more than a momentary brakedown

["Hugh & Therese" <hugtrees@xxxxxxxx>]

(Who on this list, I wonder, knows where that pop song line comes from?)

I digress.  My brakes.  My no-functional brakes.  After almost two months of
work and waiting, we, my mechanically competent friend and I, have come full
circle back to where we started.  Despite the new master cylinder and new
line arrangement, we still cannot get any pressure on the brakes.  We can on
the front, if we cap off the rear, but cannot on the rear, if we cap off the
front.

This has been going on since 1994.  I would work on the brakes, do another
project then find I had to work on the brakes again.

I said to Mark as we took the 58 to his house, there is a fundamental flaw
in the set up.  Somehow it is losing pressure and fluid.  Well, both slave
cylinders at the rear have been replaced and the small leak in the line at
the master cylinder removed.  But still no brakes at the back.  Plenty of
fluid and no air, but no pressure.

We did get a clue to what I think has been the problem all along.  Black
"stuff" in the fluid while we were bleeding it.  I am now optimistic that if
we replace the flexible line between the rear axle and the chassis my
problem will be resolved.  It is expanding, in my humble opinion.  I don't
think it is that old.  I have replaced all the flexible lines by this time.

What we are going to do is cap off the line at every available point.  This
way we should isolate the part that is leaking or expanding.  The best part
is that if we finally resolve this issue the car should have, for the first
time, good brakes.  Not just so so, or acceptable under trying circumstances
but actual, honest to Betsy, good brakes.

A boy can only dream.

Hugh