Welding and brakes

[olly]

I have just rescued a ’65 Debonaire from a garden in the SW where it had stood for 10+ years. The engine now runs and I drove down the road and to my yard the other day. I have two questions though.

1. The bulkhead is very rotten, as well as the upper part to the inner wings and parts of the bottom of the dash. I was advised on cutting the section of fibreglass out from below the window to gain access to this area and then carrying out the welding before fixing it back together. Has anyone had this problem?

2. There is plenty of travel in the pedal but the brakes don’t work, are new cylinder seals and return springs easy to come by and is the job straight forward?

[olly]

Just had a thought; I remember reading somewhere that the windscreen is mounted in a metal frame within the fibreglass. Is this correct and where exactly does it run so I can avoid cutting it when removing the section below the windscreen?

[olly]

Perhaps one could use an alternator from a MK3 CA (69-71)?

[grumpydad]

hi
brakes
if it has bean standig for 10 years
all the wheel cilnders are probley siezed
and might well be usless
try to fill the master cilnder up and bleade all the brakes
if you then get a brake peddel you could try to drive it and see if it stops
or take 1 drum at a time off and push on the peddl
you should see the wheel cilnders move out wards
if thay dont and you still have a peddel the clinders are cised
then it is a hole new game
you will need new wheel clinders
and as soon as you say beford ca to any one the price is 4 times what it should be
reason for this is very few supplyers
so thay think thay have you buy the b—s
this should keep you going
post back if you want to know more
or pm me and i will give you my phone number

[olly]

Thanks for the advice but I have already replaced the brakes and brake lines. The cylinders were seized as was the master cylinder. I have also come across the CA price hike. It really is crazy. I think I was quoted £30 per rear cylinder. I ended up buying the pair for £20 as they were advertised for an Austin A36 (I think)

[grumpydad]

ok
if you have replaced all the clinders and pipes
it can only be 3 possibel things

1 the push rod for the master clinder is not adjusted right
you need to make shore that the master clinder comes right back with the brake pedel in the up poisoin
and the pedel has a return spring on it

2 the brakes are not adjusted right
the best thing to do is adjust them so you can not turn the wheels
and then blead the brakes that way you should get a brake pedel that will not go down at all
then back the adjusters off one click on each wheel

if after all that you dont get brakes
you have a problem with the master clinder
did you put new rubbers in
or get a new masterclinder ?

[olly]

Sorry, I didn’t explain very well. The brakes are fine. I fitted all the new wheel cylinders, master cylinder and brake lines and they work pefectly now.

[Author]

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