Master Cylinder - 1946 Coupe
- Thread starter old46ford
- Start date
wspiker
Senior Member
Bob Drake has this part. If you don't already have one (I am assuming you don't), you should get his latest catalog. If for no other reason than to have as a reference. And, also, look at the pictures!
www.bobdrake.com
www.bobdrake.com
woodiewagon46
BANNED
Your father in law is right, a dual master cylinder is by far safer. Give a company called Master Power Brakes, 888-251-2353, www.mpbrakes.com they can give you the answers you need. I'm not sure if you can just replace the MC without adding a other brake components such as a combination valve, metering valve and residual valves also ask for their catalog it's full of useful brake info.
I had the front system fail and the rear stopped me and brought me home. It is hard to imagine but one of the little push rods that go in the wheel cylinders split. I just put a dual system on a friends 45 pick up. I used a M/C from autozone for $14 It has the same bore and stroke as the original. No extra stuff needed. Bled system and it is working as it should.
When I first got my 32 coupe home, I could not go for a drive in it. The hoses and brake lines were rotten. I removed them by simply pulling on them. I live on a steep hill and without an emergency brake I would not chance it. It got all new plumbing and a dual M/C. I mounted the M/C on the pass side with a linkage set up so the battery could go in the stock spot.
19Fordy
Well-known member
Is it possible to install a dual master cylinder and still have it "line up" with the existing "fill hole" in the floorboard? Plus. is there enough clearance between the floor and the top of the dual master cylinder so as to make it easy to "unsnap" and remove the dual master cylinder cover for filling?
floor board clearance is a problem, I have converted both of my 41 trucks, 3/4 ton and 1 1/2 ton to dual master cylinders and I am working on a conversion for my 40 wagon, I made up a small adapter and will be using a 68-70 plymouth dual MC have not had the time to finish, will let you know the outcome
1oldtimer
Well-known member
Not really, the adapter you can buy still puts the foot side bolt into the frame about an 1". You can either build a pocket into your frame or make your own.....both ways you won't be able to use the stock hole in the floor to check the master.
I did have a NON rusted brake line blow out on my single mastered '60 El Camino in the 90's. Lucky I was in a drive thru, two pumps and then no more brakes.........turned out the line rubbed through in the holder on the rear end.
When I upgraded the brakes on the '47 (Lincoln Bendix) I added a dual pot master.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=367059
Does not sound like a single first hand incident with an original 39-48 Ford. I have run these things since the 50s and not had a failure that was not detected in advance such as a leaking brake cyl, master cyl that had to be pumped etc. I have had some old lines that should have been replaced and one that I remember, the short one near the ujoint that started to leak. If you feel safer then by all means modify your car. I am sure there are some here that remember the fear of their first automatic trans cars losing brakes.........
19Fordy
Well-known member
Alan, That will be great .Please keep us posted on your progress and post photos. Thanks, Jim
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V8 Bob
Well-known member
Kind of a waist of time to try and convince those who don't know, understand, or care about the safety advantage that a +46 year old dual master system offers,...well,... until they have a total system failure.
Ignorance is bliss...for some. Hope you non-believers are always in front of me instead of behind on the road. 
Mart
Well-known member
The ford master cylinder is 1-1/16" diameter. I looked for a dual master in the same diameter, and found they were used on certain ford products, including the E250 . This is a disc/drum setup. I looked and looked but could not find a dual application in 1-1/16" that is drum/drum with residual valves fitted.
If a supplier tooled up to make a dual master that is 1-1/16" diameter with residual valves fitted and the three bolt fixing like the original setup I think they's sell like hot cakes. Especially if all the adaptors were included to plumb into and split the original system.
Mart.
If a supplier tooled up to make a dual master that is 1-1/16" diameter with residual valves fitted and the three bolt fixing like the original setup I think they's sell like hot cakes. Especially if all the adaptors were included to plumb into and split the original system.
Mart.
Terry NJ
Well-known member
That Cyl looks mighty like the one that Speedway Motors (google) sells for $35. Pg 2 of the Catalog #352. I've got on on my Town Sedan and one for my Coupe. I think you need residual valves with it Pg 7 same catalog $17 each. Terry
The truck had seperate lines going to the front so I tee'd them together and ran a line to the tee from the forward port. The rear was a single line but I put a tee in there also to have a place for the brake switch. I just bent the original lines and did not have to shorten them.