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On my 1946 Packard 6, I see the brake line off the master cylinder and across the front cross member is covered with rubber tubing. I assume this is not original?? Thanks John

I believe it is original. My 47 Custom had the rubber tubing over the front lines and here is a photo showing a snippet of line on an almost untouched 47 Super. It also has the tubing. The extra attached to the brake line and master is for the optional NoRoll.

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I'd have never thought... I guess I'll leave it when I make new lines. Thanks

It is my understanding the rubber is for protection from battery acid, but I have been wrong many times in the past.

Never seen a master cylinder mounted with three bolts like these are. What is odd is a line goes over to the passenger side, then there is a line coming back along the front of the front cross member back to the driver's side front wheel. Seems kind of Rube Goldberg setup.....

Not sure what lines you have but only one feed from master which splits and goes two directions to catch 4 wheels.

For the front, there should be a line from the upper port on the master brass Y block that sort of goes under the battery tray and along the frame a short distance to a 3 port junction block on the left frame rail side just behind the front crossmember. A short tube from the junction to the left wheel hose and cylinder. The junction block supplies the right wheel cylinder via the long tube clamped to the crossmember connected to the right wheel hose.

The rear wheels are fed from the lower port on the master brass Y to a line that goes thru a hole in the frame and then out and is clamped to the left frame rail until a point near the top of the frame raise just forward of the rear axle. Tube connects to a hose that drops down to another 3 port brass junction block on top of the axle housing. Lines from that junction block to each rear cylinder.

Sounds like I may have a little reconfiguring after all. That sounds more the way it should be run.

I was advised that if the lines look halfway decent and if the car didn't come from Salted Roads country, that all I would have to do is to disconnect them, flush them with isopropyl, replace whatever cylinder and rubber parts, refill them with Dot5, bleed and drive. Shoes, too, I suppose. And maybe the odd turned drum.


Going is optional, but stopping is mandatory.

That tubing generally gets very hard and not reusable. Can't get it to move or it won't yield enough to come off a bend and/or will crack.
A suitable substitute is vacuum or fuel hose.
I think these cylinders use DOT 3/4, not 5. 5 is silicone and not available in the day and may cause issues.
It pretty easy to just replace the lines. If they're stopped up or rusted, rather than try to clean them I had to re-plumb the whole system on the '49 to get it motive.
Best to take off the line and mark the new one with the rubber location.