro check valve. They still look a lot better to me than the valves most of the usual vendors carry, and the ones commonly fitted when getting a booster restored.
Mike, I think you're correct and these might even be identical to those sold by Long Island Corvette Supply. If so, those are more than double the cost of these ($19 versus $8).

[68camaroz28]

That's a nice piece and agree its so much better and accurate looking than the ones that come with repro or restored units. My only and its a small issue is the pure white color. The one I'm using on our 68Z restoration came off a Delco Remy Engineering unit dated May, 1968 that was sent to Jerry Stahl (Stahl Headers), was never used, and just stored away. I purchased that unit when Jerry closed up shop and the valve in that unit has a light, very light tan looking color very similar to what is seen in survivors. One might think the heat of the engine and time dis-colored the valve but with a stored unit never used as I was lucky enough to obtain shows IMO that is how they were during that time period. That is not taking anything away from this one and have started to see some of them on restored cars but the pure white jumps out.
I had not checked on a source but good to know.... 

[68camaroz28]

A pic of that NOS valve that is more of a off white/very light tan plastic on our 68Z restoration.

[ZLP955]

Chick I do agree that the fresh white would stand out and highlight the part as new, especially on a survivor. I've received a few suggestions from a restoration buddy (one of which was to make up a thick paste of instant coffee granules and apply that to the visible parts of the plastic valve for a while) so have some experiments to conduct over our winter, which is just around the corner. I'd rather leave it obviously new and white than ruin the part, but thought I'd try a few of the suggestions out on scrap plastic test pieces.

[Mike S]

 The coffee idea sound interesting. I may give it a shot, but hold the milk and sugar 
 It sure stains teeth easy enough.

Mike

[ZLP955]

Digging this thread up again as there was a recent discussion about check valves, and I realised I hadn't updated this with my experiment to impart some 'aged color' to the very white reproduction that Bentley originally posted pics of.
So - this is the comparison. The valve on the right was the result of soaking in a zip-lok bag containing a strong coffee. I started off leaving it for 24 hours, but it barely took on any of the color; this picture is after about a week in the bag. The artificial lighting makes it contrast heavily against the as-purchased repro on the left, and appear maybe a little too dark, but in natural light it looked very much like an original on a friend's car.
Still lacking the patina of a used original, but when installed, far less obvious as a repro to me. In hindsight, I would have removed it a day or two sooner, but being honest I got sidetracked and forgot it 
Interested in opinions!

[KevinW]

I like it! I will have to try it on one of my white repro parts. thx

[Mike S]

Tim,

  HA! No wonder coffee drinkers don't have ultra white teeth. Any worries about the coffee effecting the rubber check valve? I assume you didn't seal the ends judging from no signs of the ends being blocked off.
Great method!

Mike

[ko-lek-tor]

Here is an original of mine that had undercoating sprayed all over the exposed areas somewhat protecting it's surface, contrasted with the darker part where the hose attached. This gives some credence to Chick's statement in the other thread, saying these valves were white (referring to his new valve and booster he acquired from Jere Stahl). I do not ever think these valves were as white as the repros, but lighter than we may have pictured in our mind's eye. Picture taken in natural light.

[BULLITT65]

Tim your pics showing the coffee experiment are great. I think it turned out just right. I would run it on my car.
So what brand of coffee was that?....

[cook_dw]

You forgot to ask what the scoop ratio was for the coffee, the temperature of the water, humidity, was it filtered water, water content percentages of Fluorine compounds,Trihalomethanes (THMs), Salts of: arsenic, radium, aluminium, copper, lead, mercury, cadmium, barium, Hormones, Nitrates and Pesticides.

[ko-lek-tor]

You forgot to ask what the scoop ratio was for the coffee, the temperature of the water, humidity, was it filtered water, water content percentages of Fluorine compounds,Trihalomethanes (THMs), Salts of: arsenic, radium, aluminium, copper, lead, mercury, cadmium, barium, Hormones, Nitrates and Pesticides.

Now, THAT is the kind of answer I like!   Not to mention altitude at which this "seasoning" was done? lol

[1968RSZ28]

You forgot to ask what the scoop ratio was for the coffee, the temperature of the water, humidity, was it filtered water, water content percentages of Fluorine compounds,Trihalomethanes (THMs), Salts of: arsenic, radium, aluminium, copper, lead, mercury, cadmium, barium, Hormones, Nitrates and Pesticides.

Now, THAT is the kind of answer I like!   Not to mention altitude at which this "seasoning" was done? lol

None of this matters, Tim is in the Southern Hemisphere!  The results will be different in the Northern Hemisphere! 

Paul