[Chrysler300] MY SILiCONE BRAKE FLUID STORY - SOME 35+YEARS AGO

[Kenneth Wilson <jblken@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I can't remember the exact # of years ago that I put silicone fluid in 
my 1955 Desoto Fireflite hdt..  About 36 years ago the Desoto - with its 
original wheel cylinders and power master cylinders -  the front  
cylinders started leaking so I flushed out the old fluid, honed the 
front wheel cylinders,  soaked the rubber cups in lacquer thinner - so 
that they swelled up,  soaked the brake fluid coated  shoes in lacquer 
thinner and then set fire to them to burn off the brake fluid.  I 
reassembled  the old parts into cylinders (I  was cheap with the  $ and 
always re-used the old brake parts in my cars) and put in silicone brake 
fluid which was, at the time, only available at  one local racing shop 
(and very expensive) and unheard of (as far as I knew) among my car 
friends.  My first attempts of testing the brake -the cups turned (or 
would not slide ) and leaked silicone.  I had to really polish, by hand, 
the cylinders to a high degree (so the cups slid easily and final got a 
good pedal - better  then with the regular  brake fluid ever gave me.  
After a few more years of driving I stored (in unheated garage and 
sheds) the car for  for some 30 years  (about 15 years in Utah's cold 
county).  I never started the car until two years ago  when I pulled out 
the Desoto, replaced the cracked exhaust manifold (due to the cold 
storage?) put a new carb on (old one leaked all over when I first tried 
starting it),  pumped the brake pedal a couple times and had solid 
pedal.  I then drove the car, with only adding what was left of a gallon 
of gas, used to poor down the carb to start the car, (to the old gas)  
to a gas station for more fresh gas and then onto the muffler shop and 
back home.  After a few days of driving the old gal, I put the car back 
in the storage so that, with room, I could  concentrate on finishing 
other car projects.  I have owned this Desoto  for  43 years - bought 
from the original owner (a little old California lady)  who had stop 
driving it a couple years before due to, (as I discovered after buying 
it ) a burnt exhaust valve.  The  Desoto now has about 145,000 miles on 
original master cylinder, trans. radiator, engine and brake components.  
Only thing I did was do a valve job, carb, silicone fluid, air shocks  
(used to carry 4- 5 people and gear on ski and camping trips 37+ years 
ago). the exhaust manifold, replaced front motor mount, painted the 
green (white top and  firesweep still original white as well as original 
upho) and the dual exhaust two years ago.  I  probably have to 
check/redue the brakes again after all these year sof setting and not 
being checked.

I'm a true believer in the silicone fluid - also don't remember ever 
having to replace the stop light switch during those early years of 
driving with silicone. I put silicone in my H but yet to drive it - may 
be by next summer.

Ken Wilson, San Jose, Calif.,
62 H

PS. Although I usually do my own brake jobs I had on a occasions  (40 
years ago ) to have it done by  brake shops. After a couple of brake 
failures /lack of good braking after having gone to the brake shops ( 
one failure was coming out of Yosemite on a steep grade, the brakes 
failed to slow a 55 Desoto convertible and I had to crash into the side 
of a hill to stop the car or go over a cliff.   Since that instance, 
some 40 years ago I since have always done  my own brake work  and never 
again trust any brake shop or person to touch any of my older mopar's 
brakes.  I even did my brakes on our 20+ year old 1962 Chrysler 300's 
and 1964 Darts, with 9" brakes,  which (I and Wife) drove for years and 
years as everyday work and travel/vacation cars with never a brake 
fade/failure/un-even or stopping problem (even on steep sierra back 
roads) and my 80's Dodge truck.  Most important, in the old drum  
mopars  was good/perfect brake adjustments which most shops, I think, do 
know how.  A few years back I bought an old Amco brake shoe adjustment 
tool which made the brake shoe adjustment easier and faster.  


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