Well I went tonight to go pick up a 51 Plymouth cranbrook (4 door sedan) and test drove it. It runs great and stopped fine. Well after we stopped and parked it at the guys house the brake line near the drivers front wheel started blowing the brake fluid on the floor. It came from in the engine area under the battery, it was a hardline. Anybody know what size line this is and if I can bend it myself? I am going back tomorrow to fix it and drive it home.
it aint hard to make brake lines... i just learned this past saturday... you do need to know how to flare the ends tho... see if you can take off the old brake line and take it to an autozone or pep boys... they'll tell you what size it is.
Ok. I've got a bending/flaring tool already. Had to do vacuum line for my old 235 inline six. Same idea?
Seems to me there is a junction block on the top of the driver's side frame rail, then just a short piece of 3/16" hardline to meet the rubber line by the wheel. If you get that new greenish line you can probably bend it up without even using a bender. You'll wanna eyeball the length, but pre-flared sections come in 8", 12", 20", 30". Bet you can use a stock length and not even flare it yourself.
4 woody is correct. 3/16 line. I had a '51 and replaced all the lines. If that went out, You should rebuild the cylinders, too. Kits are available at NAPA. Fun car, enjoy it. Wayne P.
Did you lose the brakes when the line went? And the fluid you saw was brake fluid? Reason I ask is, the oil filter lines are on the left side of the block. They're cotton impregnated and it's common for them to get brittle and break. A break in the right place would have engine oil spraying onto the firewall, toeboards and brake lines.
Great . . . well, not so great, but thought I'd toss it in there. You may want to check the oil lines. I had a 50 Plymouth - all stock - coupe and when I installed a remote oil filter I pressed against the old factory cotton impregnated line and it broke right off. 30-40 years and they get a touch rotten....
Yea, I will def check it all over when I get a good chance. I know it's a 4 door but it's great for me to take my family out in. Has new interior and rides great. Trans even goes right into gear no real free play. Quick question, did the 51 cranbrook come equipped with turn signals?