I also needed to replace the parking brake cables as the rear ones were very sticky and I couldn't even budge the core with pliers. So I replaced all three parking brake cables. However when I removed the drums to remove the rear cables. I found this.

It just never ends with this thing.

I had no idea where this metallic stuff was coming from. Whatever.

So the previous owner had the rear wheel cylinders and the shoes replaced, but I mean what's the point with replacing the shoes if it's just gushing gear oil out into the brakes. The shoes were soaked and are scrap at this point.

Oh look it's the original seals. A 100 year old Saltine cracker is more flexible than these seals.

That bearing spun as good as it looks.

The irony is the leaking seal allowed gear oil to flow through the bearing and prevented a catastrophic failure. (rolling eyes)

One thing leads to another.

Ug, what I mess this made.

Axles prepped for new bearings.

This will hold the axle over for a little while longer. Someone in the past changed the oil in the axle as it's clean....much to my surprise. But the differential is so worn out. I shall just have to live with the clunk from R-D and D-R for now. At least it doesn't leak and the brakes work now.

Another barrage of new parts.

With the drums cut these might actually work now.

Ug, this front cable was a bear to change. I fought with this for about 2 hours.

I had to remove the splash shield and of course it's so crispified it just broke after I took the bracket off. But it was a pain getting the old cable out and tricky getting the new cable in such a tight space.

I installed air shocks to try to level the car.

Since the previous owner replaced the front springs and they are not the right calibration for this car with these options it rides almost 2" higher in the front and the rear is low. This at least levels the car for now. It rides pretty high at the moment, but there is nothing I can do till I am able to get the original calibrated front springs for this car. I do have them in my parts car but it's a big to do to get them out at the moment. I do wish people would see that the new springs aren't correct and put the old ones back in. In this example I can guarantee they were throwing parts at this trying to get it to drive normal when the rear bushings were at fault and it has excessive play in the steering gear. That play may be in the worm and rack and at that point you need to try another gear or locate an NOS rack and worm to replace it. It's very time consuming and expensive to properly rebuild a steering gear. There is no adjusting that play out.

The end result is now a car that is now just roadworthy. The rear end is nicely secured, aside from the differential clunk it's sorted out back there. The parking/emergency brakes work and release fully now. That's novel.

I can now use the car for now for local trips without too much worry. I can't do too much more for the suspension and steering until I get my spare front springs and have a good power steering gear candidate for a proper rebuild. Ultimately it needs a new differential, but if I'm going to do that, I will upgrade to 31 spline, Eaton True Track, nodular iron third member and Ford Explorer rear disc brakes. It doesn't make sense to just replace a 28 spline open differential with the same especially when this car will eventually received the same type of fuel injected built 390 (500+ gross horsepower) as the other two '66's received.

The transmission in this hits so damn hard going in reverse first thing cold in the morning it chirps the tyres with the brakes on. I swear it tries to shatter the Cardan joints. So that C6 needs to go. Then the engine also needs to go as it's on its last leg. Funny thing is it runs so smooth but it's burning coolant and I 9 out of the 10 intakes bolts are seized and I'd probably break every exhaust bolt as well.

It just goes to show you can't trust a seller no matter what they might seemingly convincingly say and no matter how long they've owned and how it may look aesthetically or the stack of receipts a mile high they might have on the car. It all has to be gone through and you'll probably find a lot wrong.