59 Olds Master Cylinder NONE ON EARTH????

I need a master cylinder for my 59 olds 88. It has power breaks. The master cylinder and power booster are one piece. ANYONE know where I can get a new one or have mine rebuild? Thanks.

 

Call Don Erbe Company (760)433-0511. They should be able to help you out.
Their only business is brakes. Been around forever, and they know old cars.

 

I think Kanter does that kind of stuff too, might be another place to check. Probably will have to send it in for a rebuild though, I doubt they'd have cores of those on hand.

 

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1346958&parttype=1836&a=FRc1346958k969098

https://www.partshighway.com/home.p...odel=98&partType=MASTER CYLINDER&brand=dorman

http://www.kanter.com//catalog/inde...&Dpt=&Sb=&Vdr=&Itm=&MDv=&MDpt=&MSb=&Cat=&Prc=

 

Kanter should have it..

 

Thanks for the help guys!

Tried kanter and rock auto, they have the master cylinder for manual breaks but not power. The power break set up is one piece, I think I'm going to have to have it rebuilt. I'll try the other suggestions today, thanks again for the help!

 

you may have to retro fit something? sounds like a good idea since you can't find them... Or use a manual setup? My 59 olds is manual and I got mine at autozone.

 

Might be a good time to consider converting over to a dual reservoir master cylinder? It'd probably cost less if you pick the junkyards and you have the extra safety.

Just thought I'd point out the obvious.

 

You sure 'bout them being one piece. I believe it is a Bendix Treadlevac system, would have to look in my 59 Olds manual. If it is a Treadlevac, the master cylinder unbolts from inside the power unit, so you will have to dis***emble the power unit. Should be able to find a master cylinder for the Olds online, at Kanter, Rockauto, etc.

Kanter: Item # 01321K (need to specify whether Treadlevac (black) or Delco Moraine (gold) type when ordering $151

Rockauto: DORMAN Part # M21000 $52.79


BTW: Both Kanter and Rockauto talk about power brakes on their online catalog. Also if the master cylinder is a Bendix treadlevac type, it is a cinch to rebuild, should never wear out, since it is a "displacement" type cylinder, not like the normal master cylinders, it has NO primary cup, just a secondary seal to keep the fluid in the cylinder and not on your shoes.

 

I'm pretty sure it's one piece. Here's the other thing, the master cylinder mounts in a way that it's on an angle. So the fluid well is cast on an angle so it's level when mounted, make sense? The replacement M.S. that I keep finding has the well parallel to the shaft. Can't be right???? Thoughts??

 

This may sound like a stupid question, but I have to ask it...
Are you 100% sure that its actually correct for that car? You could accidentally be looking for the wrong application if someone back in the day "just changed it from something else to make it work" Good luck on your search man, as I cant offer any other suggestions. The guys here have already suggested all of the places I know of to look. Again good luck!
-GothY-

 

No that was the way it was designed. Quite happily I can say that is the one brake system I never had to work on.

It sounds like you don't have a manual so maybe someone with a manual that covers that mc setup can scan it and post the instructions.

 

Is that a treadle-vac? When I had my '56 Cad, I ran into that issue. Turned out it could be rebuilt, but was SO expensive, I fabbed up a dual res/power booster instead. It worked, was replaceable, servicable, and cost was reasonable.

 

I get brake boosters and brake master cylinders rebuilt at Precision Rebuilders in St. Clair, MO. They can bore and sleeve if necessary. They might be able to do the job.

 

Try vintage auto parts in denver, co 1-877-882-2022

 

I used a dual master and gm booster on the Desoto, the stock setup was one year only, and after 3 nos master cylinders and rebuild kits, I gave in. $20 master cylinder and a generic gm booster, available everywhere in the world.

 

Seems to me the 59-60 GM cars have two types of master for power brakes. Both are removable from the booster, though. They had a 4-bolt pattern on them.

Going by fuzzy memory though, the '59 Pontiac I had I think got parked over a brake issue, it had several loose masters and none on the booster itself. I remember looking the info up with Kanter or someone else at the time.

Either way, adapting to a later booster and dual-chamber master should be pretty much a bolt-on deal, the only issue is going to be getting the pushrod the right length.

 

59 olds have the mastercylinder mounted to the toe panel right under the brake pedal.
that is why the system has the angle he was talking about...
might be more difficult than normal to fab up a modern system.

 

Either s10s or monte carlos have an angled reservoir.

 

Well, then it's time to put a Chevy or Pontiac pedal ***embly in it with a conventional master and do away with Olds' better ideas for 1959. I had one years ago, pretty sure there's room for it underhood.

 

Slant would not be a deal-breaker for me. I've seen a lot of MC installations where the MC reservoir is slanted quite a bit with the car level, where when the fluid is filled it will overflow to the rear and the front fluid is below the edge of the reservoir, up to almost a half inch. Actually I've seen some OEM that do that to some extent.

 

I think D2 is pointing you in the right direction.

this is my '55 88 tredlevac,

I ended up sending if off to get redone and the booster had to be honed too cost me $400 all up. I am going to convert to a swinging pedal and dual MC and later booster setup, but just couldn't/didn't want to at this time. but it would have probably cost me less in the long run.

 

i had one of those rebuilt for a 58 olds by ch topping in long beach, they've been in business forever, it was like $250 if i remember right. they did a nice job on it, & later on when i added disk brakes the stock master& booster worked killer with them.

 

FLATOZ: I have a 59 Oldsmobile that has that weird brake booster/mc but have had no problems yet with it. I am going to look at the manual tonight and see if I can make heads or tails outta it.

As far as the treadlevac rebuild you had done, well frankly I cannot see where the cylinder has to be honed, other than where the shaft goes through the casting. And that seldom wears out. You have to remember this master cylinder if very different from most, in that it relies on displacement of the master cylinder rod (carries no cups like most do) to create pressure to the wheel cylinders. There is only one main seal and that is at the back of the cylinder, and acts to seal the fluid from dripping into the vacuum chamber of the booster unit. So for $400 it sounds pretty fishy that they needed to hone anything. I rebuilt my 54 Lincoln treadlevac MC for $50, and that included a new leather seal for booster, and pedal boot. Look at the Kanter rebuild kit and you will see what I mean.

 

Sorry,

not the whole story, the car had sat for 20 years from what I could tell, and the booster had pitting in it. I also got the MC stainless steel sleeved, and don't forget this is in Australia so I had to find somewhere that would work on such a unit. Not a common thing. I was going to have a go myself as I also supplied the rebuild kit that I had gotten with the car, but got pulled up with I needed the 'pin' key to get into the MC. Not unhappy with the way it stops and as the car is to be a daily driver I want to stop right first time.

Guy who did the roadworthy on the car actually commented on how well the car stopped, so was worth it in the long run, even more so if it stops me from seeing the rear of a car with discs fitted.

 

Glad to hear that the car stops fine. That is the most important part of the car, the BRAKES. I really need to look into this 59 Olds brake configuration.

 

THANKS to everyone for helping me out on this!!!! I've learned more about treadle-vac boosters in the past 24 hrs than I have in the last 6 months! I think I'm going to have ABC Power Break rebuild it. $325 total rebuild. Anyone have any bad business with ABC? Thanks again for all chiming in, keep the info coming! Kensey

 

, expecially the E-brake, where the redundancy of inhances safety, otherwise good people forget it's importance and it becomes an afterthought in a lot of builds, lame access, or none at all.

 

I am going to bring this thread back.

I am "this close" to getting my 55 Lincoln back on the road.

It has the Treadle-Vac setup. I am happy with the way the car stops and drives BUT since I have had it apart, fluid has been leaving the brake system. I am all but sure it is going out the back of the m/c into the booster.

It never did leak until it went up on stands.

I refilled the m/c and was able to tow the Lincoln about 2 miles to my house, and it has been cool since.

I KNOW I will be changing the M/C to a dual cylinder and an 8" booster. I am sure some folks should be able to tell me if the current pedal ratio is close enough to work with one of these. (based upon a similar replacement of a tredle-vac setup on another car!)

I read on a Studibaker forum where a person doing a similar conversion had to change his pedal ratio. I have noticed that the piston on the T/V is .655 in diameter and it seems to have a pretty long stroke... I really like the pedal setup on the Lincoln, it is way cool and uses a seperate pivot arm to that I want to keep because it is cool and smoooooth... , so I wont be changing the pedal ***y...

So I guess I am just asking for some feedback and information on a sway that just has to be reasonably common...

Thanks!!

 

its actually spelt "brake", any how, it is a displacement type similar to 59 Buick , One thing you should note ,sometimes there is a loss of peddle this is to allow fluid into the master cylinder to maintain its correct level, the valve is located in the base of the master cylinder reservoir.