[Marshall V. Daut]

Wow! My brain is in overload mode! Terrific information from you guys. Thank you all! I have a lot to mull over - and even more to correct on this car before we can expect good brakes.

I'll take more photos tomorrow of the master cylinder and the relocation of the later brake and clutch pedals, which have been a pain the *ss because of their placement. Both pedals come ("flop" is a better verb) all the way back without the upper floorboard in place. Apparently the "mechanic" who made the conversion decided the upper floorboard would be the upper stop to the pedals. Is that correct? The brake pedal goes so far down that it hits the bellhousing. I'm not even sure it travels far enough to provide a firm pedal.

When I pulled the drums and saw the short brake linings, I figured that was part of the problem: broken shoe linings. But then I read in V8COOPMAN's reply that a short and a long lining is correct. Why did Ford give up that extra brake shoe surface area? 'Seems like a lot of lost braking efficiency when all backing plates are considered.

I guess I understand about only one shoe moving when the drums are off and the brake pedal is depressed. By why? Isn't the point of the wheel cylinder with two ports to move both brake shoes outward? Why would that only happen with the drums in place? And why did only one brake shoe move at all when we depressed the pedal? Worn linings notwithstanding, shouldn't there be SOME noticeable movement of at least one shoe? Truly, it was near impossible to see any movement of any shoe on three backing plates. Why would the shoes magically be pushed out when the drums are in place, but not when they are off? As you can see, this hydraulic brake system is absolutely alien to a Model A/T guy like me.

We will order new brake shoe linings from Dennis Carpenter. I have the tools needed to remove the old linings and install new ones, the same as I have done many time on Model A shoes. We'll also have to swap the rear wheel cylinders to get their proper orientation. Is there a problem that one of the backing plates is a 1942-48 design while the other three are 1939-42? Perhaps after viewing the photos I'll take tomorrow, it will be recommended to replace an incorrect master cylinder?

Marshall