[DeTomaso] master brake cylinder

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/25/11 10:16:04 PM, cwhamm at frontier.com writes:

> Is there a rebuild kit for the master brake cylinder on a stock 74 
> pantera
> 
No- and that might be a good thing. The master cylinder is made of soft 
cast iron, so it often pits from owners not changing brake fluid often enough 
to keep from rusting from accumulated moisture in the fluid. The rust pits 
tear the seals. Adding new seals if you could find them only would tear the 
new seals just like the old ones. Honing the cylinder enough to eliminate the 
pits oversizes the bore so an OEM 'kit' wouldn't seal. The game is over for 
that cylinder. It could be sleeved back to stock bore at high cost, but I'm 
unaware of any kit that will fit. Worse, Bendix-Italia will not sell just a 
master cylinder: whats available is an entire new power brake assembly. It's 
reportedly the same unit as used in 308-series Ferraris, by the way...
This is why you see myriad different master cylinders adapted to Panteras' 
OEM power brake assembly. When I lost a master cylinder a few years ago, my 
choice was a complete GM power brake assembly adapted by Precision 
Proformance to fit the Pantera. The booster diaphragm assembly is slightly larger 
while fitting the Pantera so you get more power assist, the (aluminum) master 
cylinder is larger bore (and rebuildable) so it accomodates larger bore 
aftermarket calipers, and its cheaper than an OEM assembly. Plumbing it for new 
lines may be a bit of an issue for some but IMHO the Pantera's stock brake 
plumbing can stand some redesign anyway. FWIW- J DeRyke