1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

[Rick Krason]

I have removed the master cylinder on my 1960, and it apears to be leaking quite a bit from the rear seal...the boot is full of fluid, and cylinder is almost empty.

Thought about "upgrade" to disc brakes, but after talking with some and researching the archives, sounds like the disc brakes are only worth their weight as a paper weight, no more. I am rebuilding the front and rear as per original specs....

I have seen in MidAmerica, and others, kits to rebuild the master cylinder. Anyone have any experience with those kits? Do I need any special tools..no machining is there? Pretty easy to refurbish the old master cylinder? Works just fine that way or best to get a replacement NOS cylinder?
RICK

[Ed Jennings]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

I suspect there will be a flood of posts recommending that you send your MC off for restoration and resleeving. I rebuilt the MC on my 62 a few months ago and it works perfectly. There is one special tool needed- a brake cylinder hone which fits an electric (or air) drill. These are available at any auto parts store and are not expensive. In fact, you may be able to rent or borrow one, or take your MC to a shop that does brakes and ask them to hone it for you. Its a 5-10 minuet job. The brake cylinder kits are also available from your local auto parts supplier.

Now, a word about honing. The MC bore must be clean, smooth, and round. There will no doubt be some pitting in the bore. If it is severe, or if it is in the area where the rubber piston slides, then the MC may need to be sleeved. Typically this is not the case. The pitting tends to be in the center of the bore where nothing happens. If you can clean up the area where the piston seal slides, the MC should work fine. If you don't feel comfortable doing this work, I don't think the sleeving is terribly expensive, but the rebuild kit is about $15 vs $100+ for the rebuild.

[John M.]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

Rick,
If you have the correct large 022 master cylinder, don't even think of putting a replacement MC on the car,and there are no NOS MC's left out there! Rebuilding the MC is no big deal and you should be able to get a kit from your local auto parts store for around $10.
More often than not however, the water that has been absorbed into the brake fluid has settled in the bore and pitted the bore. This will make the MC leak and will eat up the new piston seals in short order. If the bore is pitted then there is only one solution, and that is to have your MC sleeved. They bore the MC out and insert a sleeve to form a new bore. The best material to use is brass, but stailess is used by some shops. The brass wears smooth faster and increases the life of the piston seals, and should last many years. This process will cost about $75-$100 and they can rebuild the MC at the same time, but I find their price to do so rather high, so I do it myself as it is only a 30 minute or so job! Two of the best shops out there doing this type of work are Apple Hydraulics and White Post Restorations. I have sent work to both shops and both do very good work.

Regards, John McGraw

[Joe L.]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

Rick-----

The kits will work just fine to rebuild the master cylinder PROVIDING that the bore is perfect. And, I mean PERFECT. There must be absolutely no corrosion, pits, scratches, roughness, etc. anywhere in the bore. I do not recommend honing to restore a master cylinder bore. All of the kits available are designed for use with a standard bore size. If even a slight amount of material is removed by honing, master cylinder performance will be unsatisfactory. That's why I NEVER recommend auto parts store-type rebuilt master cylinders; they usually have honed bores. Master cylinders develop VERY high pressure and the sealing system has to be perfect.

If your master cylinder bore is in need of repair, send it out for sleeving and, even, complete rebuilding. White Post Restorations (www.whitepost.com) or Apple Hydraulics (www.applehydraulics.com) are excellent sources for this work. Properly sleeved and rebuilt, you master cylinder will be as good as new. Perhaps even better!

[bob downs]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

rick, i just put a kit in my 62. yes it had some pitting. in fact, it sat so long the spring clip in the back to hold the plunger in rusted through and the piston started comming out. yea it was a mess. i honed it and installed a $14.00 kit and it has been working fine for a year now. i would say go for it. what do you have to loose. im sure someone will step in here and say you have your brakes to loose!

[Chuck G.]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

Another vote for White Post in Virginia. They've done several for me, and MANY for my local friends. Cost??? $158.00 Just had 2 done recently, one for my 63 and another small 022. $150 for the rebuild and brass re-sleeve, $8.00 for UPS return postage. I've never heard of a problem with their services, PLUS they're a nice group of people. Chuck

[Rex 36834]

What have you got to lose?????

Personally, unless you are a master mechanic, I would never try to do it yourself such an important item as BRAKES, especially the MC. One poster stated, "what have you got to lose". I think the answer to this question is more than obvious. I had mine done at White Post with a 1 day turnaround and it looked and worked as new when it arrived back. Don't gamble with the brakes to save a few dollars.

[Doug Flaten]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

Do they rebuild and return your exact cylinder, or do they pull a core off the shelf? I have been hesitant to send some of mine off for fear I'll get some other one back that externally was in worse shape.

[Jim T.]

Re: What have you got to lose?????

When I converted to silicone brake fluid about 15-16 years ago in my 68 and 70 I removed the master cylinders and installed rebuild kits. No problems yet.

[John H.]

Re: 1960 - C1 master cylinder rebuild

Doug -

There are virtually no "cores" left for genuine "022" master cylinders. Whatever you send to White Post, you'll get the same one back - guaranteed; I've used them for many years with 100% satisfaction. They sure didn't have shelf cores for the irreplaceable and nearly priceless old Ferrari master cylinder and wheel cylinders I sent them years ago, not to mention the aluminum brake shoes.

[Pete VanSeggern #30920]

Re: What have you got to lose?????

Apparently, up through '63, master cylinder covers had a small bleed hole in the rubber gasket to equalize pressure on the brake fluid. As the seasons and temperature changed, humid air was drawn in and out of contact with the fluid. My '63 had picked up a lot of water through the years and all 5 cylinders had very serious pitting. In '64, the "jelly jar" lid covered a convoluted gasket without a bleed hole. Later cars, such as yours probably have a much better chance of surviving moisture damage to the master and wheel cylinders.

[Tom B.]

Re: What have you got to lose?????

I put a NAPA rebuild kit in my '59 master cylinder in '69. Even though it hasn't been on the road in many years the brakes are still up and solid as ever. These old master cylinders are very basic and simple. Just pay attention to the pitting and honing as outlined above and you will be fine. I have kitted many old master cylinders from C1 and C2 Corvettes to '39-47 V8 Fords and never had one fail or leak.