Classic/Antique Car Repair: brakes, brake hoses, 1950 fleetline

Question
hi dick,i just got a 1950 fleetline 235/powerglide.the pedal went to the floor so i checked the master and it was empty so i filled it up and bled all four wheels.about twenty miles later the pedal got soft almost to the floor then got hard and if you release it and applied again it got stiffer brakes working both times second and third better than first. all cylinders didnt have any fluid around them.   thanks for your help. god bless

Answer
The fact that the master cylinder was empty tells you that the fluid is leaking out somewhere - you will have to identify and fix that problem before driving the car.

Having to pump the pedal to get firm brakes is normal when there is a leak in the system and also when the brakes need adjustment.   If they have not been adjusted in the last 1000 miles, they should be adjusted before you drive it again, but finding the leak is even more important.

If you cannot find signs of fluid leakage at any of the wheels or around the master cylinder (where the push rod enters the master cylinder is a common place for leakage), inspect all the steel brake lines.   On a car this old, it is pretty likely that one or more of the brake lines is rusty, and that the brake hoses are in bad shape also, unless they have been recently replaced.

Dick