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1953 DODGE M37

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 2:42 pm
by SBS Trains
Good Day Gents. Thank someone for creating this forum. I'm up in the eastern mountains of Arizona and recently purchased a 1953 Dodge M37. This one is not original, although most of the parts are. Someone in the past stuck a SBC from the late 70s or at the latest it could be a 1980 SBC. Finally got the motor running smooth and got most of the kinks out. One one of the drives, the right rear wheel cylinder locked up and rather than rebuild it, I replaced all 4 wheel cylinders and the master.

My question as I continue to wrestle with this issue somewhat is that reason I replaced the master is that the one it came with, perhaps the original, was pretty wore out and there was a brake fluid lead coming from the end connections. Upon pulling the parts out, I found that the leak was from a crack in the original hard line from the back of the Master to the fitting going through the frame to the distributing block.

I order a replacement line from Vintage Power Wagons only to find upon receipt it is about 1/2" shorter than the original. Rather than pay the $15 to send the $9 replacement line back. I thought I'd keep in and find a fix here locally.

SO my question is: Does anyone see any serious issues replacing that hard line with a steel braided flex line?

Thanks!

Steve C.

P.S. I'd attach a photo but have absolutely no idea how

Re: 1953 DODGE M37

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2025 10:12 am
by T. Highway
Welcome to the site Steve.

Regards,
Bert

Re: 1953 DODGE M37

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:39 am
by Cal_Gary
Hi Steve and welcome! Glad to have you with us!
We've been around a long time-since the 1990s.

I see no problem with your brake line solution as long as the line is a brake line.
Post your many questions here-we all started where you are so enjoy the ride!
Gary

Re: 1953 DODGE M37

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2025 1:58 pm
by just me
Forming a hard tube line is easy and straightforward. You don't have to make it in the same form as the original. (Pretty tough with common benders) You can come out of the master and form a full spiral to get to the frame fitting.