Hagerty X5. Where are you located? I am guessing Nebraska. Chris Shade has a Corvair shop in Hastings and is involved with racing Corvairs.
You may have seen his car on the cover of the current Communique.

Sometimes you can tell bad rubber hoses when bleeding the brakes, with the bleeder open the pedal is still hard to push and you get very little volume into the bottle.

I try a low speed skid test on a dirt road or asphalt with a little sand to see if all 4 wheels are locking up. Low speed to see marks from all 4 before they merge into just 2.

I'd make sure all 4 hydraulics are doing something before changing shoe compounds.

Freeplay in the pedal for the master cylinder to properly return all the way is important, we just got a maybe so far.

Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

My 63 convertible has a very hard brake pedal too. Club members have told me it likely is the brake linings not being exactly the right kind. It still stops but with my right knee about to get a metal replacement sometimes it hurts a bit. I will consult with better knowledge people when it comes time for a brake job as to the "right" kind of brake linings.

Nice convertible enjoy it. They are fun and get many comments every time I take ours out. Of course, your car is rare also, one of 44,435 convertibles made in 1963.

Jim Johnson, Chandler, Arizona
63 resale red convertible, 4speed, black top
Cactus Corvair Club

I just went through the brakes on my '64 spyder.4 wheel cylinder kits,4 brake hoses,front shoes,and a rebuilt master cylinder from advance auto.Everything cost about 125 bucks.The brakes work great.Money well spent!