Brakes, Part I: Master Cylinder

Before I bought the car the owner told me the brakes "needed some work." After getting it here and starting to assess the brakes I learned just how much work they needed: a complete overhaul.

Automotive brakes use a hydraulic system having either disc or drum brakes or a combination of both. Kaiser, like most 1950's American cars, had drum brakes, so the following explanation will be based on that system.

In a hydraulic drum brake system there is a master cylinder connected by steel lines to four wheel cylinders, one at each while. The system is filled with fluid. When the brake pedal is depressed it actuates the piston in the master cylinder, pushing the fluid out of the master cylinder and through the brake lines. This increases the pressure in the (4) wheel cylinders. In each wheel cylinder the increasing pressure forces both pistons (there is one at each end of the wheel cylinder) outward. These pistons, in turn, force brake shoes, which are lined with a friction material, outward and against a steel drum that rotates around them. The car's wheels are bolted to these steel drums, hence stopping them (via the friction created when the shoes press against the drums) stops the car.

The wheel cylinder is at the top. When pressurized fluid enters it, it pushes the pistons outward, pushing the shoes (right and left) outward, which press against the drum (removed here).

In older cars that have sat for a long period of time small amounts of moisture can enter the line, which--if allowed to sit in the same place--can rust cylinders or lines, resulting in leakage. Additionally, the rubber components in the master and wheel cylinders can also deteriorate, leading to loss of sealing power and leakage, which of course means loss of braking power. Besides the hydraulics the brake shoes can become worn thin, or oil-coated (if the wheel cylidners or oil seals are leaking--the oil seal prevents the grease that lubricates the wheel bearings [which the wheels rotate around] from coming into contact with the brake shoes) and the drum can become grooved. I knew from the owner's description that the wheel cylinders, or at least some of them, would have to be rebuilt. I decided I would check over the whole system first to determine what would need to be re-built or replaced, including master cylinder, (4) wheel cylinders, lines, drums and shoes.

I began with the master cylinder. From a visual inspection alone I determined that it needed at least to be rebuilt with new rubber seals. So I ordered a rebuild kit from Kanter_Auto_Products, and disassembled the master cylinder. The first step in the re-building process is to thoroughly clean the cylinder, which I did by first soaking and scrubbing with mineral spirits, followed by a spray application of brake cleaner. These two steps remove all grease and oil. To remove the rust I soaked the cylinder overnight in Evapo-Rust, an amazing product that removes all traces of rust, leaving clean, bare metal. Best of all, the product is non-toxic and biodegradable!

Brake Pedal

Brake pedal removed in preparation to removing master cylinder, which bolts to the frame directly under the brake pedal.

Brake pedal removed

Master cylinder removed

Cleaning the master cylinder with brake cleaner. This is very toxic, and I should have been wearing goggles. All the other times I WAS wearing goggles!

Master cylinder and associated parts before Evapo-Rust

Master cylinder and associated parts after Evapo-Rust

The next step is to hone the master cylinder. Over time small amounts of rust will pit the metal, leaving a rough surface. In order for the seals to work properly you must have a smooth surface, which is achieved through honing. I bought a small hone that can be attached to a hand drill from Harbor_Freight_Tools. In order to achieve a true hone, you must have the master cylinder held stationay on a vise. Normally you would attach the vise to a work bench, but since I don't have one I had to think of an alternative method. So I bought a laminated shelf from Lowes, and a suction mounted vise from Sears. I mounted the vise onto the shelf and anchored it with my knee as I honed.




Here is my vise / honing operation. It worked very well, but unfortunately the master cylinder was beyond repair.



After much honing I realized that the pits in my cylinder were too deep for it to be rebuilt. It would be possible to hone until the pits were completely gone, but by that time the cylinder bore would be too large, which would prevent the seals from sealing properly, so that was not an option. After all of that work, I ended up returning my rebuild kit to Kanter and ordering a new (rebuilt, actually) master cylinder, which is now installed in the car.

New Master Cylinder

New and old side by side

The back of the master cylinder has two fittings that the two brake lines attach to. One of them is a rectangular brass piece that is not fixed, i.e. before you tighten the end fitting, the side fitting (the brass piece) can be placed at any angle relative to the master cylinder you want, but of course it must be placed at the correct angle to line up with the brake line. So before I removed the end fitting I had my wife take a picture of the two fittings to I could get the angle right when I put them back together.

Picture of the angle of the brass fitting

Here I am ready to install the brass fitting on the new master cylinder. I brought the picture up on the computer, measured the angle (crudely) with two rulers (they wouldn't have needed to be rulers, but they served as a convenient straight edge) and...







transferred the angle to the new master cylinder, then tightened the end fitting down with the brass fitting at the correct angle. And it worked!

Re-Keying

After the Kaiser arrived and was parked in its spot, I went to lock the doors, only to find out the key I had did not fit in the locks (although it did fit the ignition). At first I thought the locks might just be frozen and sprayed them several times with WD-40 in an attempt to loosen them up. But it became clear that these were the wrong keys.

After consulting with my Kaiser-Frazer_chat_group I learned that I did not need to take the door panel off as I thought I would (what a relief!). There is an access hole in the door jamb you use to remove the locks. So I took the door locks out. While I was at it I decided to take the lock out of the glove box, because it too was did not work with my key.

A couple of screwdrivers and a hinged mirror were all I needed to remove the glove box lock

Close up of the glove box lock hole

Once I got the door and glove box locks out I took them to a local locksmith, who kept them for 3 days before telling me they couldn't fix them. It looked like I needed a specialist, so I turned (as I always do in cases like this) to Hemmings_Motor_News, the largest and best publication for everything related to the old car hobby. I found a locksmith, Jessers, who specializes in classic cars. They said they could do my lock cylinders, so I sent them away.

Door locks (left) and glove box lock (right)

I waited a little over a week before getting them back. I was surprised to find that they had not rebuilt the glove box cylinder (they never called me to inform me of this, just put a note in with the other keys). I later spoke with them and they said they could make a new key for the lock. This was after I had already received the locks though, so I decided not to bother with it: it's not the end of the world if I can't lock my glove box.

The day after I received the locks I installed them in the car. I had to remove the door handles to do it, which is also a simple operation, accessible through a hole in the door jamb. The most difficult part was guiding the rebuilt lock cylinders back into their proper slot in the door. As you can see there is a long shaft protruding from the cylinder, which needs to line up exactly into a slot on the opposite side of the door, which you can't see because as you put it in, the lock cylinder blocks your view. I slipped a magnetic_grabber in through the handle hole to guide the shaft into the slot and it worked well.

Lock and handle removed. I went through the handle hole to guide the locks back in. Note the original Stardust Ivory color (too dirty here too look very good).

Lock now installed

The locks are now installed and I can finally lock up the car! I will probably wait until I get around to the restoration before I fix the glove box lock (again).

Covering the Dragon

One of the things I struggled with when deciding whether to buy the Kaiser is the fact that I don't have a garage right now. I decided, though, that since I plan to restore this car one day that any weathering it might get parked outside can be fixed in the restoration. Besides a good cover will protect it well enough for now. So, once I bought the car, I started looking for a cover. Initially I liked the idea of a touchless car cover, but the Kaiser ended up being too long for that. After some searching I decided on the Covercraft Evolution Car Cover, which is supposed to give the best protection for stormy weather like hard rain and hail which we occasionally get, and also does a good job of keeping the sun out. When you order the cover they custom make it for your car, so it fits really well. They do not, however, make an opening for an antenna, and since the Kaiser has an antenna I had to make one from the kit they provide. First I test fitted the cover on the car.

And marked the spot where the antenna goes.

Then I drew a circle for the cutout.

And put in the retainer ring.

Next step is to tie it down.

It fits!

And now the car is protected.

It seems like a really good cover and I am glad to have it since I cannot put it in a garage now. But I plan to do that as soon as I can.

Restoration

My son and I in front of the Kaiser

Any time you buy an old car you have to decide what you want to do with it. Just drive it? "Fix it up?--this could be as simple as a basic tune-up or involve new paint, upholstery etc.--or restore it? And if it is a restoration you want to do will you aim for a concours quality job (meaning absolutely correct and as good as or better than the car rolled off the assembly line floor at the factory), or for a "driver?" Will you keep it "stock" (sticking to the original engine, wheels, tires, paint, upholstery, etc., etc.,) or will you opt for a customized job--perhaps a mild custom, which might involve nothing more than an upgrade from a 6 to a 12 volt electrical system, disc brakes and maybe "cherry" red paint, or another non-factory color.

Personally restoration, to me, means to bring something back to a former state, not to alter it. I love old cars not only for their integrity, solid engineering and beautiful styling but also for their quirks. I love a 6-volt electrical system with an ammeter whose needle jerks to "discharge" momentarily every time the turn signal light blinks. I love drum brakes and have never seen a compelling reason to switch over to discs. In all the years I have driven cars with all-drum-brake systems I have never felt unsafe or felt like I needed more braking power. I even love the old vacuum operated windshield wipers that slow down to a crawl when climbing a hill. Some other things I love about old cars (and hate about customizations) are their steering wheels, those distinctive cast plastic or painted, chrome-ring affixed, blazing medallion decked, huge and beautiful steering wheels found in cars of the 40's and 50's. When I see a '49 Mercury with a late model, small plastic or vinyl steering wheel, when I see a modern CD player inserted in place of a tube-type radio, when I see modern bucket seats upholstered in gray cloth in place of a uniquely designed, color coordinated 1950's bench seat, it is all I can do to keep from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off! A restoration should do just that: restore the car.

With that said, my plans for this Kaiser involve a period of driving it, using it and having fun for a number of years (at least until I can get out of school and get a house with a garage/shop), after which I would like to perform a full, body-off-frame, restoration. The car as it is is in fine mechanical and cosmetic shape, but there are several deviations from stock which I mentioned in an earlier post, including paint color, seat insert fabric and tail-lights. The motor (which is a replacement, but the original type) is painted an incorrect color of green. Even after I restore it it will not be a trailer queen, i.e. never driven except on and off a trailer at shows. Nevertheless, once it is restored I will probably be more hesitant to drive it regularly, but will plan to take it out occasionally.

The white inserts are non-original (black vinyl is stock)

This is the B-pillar which still has the original Laguna cloth with rectangular patterns. This is the material that should be where the white inserts currently are on the seats and door panels.

So there is the plan. There are a few mechanical issues that need to be dealt with before I can drive it regularly, which I will post in due time. For now, I am just happy to have it, excited to work on it and looking forward to many years of enjoyment from an automobile "built to better the best on the road."

Lower Dashboard

Eric loves to drive--especially if it's a Kaiser!

A Dragon Comes Home

The Kaiser in its new home

The Kaiser has arrived. Yesterday morning the movers phoned me and said they were in Houston, where they were fixing a part on their truck. They expected to be in Austin in the afternoon. I waited and finally called them about 6:30 p.m.--They were just leaving; it turns out their repairs had taken longer than anticipated. So I waited around some more and then at about 9:30 they called again and said that they were at a grocery store parking lot down the street (they couldn't fit the rig into our complex). So I walked down there and saw a beautiful new (old?) Kaiser. They gave me the keys and I got in to drive it the several blocks to our house: the only problem was it wouldn't start. The drivers insisted it had started right up for them every time, but it was obvious that the battery was dead. We had someone stop by who offered to jump start it, but I had to decline: 1953 Kaisers, as most American cars of that vintage, used 6-volt batteries. Modern cars are use 12-volt batteries, so jumping would be a bad idea. Also, Kaisers used a positive ground. By that time it was after 10:00, so I ran back home, got in our (other) car, and headed to Autozone. I got there just at 11:00 and made it in before they locked the doors. I was lucky that they had a 6-volt battery in stock: apparently they are used in golf carts and marine applications.

I drove back to the grocery store, put the new battery in the trunk, drove home, put the tools I would need in a bag and walked back to the grocery store, where I replaced the battery and started the car right up.

When I talked to the owner he had mentioned that the brake pedal was "soft." I soon found out just how soft: when I pushed it, it went straight to the floor. Lucky for me the emergency brake is in good working order. I pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the street to put some gas in the tank--braking solely with the emergency brake. I filled up and drove home, almost crashing into the curb because the brakes were not working (emergency brakes only operate the rear brakes on most cars, but it is the front brakes that provide the majority of the stopping power). In addition to bad brakes, the engine is running extrememly rough--it needs a tune-up.

The important thing, though, is that the car is here. I am excited to get it into proper running order and register it so I can do with it what I bought it for: drive it! Actually, I plan on driving it for a number of years as is, but eventually I would like to do a full restoration of the vehicle to make it show worthy, at which point I will be scared to drive it (but probably still will). So until then, I plan to enjoy it.

Rear View of the "New" Kaiser

Buying a Dragon

After a lot of e-mail and telephone conversations with the Kaiser owner we arrived at an agreement and I decided to buy the car! My brother, who lives in Maryland, made the 2 1/2 hour drive to Delaware, paid the owner in cash, collected the title and sent it to me. I just heard from the moving company and they picked it up today. I can hardly wait to get it!

1953 Kaiser Dragon

These are pictures of a 1953 Kaiser Dragon I found for sale in Delaware via the KFOCI (Kaiser-Frazer Owners' Club International) online discussion board. The Dragon was the top of the line for K-F in 1953, competing in the same price range as Cadillacs and Lincolns. It had "all the options," including power steering, automatic transmission, liberal application of "bambu" vinyl upholstery (including on the package shelf, the trunk, and even inside the glove box!), chromed dashboard, radio with rear speaker, electric windshield wipers, windshield washer, tinted glass, and genuine 14 carat gold plated hood ornament, hood and deck "V," name plates, and even the trunk keyhole cover! And this is not a complete list of the options.

Only 1,200 Dragons were made for 1953, making it a very rare and desirable car.


The green paint is not an origianl K-F color. Also, all Dragons sported a padded vinyl roof, but this one is painted.








Note the tenite plastic steering wheel (molded in color)--also one of the options found on the Dragon (standard steering wheels were painted).


Apparently boxes were stored on the back seat. The black vinyl upholstery is original, but white inserts are not. They should be "Laguna cloth," which was an off-white material with a black, rectangular pattern on it.


The taillights on this car are from a '54/'55 Kaiser, rather than a '53.


This Kaiser looks to be in very good condition. It would make an excellent driver or solid condidate for a full restoration.

K-F (Kaiser-Frazer)

I started this blog because of my interest in old cars, particularly Kaisers and Frazers, a fact which I hinted at in the title, "K-F Cory." The "K-F" stands for Kaiser-Frazer, an American car company that made its debut after WWII in 1945 and produced automobiles in the United States until 1955 (and for a number of years thereafter in Argentina).

In the heady years after the Second World War America was car starved. In fact it was starved for any and all products it could get its hands on because of the rationing that had been one of the facts of life during the war. It was into this seller's market that K-F launched America's only "all new" automobile, and all new company. The competition in Detroit, not yet able to fully tool up for new cars, was selling warmed-over prewar models, which were basically the same product they had been selling before the war with a few, minor changes. K-F, however, had a brand new, and brand-new looking, car, the first with completely flow-through fenders, and it sold spectacularly. By 1948 Kaiser-Frazer was ranked 8th in U.S. production of passenger cars.

1948 Frazer Manhattan (note the flow-through fenders)

The product was the result of ship-building tycoon, Henry J. Kaiser, and Joseph W. Frazer, an east coast aristocrat (the 'W' stands for 'Washington') and automobile executive. He had held high positions in the management of Chrysler and Willys before forming his own company. In this new relationship Kaiser provided the cash and Frazer provided the know-how.

The combination worked well--for a time, then the pressures of being an independent made themselves known. It was customary for Detroit (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) to roll out completely new models periodically--generally every three years, and to give their cars "facelifts" (more minor changes that were less expensive) every year. This was very expensive, but the larger car companies could absorb these expenses because of their greater capital. K-F, however, had a hard time keeping up. This, combined with some poor management decisions, such as not cutting back production in 1949 when Detroit came out with all new models, and producing a compact car, the Henry J., before the market was ready for it, led to K-F's ultimate demise. But in spite of its short-lived history, K-F made some spectacular automobiles, many introducing features that later became standard on most American cars. In this they were truy ahead of their time.

1949 Kaiser (note the similarity in basic body shape to the 1948 Frazer: this is a facelift)

1951 Henry J. (K-F's compact car)