Brake fluid reservoir quiery.

[Pete B]

Amongst other jobs, I need to replace the upper brake fluid reservoir as it is cracked and leaking. The 'repair' with black gunk was done before my ownership by the way!
Point is, all the catalogues only list 8/72 onwards (ie '73 model year) for replacements, and they are different. As far as I can tell, the later arrangement uses a flexible pipe between upper and lower reservoirs whereas my bus (and all before 8/72????) has a metal pipe running top to bottom with a short flex onto the lower and a screw connection onto the upper unit.

So what has everyone else done please? Remove the metal pipe and use the later reservoir and flex all the way? Or is there another solution?
Splitty reservoirs screw straight into the master cylinder, I believe, could this be the same thread perhaps? Mine is a '68 model year and a few things carry over from the split screen models.
Any help or advice much appreciated, thanks,
Pete.

 

[67 BAY]

Pete i swapped mine for a later one of a bus i was breaking just welded new bracket on to hold it and made a pipe up to m/c

Steve

 

[Bookwus]

Hiya Pete,

If I'm not wrong (and I often am!) the brake fluid reservoir setup for a 68 is a one year only kinda thing. That makes finding replacement parts (in acceptable condition) a very tough proposition. And that's especially true of any material that has been exposed to brake fluid.

Were I in your place I'd be thinking about how to "creatively engineer" another reservoir setup with materials/parts available for later Busses.

 

[sparkywig]

I had enough trouble getting parts for my '69, so good luck with yours.
In hindsight, I would have installed a reservoir behind the seat using late parts.

 

[Clem]

I know you can a 69 resevior repro from FBI, but the 68's are still hens teeth. I guess fit a 69 for now and keep your eyes peeled for a correct one in time.

 

[Pete B]

Thanks folks.
Clem, is the '69 reservoir the same 'fitting' to the metal pipe but just a different shape?

 

[Clem]

Thanks folks.
Clem, is the '69 reservoir the same 'fitting' to the metal pipe but just a different shape?

Common sense says it should be the case, but I cant say for deffo.

 

[Pete B]

Have just come off the phone with FBI, and they are saying that the metal pipe/screwthread thing is yet another '68 only item. They do indeed stock the '69 repro reservoir Clem mentioned, but say that has a pipe fastened with a (jubilee?) clip. Could anyone confirm whether a '69, or any year except '68, has the metal pipe as in the photo above? Of all the busses I have looked at, I have never taken any notice of what different set ups there are!

 

[sparkywig]

Hello Pete, my bus is a February '69 and the brake reservoir is a cylinder type with a plastic pipe and rubber insert, completely different set up to yours.

 

[dubdubz]

there has been a couple of 68 only res's advertised over the last 3 months or so - the snag is they will be brittle and crack...The reason I didn't go for one aswell as that...is my 68 is missing the metal pipe bit.

It does depend if you are a originality perv or just want it working?

 

[Pete B]

Sparkywig & dubdubz
That reservoir looks very much like the one I have got from JK (I know, I was never going to use them again....!!!!) so I think the way forward is to remove the metal pipe (queue sharp intake of breath from some) use the new reservoir, linking it to the lower with some flexible pipe from the local motor factors. I may actually not remove the metal pipe in case a '68 unit turns up. Hey, look up there! A whole squadron of green pigs flying overhead!!!!!!
Thanks to all for their input/help/advice on this problem, think I may now have a way forward,
Early Bay does it again!!!!!
Pete.

 

[Araon]

Chris "slammedKustom" sold one and was selling one for his mate drop him a pm

 

[Pete B]

Thanks Araon, have just sent him a pm. Oh, your signature, an anagram presumably?

 

[dubdubz]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorless_green_ideas_sleep_furiously" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

apparently??

 

[Us2]

Hi Pete, sorry to hear about your brake res woes...
You could do worse than give volksheaven a ring...very helpful, nothing too much trouble...they managed to sort us out with one for our 71 when i had given up hope of getting one for the mot last year...good luck with the hunt!