1959 Master Cylinder

[Suainie]

I have posted previously regarding the lack of braking power on my 59 Skyliner and continue to have the same problem - very little stopping power.

After replacing the wheel cylinders, the brake hoses, the brake shoes and the brake lines the only thing remaining to replace was the master cylinder.

My car does have the power brake booster but the master cylinder on the car is the 1" bore so I assume someone has previously changed it. There is no replacement master cylinder for the power brakes with the 1 1/8" bore and I have been told that either one would work so I ordered a new master cylinder at NAPA.

When I tried to install the master cylinder the upper mounting holes were off by a 1/2" or so. I took my old master cylinder and the new one back to NAPA and they determined that the one to fit my car was the one listed for a 1960 Ford. They ordered a 1960 Ford master cylinder and it bolted up to the firewall okay.

I still continue to have poor braking power but does anyone have any idea whatsoever why the 1959 master cylinder does not match up to the mounting holes?

NAPA said perhaps my car was a late production model and sometimes late in the model year they would use parts from the upcoming model. My car was produced on May 19 and production continued until October. Besides the firewall would have to be changed to accommodate the different bolt pattern.

Any ideas?

[Ford Only]

Your problem may be the power brake booster that is under the dash, if it is not working you will have very poor braking.
Here is a link on how to rebuild one https://ranchwagon.wordpress.com/tag/kelsey-hayes-brake-booster/
I don't understand the master cylinder fitment issues as 57 to 60 use the same 4 bolt master cylinder.
You can actually use any Ford master cylinder up to about 1980, the 2 bolt ones work just fine, the 1967 and newer are the best choice as they have the safety feature of dual bowls.
The later ones require some brake line work but are well worth the extra work of installing one.
There is no replacement for the 1" bore master cylinder as one is not needed, the 1" bore will work just fine.
There are many problems that can cause poor braking.
If the shoes are not matched to the drum (not getting full contact).
Brake hoses or lines restricted.
Wheel cylinders not working, pistons binding form rust.

[Suainie]

Thanks for your response. I think we have the problem finally resolved. Last weekend we replaced the steel brake lines from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders and bled the system and checked the brake shoe contact to the drums, etc. and still had basically the same problem. The brakes felt good when first applied but didn't have any real stopping power.
Then I re-read the shop manual power brake section for the umpteenth time and the first page of the section tells of adjusting the push rod to the master cylinder. How in the world my son in law and I could have worked on these brakes and looked at the shop manual - the forums, etc. and not ever have this register in our minds I will never know.
When I loosened the lock not on the push rod eccentric I found that the push rod was set for the shortest stroke it could have. After adjustment of the push rod in accordance with the shop manual my brakes feel like they should. I am going to bleed the system one more time now that everything is adjusted properly.
I also had this problem published in the Tech Talk of Hemmings Classic Car magazine and several responses from that - most of which was already done.
In all the suggestions I have received there was no mention of the push rod adjustment.
Hopefully this will help someone else sometime.