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Master Brake Cylinder Question


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i am not mounting this on the firewall of my 40 ford , i totaly remember on the real car there was nothing attached to the body , i remember like 6 screws holding the body to the chassis and he use to take the body off all the time, and a few times i got to unscrew the body ok my question ,, i take it that the master cylinder must have a piston inside now seeing how on a real 40 ford it was mounted on the underside , now was it a cable that actuated master cyl or a linkage set up , thanks

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There are many ways to mount master cylinders. Race cars often relocated the master cylinders for a variety of reasons, but they will always be mechanically connected to the brake pedal via stout linkage of some sort, and NEVER a cable. The arm the pedal is on typically goes through the floor, is pivoted at the bottom, and a piece of linkage pushes the piston in the master cylinder.

11.6.12.web-pics-0521.jpg

It is / was also common to mount 'hanging-pedals' that are pivoted on top, and push a firewall-mounted master cylinder with a short rod going through the panel.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
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This is on the subject but yet off I thought I saw at one time a M.C. That was set 90° from the pedal? I want to say it was for an under the dash unit was I seeing things? I don't like hijacking topics but I also don't want to sstart a new topic for this

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I think Bill builds 1:1s so he should know. Right, Bill?

In theory...but I just seem to have had a total brain collapse concerning where I put a 1:1 fuel rail I need to do some machine work on....now where could it be.....? Alzheimer's anyone?

As far as mounting a master cylinder 90deg. off the axis of the pedal swing, it's possible with some kind of a bellcrank linkage that will turn a corner, but I can't recall seeing it done. Late '20s-'30's cars have not-much room under the dash, so if the builder doesn't want the master cylinders under the floor or on the firewall, and wants to maintain some kind of access for servicing, a 90deg. mount could possibly make sense.

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There's a few companies that are making them, most of the kits seem to to be geared more towards '50s/60s cars and trucks. The idea is more about having a clean firewall that a conveneint place to put the master cylinder. The kits work just as Bill says, with a bellcrank.

http://www.classicperform.com/tech_articles/GotBrakes/GotBrakes.htm

http://ecihotrodbrakes.com/hanging_pedal_assemblies.html

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Very interesting Bill. Thanks. I had no idea any of that was available.

There was also a Bendix Hydrovac (seems I've seen them from other manufacturers as well) remote vacuum-booster setup, actuated by a small un-boosted master cylinder hooked to the pedal. The un-boosted MC and the hydraulic line running to one side of the boosted MC took the place of conventional mechanical linkage (and allowed the booster to be mounted just about anywhere you could route a largish vacuum-line to it).

DSC02653.JPG

I think the Bendix units were optional on '50s Studebakers and Chevys, and I'm certain I've seen something similar on old European cars.

A Bendix Treadlevac brake booster unit mounted underdash and kinda went sideways too.

BrakesBendixtreadlevac_zpsda16e1b6.jpg

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
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