Floor Mat Question

[BigDave LM6174]

The 52 Henry J I am putting together is a older project that never got finished.  The car came to me with a large unopened box with the rubber floor kit from manufacturing fund.  The kit was sent in 1989 from Art Griffin.  The rubber floor is still in great shape, grey in color.  I installed it today, and I am questioning how you are supposed to get access to the master cylinder?  There is no cutout to get to top of reservoir.  Is this normal?

[Gordie]

Just lift up the mat at the corner and carefully fold it over to gain access.  It is just like your 1951 Kaiser.  Most older cars are built that way and finally in 1952 Ford began mounting  the master cylinders on the fire wall where you have good access.

[Fid]

There is no access to the master cylinder through the floor on a Henry J. If you pull the mat back and remove the panels around the pedals you can get close. Otherwise, I just cramp the wheel all the way to the right and reach over the frame, right under where it meets the firewall, and remove the cap - if you can! The cap on the MC on Edgar Kaiser's Henry J was still the original aluminum one and it was "welded" in place by all the electolysis/corrosion that took place in just 3 years. I had to remove said panels around the pedals and use a large punch/chisel to get it off and it was not easy. I replaced it with a plastic cover and made sure there was grease in the threads. I put it on finger-tight and now if I need to, I can reach back there and take it off with my fingers. I also use a syringe to fill it. It's not a pleasant task.

[Corsairdeluxe]

DO NOT attempt to service the MC from inside the car! Follow Fid's technique. Serviceing from the interior will lead to a torn mat.

[Fid]

Good point Corsairdeluxe! When I did that, it was on Edgar Kaiser's Henry  J - that one has black carpeting, which was easy to lift and move around as opposed to original floormats. I've never done it on one of my cars which has original floormats.  Caution advised!

[Terry T]

How about remote fluid reservoir?

[Corsairdeluxe]

It is possible, but very, very unlikely you can find the KF accessory kit to install the remote reservoir. It consisted of a reservoir, a threaded MC cap and fittings. I have this remote reservoir and holder from a KF kit. There were other styles offered.



fittings.


 This is the threaded MC cap. GOOD LUCK.
 

I used a metal MC cap, several fittings and a lot of JB weld to make this one.


 

Look between the driver’s side horn and the VR to see the remote reservoir I got from Wilwood. This set up worked perfectly and is the very first change I would make to any HJ I might own in the future, followed by a large gas line filter at the tank and another one at the carb inlet.

[BigDave LM6174]

So, with one of these kits, you would drill the cap, thread it, and install a fitting and hose.  Then hose to Reservoir and fill reservoir?

[BigDave LM6174]

Sounds like to be it has too many places to leak.

[Fid]

Actually, they work great. Here's the one KF issued:


I have a Darwin unit on my '52 Henry J Vagabond (courtesy of a previous owner) and I really like it.


and


Wish I could find more.

[Aeroman]

Fid's pic of the KF accessory remote brake filler became standard equipment on the 226-engined Willys Aeros in 1954. I installed a kit on mine. Before that, I used a turkey baster and usually burned the crap out of my arm as I reached around the exhaust manifold under the hood to fill the master cylinder. I guess the HJ is the same.