[ChuckG]

My local Cruisers club was sponsoring a fun rally, followed by "Pizza Night" at the local cruise in.

I left on the rally at about 3:30 PM, with the wife of a long time friend as my navigator. We made it about 10 miles into the rally.

I hit the brake to slow down to make a right turn. Thought the pedal felt spongy. About 200 yards down the road, I hit the pedal again, and it went to the floor. NO BRAKES.

Luckily we were on secondary roads, and luckily I was about 10 miles from home. Drove the car home....SLOWLY in first and second gear, using the emergency brake to stop. Made it home and into the garage just fine. Took a quick look at the car. MC was dry. Looked at all 4 wheels/tires. All were dry both inside/outside.

We jumped into another car to get back to the Cruise event. Didn't want the miss the "All You Can Eat" for $5.00 pizza night. We were the only DNF at the rally.

EARLY this AM, I got a chance to look it over more closely. It's the rear hard line on the passenger's side, at the junction block. The exhaust pipe crosses over the axle, and it's precariously close to the brake line. Never noticed this before, but I guess rubbing/vibration over time took its' toll. The Bundy Pipe line is cracked.

Gonna have to try to relocate the bracket for the junction block, moving it further outboard. Not gonna be an easy, quick fix. The other option would be to try to have the exhaust pipe rebent, but it's a Flowmaster SS system, and bending SS ain't easy.

Chuck

 

[r66ss]

EARLY this AM, I got a chance to look it over more closely. It's the rear hard line on the passenger's side, at the junction block. The exhaust pipe crosses over the axle, and it's precariously close to the brake line. Never noticed this before, but I guess rubbing/vibration over time took its' toll. The Bundy Pipe line is cracked.

Gonna have to try to relocate the bracket for the junction block, moving it further outboard. Not gonna be an easy, quick fix. The other option would be to try to have the exhaust pipe rebent, but it's a Flowmaster SS system, and bending SS ain't easy.

Chuck
Sounds like u got lucky, glad u got her home and Got Back to the all u can eat Pizza :rock:

 

[TheHotrodHandyman]

Wow did you get lucky. Sounds like it is time to upgrade the brake system to a dual master while you are at it. Not a big deal or expense and well worth it. :bowtier:

-Bruce

 

[belairdave]

Wow did you get lucky. Sounds like it is time to upgrade the brake system to a dual master while you are at it. Not a big deal or expense and well worth it. :bowtier:

-Bruce

Bruce is correct... I carry a small can of brake fluid in the trunk for just the occasion you described... I'm glad you and your ride got home okay and got back to the important things in life like PIZZA!!! Later, Dave

 

[petes83usa]

Wow did you get lucky. Sounds like it is time to upgrade the brake system to a dual master while you are at it. Not a big deal or expense and well worth it. :bowtier:

-Bruce

Definitely up-grade that brake system to a duel reservoir Master cylinder .....I'm with ya on the $5.00 AUCE....Pizza...:happy0065:

 

[chevman57]

Good to hear that this happened under these circumstances and not under a time when another vehicle would have been involved.
Terry

 

[carls 56]

your a lucky man chuck (that it happaned when it did). glad you got to got that pizza. :eating:

 

[Redbird]

Nothing like the feeling of the pedal going to the floor. Glad you made it home safely!

 

[ChuckG]

Yeah, it was a bit scary, and I realize how fortunate I was that it happened where it did.

Back roads.....35 MPH speed limit.....etc., etc. If it would have let go on an Interstate at 70 MPH, I would have been in big trouble.

Gonna hit it today. I'll take off the lines, and then cut the bracket off with a whizzer (muffler cutter). Then, I'll figure how far laterally I want to move it.

Spoke with a friend at a car show yesterday. He's a retired welder, and has a lot of HD welding gear. He can come to the house and weld the bracket back onto the banjo housing for me. My little 110 MIG doesn't have the OOMPH to do that.

Then I'll have to buy some Bundy pipe and fab up the new lines. I'll get to practice my "double flaring" techniques. Haven't done that for awhile. I have the tools. Gonna have to run the lines differently. There is MINIMAL clearance on both the top and rear surface of the banjo housing because of the fit of the dual exhaust pipes.

Hopefully will be back on the road later this week.

BTW, the pizza was excellent. How can you lose at a $5.00 "all you can eat" affair? AND, the $5.00 cost included soft drinks. My Cruisers club went through about 35 boxes of pizza that night.

AND, once I get this rear situation straightened out, I'll put the dual MC/power front disc brake conversion back on the front burner.

Chuck

 

[Lloyd's 55 R.I.P 7-10-2016]

Chuck, so glad it occured as it did, Could have been really bad. Put the Dual Master on mine, no big deal and not expensive. Highly recommend it. Regards Lloyd

 

[ChuckG]

Put the car in the air early this AM. Have both rear hard lines removed. Also have the hose and and distribution block removed.

Now, I'm just cleaning up a bit of the mess underneath. Measured the lines. Gonna head to probably NAPA this PM. I don't think "Chinese" Auto Parts would have Bundy pipe in different lengths. :smile:

Maybe I'll luck out and find some pre-fabbed lengths that might work.

Chuck

 

[ChuckG]

Just a little follow-up post to "close the door" on this episode.................

Cut the brake line bracket off the top of the banjo housing and moved it 2" laterally. Clamped it there to fab up the new lines.

Had a friend with a bigger MIG welder come over to the house. He welded the bracket for me. My little MIG wouldn't do the job.

Bought new Bundy pipe brake lines at NAPA. Was able to buy stock lengths, so I didn't have to cut and double flare anything. Bent them with my tubing bender to clear all obstacles. Replaced the rubber hose too. Bled the brakes. No issues with leaks, etc.

The car is back together. Has been for about a week. I've been driving it, and all is well.

Gotta put that power front disc brake/dual master cylinder project back on the front burner.

Thanks for the advice and support.

Chuck

 

[pistoncan]

Just a little follow-up post to "close the door" on this episode.................

Cut the brake line bracket off the top of the banjo housing and moved it 2" laterally. Clamped it there to fab up the new lines.

Had a friend with a bigger MIG welder come over to the house. He welded the bracket for me. My little MIG wouldn't do the job.

Bought new Bundy pipe brake lines at NAPA. Was able to buy stock lengths, so I didn't have to cut and double flare anything. Bent them with my tubing bender to clear all obstacles. Replaced the rubber hose too. Bled the brakes. No issues with leaks, etc.

The car is back together. Has been for about a week. I've been driving it, and all is well.

Gotta put that power front disc brake/dual master cylinder project back on the front burner.

Thanks for the advice and support.

Chuck

Chuck, Reading your posts brought back memories, About 20 yrs ago, I had a friend with a really nice big block 55 chevy. Jet black, slicks, traction bars, the works. I was walking down the street one day as he drove by and seeing me, he got on it a little bit (hard) then proceeded to plow into the back of a UPS truck. He blew the same brake line you did with a single master cylinder. Im so glad you didn;t have a simular experience.

Even if you don;t get to the disc brake conversion right away. A 67 camero dual (drum drum) master cylinder is under 40 bucks at NAPA. one 1/4 union, a 1/4 plug and 6 ft of bundy tubing and you are good to go, Takes about a hour and a half to convert.

Gary

 

[gojrracing]

Hi chuck, I agree with Lloyd. It is more efficient to use that dual master. I recommend it too. Because I already tested it.

 

[ChuckG]

Chuck, Reading your posts brought back memories, About 20 yrs ago, I had a friend with a really nice big block 55 chevy. Jet black, slicks, traction bars, the works. I was walking down the street one day as he drove by and seeing me, he got on it a little bit (hard) then proceeded to plow into the back of a UPS truck. He blew the same brake line you did with a single master cylinder. Im so glad you didn;t have a simular experience.

Even if you don;t get to the disc brake conversion right away. A 67 camero dual (drum drum) master cylinder is under 40 bucks at NAPA. one 1/4 union, a 1/4 plug and 6 ft of bundy tubing and you are good to go, Takes about a hour and a half to convert.

Gary

Good tip, and thank you for that suggestion.

Soon, it'll be "swap meet" season here in Florida. We've got Zephyrhills, then Moultrie, Georgia, then the Daytona Turkey Rod Run.....all coming up, 3 weekend in a row.

I'll probably make 2 out of 3, so I'm hoping to possibly buy a complete front disc conversion at one of the meets. Saves shipping, etc.

Chuck

 

[angs1957]

:anim_25: with the cruises glad to see you made it safe as well