Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Frankjr on June 08, 2011, 07:11:42 AM

Title: brake parts
Post by: Frankjr on June 08, 2011, 07:11:42 AM
Hello can't seem to find any one making a correct master cylinder rebuild kit for my 1938 6519 it has a 1 inch bore. Coopers from Cal sent me the
rebuild kit and told me to drill the center piston out till i reach the correct depth,the piston walls would be to thin if i did this.Also my front wheel cylinders
are 1 3/32 inch . was told just replace both front with 1 inch is this safe for a car this big? Thanks for any help.Frank Santoro
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: Jim Stamper on June 08, 2011, 07:48:44 AM

     Have you tried your local parts stores? Many of these kinds of parts are  still listed and if they kept their old books they can often cross reference. These things were used up into the 60s.

                                           Jim Stamper CLC#13470
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: CEC #20099 on June 08, 2011, 10:48:46 AM
Frankjr : 1 3/32 Is not a common size cyl, but 39 Buick 41 series use them, & I suspect, later years. Yes, you need that bore, for stopping power, & yes they are avail thru good parts stores, If they bother to walk away from their screen, & pick up a paper catalog, that they should have saved.
CEC #20099
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: Mike Simmons 938 on June 08, 2011, 05:09:14 PM
Frank- My old Wagner Lockheed catalog lists the MC kit as FC3629, used by the 36-38 LaSalles as well as the 38-60,60S and 65. Also, Buick series 40 in 1936. The good news is that  the kit is used by the later Cad 60S cars in 1939 and 1940. The popularity of those cars might make it a bit easier to find when asking parts guys. Unfortunately, i didn't find it used by any other car make.
Mike Simmons
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: John Washburn CLC 1067 Sadly deceased. on June 08, 2011, 09:57:31 PM
Folks,

This was posted earlier. I checked it out and purchased one. The only difference is the top - the screw cap is much larger than original.

These are new and cheap. Check them out:

Master Cylinder 1937 & 1938
Fits Cadillac and LaSalle
Clark Folklift
Part # 851820
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: harvey b on June 09, 2011, 08:09:06 AM
Hi Frank, here is a ebay listing for one,i am pretty sure it is the right one,cant beat the price either. HTH Harvey b
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110413997726&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT 


harvey bowness
frenchfort pei.
canada
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: Steve Passmore on June 09, 2011, 10:23:40 AM
Quote from: harvey b on June 09, 2011, 08:09:06 AM
Hi Frank, here is a ebay listing for one,i am pretty sure it is the right one,cant beat the price either. HTH Harvey b
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110413997726&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT 


Harvey...  That 1 1/8  bore size is too big!
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: Bob Schuman on June 09, 2011, 10:35:21 AM
Frankjr,

The 1-3/32" bore wheel cylinders may be very difficult or impossible to find. 1942-1955 Cadillacs used an identical cylinder with a 1-1/8" bore, which is more readily available. The larger bore will increase front braking force by 5.8%. My 41 has the larger cylinders in front, and the front/rear braking balance is perfectly satisfactory with close to 50000 miles of experience.

Bob Schuman,CLC#254
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: CEC #20099 on June 09, 2011, 07:59:58 PM
Why don`t you send the 1 3/32 cylinders out for sleeving & rebuilding ?? White Post does it, among others. Make sure you tell rebuilder DOT 3 or DOT 5 brake fluid, as I understand some have issues.
c chleboun #20099
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: dirkdaddy on November 12, 2012, 11:30:13 AM
For those searching on LaSalle brakes and master cylinders, some observations after working on mine.
The 1 3/32 cylinder rebuild kits are available through NAPA # UP 35 front. I had to reference a 38 Caddy to get the parts to come up. The rears are UP 21. If you are going to rebuild, (its not too hard) I would suggest using brake fluid as a hone-lube and stay away from oils and WD40 as it will contaminate even in very small trace amounts they say. You can get even stuck pistons out with a bit of compressed air, but cover ends with a towel to catch them. Use a hone available from parts stores and electric drill. Move in and out while occasionally squirting brake fluid to clean out the debris. Make the bores smooth. Reassemble and you may need some string to hold together now that bores are smooth. I tried painting the outsides to looks spiffy but I don't really recommend that the brake fluid even in small amounts melts the paint and makes a mess handling the cylinders.

One issue, I purchased the fork lift M/C and the mounting holes do not have threads, not a big deal but had to use different bolts and find nuts. Also, the MC did not seem to have any port for the brake warning light. And the '37 style brake rod fits up differently. The OEM part was inserted through the rear and require disassemble to remove. Not too psyched about the difference fittment, would swap parts but I paid a good bit for the forklift one and should not have to rebuild the original one to fix, but mulling that over. :-\

Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: John Washburn CLC 1067 Sadly deceased. on November 12, 2012, 05:16:08 PM
Scott,

Yikes sounds a lot different than my experience... I paid less than $40.00 for the fork lift MC which I considered a steal.

On a stock 37 LaSalle and a 1938 65 Series Cad the mounting holes in the MC are not threaded. I don't believe any of them are. The bolts come through the frame and you have to tighten them down with nuts. So not sure what happened to your car (someone modified).

Finally, not to beat a dead horse, the original MC did not have a port for the brake switch either ti was an add on brass fitting on the front that also had the brake lines connected to it (If I remember correctly). It had three openings. I have a spare I can take a picture of if your are interested.

Thank god this is just a hobby. Sorry you had so much trouble.

John Washburn
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: dirkdaddy on November 12, 2012, 06:41:04 PM
John, interesting post. I was not the one who did last restore, so assuming it was correct....you know where that gets you. One question, if the original did not have a port for the brake warning light, how come the repo wiring harness has wires for it? Were you saying that the OEM way was with a T block for the brake warning switch? Also not sure what you mean by 3 ports on it, both the MCs I have the Clark forklift one and the Delco Moraine that was in the car have a single circuit brake line output.  I do know the brake lines on my car are fresh remade from parts store sections before we got it, and right behind the MC there is a T fitting to split rear from front.
Another difference was the push-rod, on the forklift MC the rod fit in nicely, but w/o retainer. The Delco one had a smaller brass doughnut retainer that would hold the rod's ball into the socket so it would not fall out. That looked more like a stock setup.

I'm not overly worked up about keeping it stock, as the cars paint is a very nice but a hotrod looking metalic, so the small details like this are not going to make or break the car.

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm9.staticflickr.com%2F8063%2F8180463806_b6219615f4_z.jpg&hash=00896dfd1063ef9638ca2aae7a73bdd53d3c2a4a)
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: Steve Passmore on November 12, 2012, 06:56:21 PM
John means the "T" fitting has 3 openings and hes absolutely correct, theres no threaded mounting holes. Also these cylinders are on eBay now for just $43.  Yours is not a stock item Scott, they never had the brake switch embedded in the cylinder body.
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: John Washburn CLC 1067 Sadly deceased. on November 12, 2012, 08:36:51 PM
Scott,

Will get my lazy fat ass up tomorrow to show a picture of the original MC with the correct adaptor vs the forklift MC.

I use the Harley Davidson stop light switch, new and made for dot 5. They last longer than NOS ones.

It is just a hobby. It is just a hobby...

John Washburn
Title: Re: brake parts
Post by: John Washburn CLC 1067 Sadly deceased. on November 13, 2012, 01:07:30 PM
Scott,

Found an original 37 LaSalle core Master Cylinder with all the fitting still attached.

Send me your e-mail and will send the pictures. Forgot to dumb down the picture size so won't fit on message forumn.

John Washburn
john.washburn47email addresses not permitted