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Thanks Howard. The 1/4” is correct, but it’s a little while more before the compensating port is covered in the master cylinder and brake pressure actually starts to build.

Hmm…..

So the good news is my brake light switch works. The bad news is that it only activates when the pedal is like 60% of the way down. This corresponds with pedal feel as the pedal is extremely light for the first at least 1/3 of travel.

EDIT: I figured out what’s wrong. There’s supposed to be one quarter inch of free play before the pressure stroke starts. I adjusted it where there is a quarter inch of free play (at the pedal) before the actuator touches the piston. Currently this means I have one and three-quarter inches of free play before the pressure stroke. Once I take up this slack I think it will be fine.

Does anyone know if this idler linkage between the bell crank and the transmission selector shaft arm is original? It’s a bit hard to see but it has a threaded adjustment so is like the Caribbean dual carb linkage, though not the same. I thought the cars had a fixed linkage here.

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You need multiple passes for a system that was completely apart. On my 1951 Henney-Packard, I pressured-flushed the brakes just once and the pedal feels like stepping on a plum so clearly needs more!

After I made the brake linkage adjustment, the pedal stops a reasonable distance from the floor and has a pretty good feel. I wouldn't be surprised if things could be slightly improved but with the feel and travel basically nominal, I don't have much reason to try it.

I spoke with Ross and that threaded adjustment rod is not factory. It doesn't look homemade and it's pitted enough with rust that it's presumably off of "something" as well as being very old. To add to the fun, I realized my selector shaft arm was on backwards, then after that, decided to swap the arm for the improved type that reduces the chance of getting stuck in park. For reference, the improved type is shifted 1/2" forward compared to the original type.

I realized this evening that I have the wrong oil pan on my car. How is that even possible, you may ask? Well it's a Hash engine and for some reason the pan is different. The consequence is that the pan interferes with the steering linkage. Fortunately I didn't add oil yet and I have a spare pan on the 352 engine that I got out of the car, but I will have to wait until next weekend to install it as I don't have spare gaskets up here. Pretty sure I have some at the shop, though. The photo with the steering arm below is the Hash type; I’m holding the linkage as far as it will go but it needs like another inch.