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What is recommended for lubricating the exposed braided steel brake cables. Would anyone suggest spraying them with liquid plastic as a protectant?

Usually a lithium grease is used to lub cables

I would not use the plastic because it may build up a thickness. If the treated section is part of the cable that gets pulled into the housing or sheath some of the thickness could scrape off the cable and stay inside eventually causing a bind.

There are several silicone based water resistant spray on lubes but I would use one that is heavier and has the ability to cling to the cable while it works itself inside the housing.

Packard recommended Gredag 213-1/2 grease for mechanical brake cables; this is a graphited grease and a fine modern substitute is Sta-Lube SL 3303, a CRC product. I strongly recommend you use a graphited grease and nothing else!

Before installing the cable apply some grease and pull the cable back and forth thru the shield so the inner surfaces are greased which is really important. Pierce-Arrow and others thoughtfully provided a grease fitting on the cable sheath of facilitate greasing the cable internals, Packard didn't so dropping the cables at both ends to work new grease in is a bit of a chore.

Thanks for the lub referral. My car does not have cable conduits. The bare cable runs from the brake cross shaft thru the frame and to the actuation arm at the front. I need something that will shed water and stay on the cable to protect it from the elements. Do you still recommend the Sta-lub?

Sorry, I was thinking of the later mechanical brake system, my bad. With just a naked cable and no sheath, no lubricant should be needed so no, I wouldn't recommend the graphited grease. Silicone grease comes to mind as suitable for purposes of protecting and shedding moisture.

Originally they were painted. The only place that causes problems is where the cable passes through the frame on its way to the pivot arm. At that point road grit builds up and creates a weird hot spot. I've seen cases where when you bend the cable 180 degrees they will snap into two pieces at that point. There are two metal guide shields at that point which trap road grit causing the problem.

So I would paint them chassis color using a rust inhibiting primer available in spray cans at the auto store.