Old brake fluid in stock lines- Street Sprite

J

Joel McGinley

Well-known member
I am going over my street Bugeye that sat for ~12 years in my garage while I was busy National Racing. I suctioned some fluid from the master cylinder. When I took apart the rear brakes, the aluminum brake cylinders were just full of crystals/corrosion - no surprise. No fluid dripped from the rear hoses! I have not yet removed the master cylinder, but am sure it is shot, too. I am going to rebuild the front calipers and replace all the flex hoses. But here is my question: Can anybody suggest a way to clean/flush the chassis-mounted hard lines and to have any confidence that they won't burst at the first brake application from internal corrrosion? I am thinking of blowing the lines through with brake cleaner and/or alcohol, then installing a new/rebuilt master, flushing some more, bleeding and just giving it the "full muscle force" test?
 
Joel,
If it were my car , I would replace the hard lines also. It's not that big a job and cheap insurance. The Toter I pcked up last fall in Mass. made it to Pa. with no issues and then this spring a hard line sprung a leak, in spite of looking sound. I'm glad I didn't have the trailer behind me when it happened.
 
Given that the bugeye does not have a dual redundant brake system and a leak anywhere will result in 0% brakes, not half system brakes like your racer or today's street cars, I'd recommend the following only:
* convert to a later model dual system (MC, pedals, lines) so that a single leak still provides some braking or
* replace all the bugeye lines and MC with new hardware and cross your fingers

Anything else is just too risky to make sense. Jay
 
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