Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1953 Plymouth cranbrook brakes, 1953 Plymouth master cylinder

Question

Brake pedal  

Only place I can see w   I have a 1953 Plymouth cranbrook 4 door that I just bought and it has no brakes. The guy I bought it from said he was told the master cylinder was bad but when I removed the floor pan the brake pedal just moves back and forth freely. There's nothing holding it stationary. No linkage hooked up or anything to the pedal. How is the pedal assembly supposed to be? Or where should I go from here to fix the brake issue

Answer
Hello Hunter,

The bottoms up picture shows me a relatively new master cylinder and a linkage in the bottom center of the picture but not whether they're connected. I tried to send you the URL from the 1953 Plymouth shop manual, available on line, whch show the pedal-master cylinder drawing, but was unsuccessful. As this same general arrangement was used by Chrysler from 1928-1954, Other years diagrams will can be used also. Compare the diagram to what you have or don't have and you'll be back on track.

I suspect a previous owner of your car was better at disassembling than reassembling so keep an open mind to make sure all the factory components are there as well as assembled in the proper order. As you're learning, assume  nothing when repairing an old car!

Good luck,

Bob

Bob