im trying to build a traditional 40's hot rod....and is curious of what 40's cars had the master cylinder mounted to the firewall...so i can buy parts from that car/truck. I know most cars, the master cyclinder was mounted under the car...im not to fond of the idea because of things i read about brake pressure problems....and i will be dealing with clearence issues as well. any pictures and info, will be greatly appreciated.
'60-64 or maybe mid Chev PU trucks has a very popular and adaptable style. Check with Kanter Auto on the internet.
Depends on the make of car. Hudson and Nash remained under the floor through the end of each in 1957. GM started in 1955, and Ford was '52. I can not think of a car built in the '40s that actually did have a firewall-mounted brake master cylinder from the factory.
i can understand your desire to look traditional for an era, but some of the things that were done then were done because they didn't have a second option to work with. even when the M/C's were firewall mounted, it wasn't until the late sixties that they had dual reservoirs, to seperate the braking circuits for safety/proportioning.... if you're building a 30's car/truck, you can mount the M/C sideways or reversed under the cowl and get away from the undercar setup. MG's and Triumphs had combination M/C and clutch setups that mounted above the pedals; they could be setup under the cowl. just offering some ideas.
Fords from '52 had a superb system, removable shaft, excellent bushings, solid pedals. (we used to use Chevy swing pedals for Bootleg-Hurst shifters, the brake pedal welded to a Corvette 3-speed linkage, looked like a 'painted Hurst'!) Seriously, the Ford bracket will sandwich the firewall between the master cyl and the bracket, and the rear of the bracket attaches to the dash! Talk about solidifying a dash/firewall/steering column! Good setup. Clutch linkage will require a bellcrank. Also Ford stuff.
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