[McGuireV10]

I need to replace my master cylinder on my 55 Special, power brakes. I haven't been able to find a source for a new, NOS, or reman. I know I could send it off to Cars Inc or somewhere similar to get it rehoned and do a rebuild, but I really prefer to just buy a replacement and install it, if anybody has a source.

Alternately, has anybody found a good replacement from some other vehicle that will bolt up with minimal hassles? I'm not concerned about "correctness" or accuracy, this is a driver with a lot of tinkering in its future.

[buick5563]

About the only way you can do what you want to do (quick swap) is to find a used MC unit from eBay and get it rebuilt first. Then you have two. I don't know of a direct bolt-on from another manufacturer.
Good luck

[Gary_N]

I bought a new MC from Cars last month for my '50. Not sure is they have new ones for your car.

Gary

[McGuireV10]

Thanks guys. I have some e-mails out, and fingers crossed.

Anybody know whether a '58 PB MC would bolt up? I found one for a heart-stoppingly high price, but it looks the same in the one small photo. (I've requested more, plus some measurements, but figured I'd ask here at the same time.)

[McGuireV10]

For future reference, apparently Ed Strain is "the man" when it comes to Buick master cylinder rebuilds. I saw his name mentioned in another thread, so I thought I'd post more details for anybody else dealing with a similar issue.

Ed only has a text ad in Hemmings, no website, but he told me he can do a rush-job and get it back to me in just a couple days (it's Monday now, I want it for a car show on Saturday). And the rush job is no extra charge. Today I called probably 25 classic Buick, GM, and generic parts sources, and the only place I could find a power brake rebuild kit was Kanter at $99 with no guarantees about shipping, and then I'd have to hone the bore or bring it somewhere, and the kit didn't include a piston (which runs another $35 or so). So a total cost of $250 to have Ed rebuild the whole thing and ship it back with a 48-hour turn-around was well worth it.

Ed Strain
6555 44th St, Unit 2006
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
800-266-1623

[McGuireV10]

Ed Strain got the rebuild turned around in 42 hours exactly as promised, and by noon the next day it was in my hands. It was cleaned up and repainted and looked brand new. He even put new mounting nuts on the bolts at the rear. After some minor hassles getting the master bled properly, it stops like a new car.

Anyway, in the process of trying to find a replacement somebody from Kanter had some interesting comments that I thought I'd post for future reference:

[Replacement] master cylinders and boosters do not exist. They never did after these cars left the factories. Bendix & Delco never released the patents to the after market so no ne ever made master cylinders or boosters. Now there are common problems with these units. Weh n these cars sit for any length of time the brake fluid leaks into the booster ruining the seals in the booster. Common problems are the brake pedal going to the floor, sticking coming back, pedal hard as a rock or when you are bleeding the brakes and all the bleeders are closed you feel the pedal going to the floor that indicates the booster is no good. At that point you would have to remove the unit and send it in for re- building. I you do not encounter any of these problems I mentioned then we have a kit we can sell you to rebuild just the master cylinder. We also have the push rod boot and the leather piston cup but no actual master cylinders.