[V8] failing abs?

[Roger M. Woodbury]

I have a new graunching noise in the Black Mariah.

When I put on the brakes, the car stops like it is attached to an arresting
hook, but sometimes as it comes gently to a stop, just before stopping I
will get a sort of reverse pressure on the brake pedal, and there will be a
weird sort of "graunch" noise...pretty hard to describe. 

If I push really hard, the pedal will "break through" the pressure and the
it seems that the rear brakes will lock.  This takes place at barely
creeping speed and not before.  

Otherwise, all else seems perfectly normal. I do think I have a front
caliper that is sometimes sticky.  I think it is the right side caliper and
on occasion I have experienced the t ypical UFO pulsing.  But recently there
is next to no pulsing, and more and more, none at all.  I think the problem
with the caliper is mostly the time that the car sat with little use while
it was being redone mechanically.  

But the "graunch" noise and brake reverse pressure is worrisome.

Roger

Oh, yeah.  And while I am at it, the car has had a rather hard knocking
noise in the left rear since I bought it.  I sounds like a rear shock, and I
wonder if anyone has experienced a failure of an upper rear shock mount on a
Type 44 car of any variety.  The rear shocks on this car are aged Bilsteins,
and I suspect that this cure will probably be in the complete replacement of
the rear shocks.  I note that I now am getting a certain amount of rear end
"electric motor" hum that is speed dependent.  I suspect that this is shock
absorber dying noise, as it sounds like the same kind of hum that comes
along when the front struts are failing.  And I am almost tempted to try to
do the rear shocks myself a bit later on when the weather is milder and I
can get the car into the garage...after throwing out all the accumulated
trash that lies in wait for anyone foolish enough to try to go in there....

R