427 Street Roadster brake/clutch fluid reservoir

[DanEC]

Can anyone post a picture of the original 427 street car brake and clutch fluid reservoir and location? One of the things I got wrong on my ERA was using the Girling reservoirs which the SC cars used. They are pretty neat looking but not correct and I may consider a change (or maybe not ).

Thanks

[Jim Maxwell]

The reservoirs are Girling, just smaller than on the S/C cars.

[LMH]

The only place I've been able to find those is a place in England that sells parts for Escorts. Even they aren't exact but pretty close. If you find another source, let me know.
Larry

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Jim Maxwell

The reservoirs are Girling, just smaller than on the S/C cars.
Attachment 31147

Thanks Jim - having a hard time completely getting my bearings on that picture. Are they mounted to the front of the foot box? It looks like there is something below them - is that the clutch reservoir?

[Jim Maxwell]

Sorry the photo is upside-down. The canisters are mounted on the front of the footbox, below the windshield wiper motor which is partially visible. That is the clutch master cylinder you see with the plastic cap below. Since I drive the car on long tours, the original steel cap was not optimal for removal since it got pretty hot!
Send me a PM and I will send you more photos.

Jim

[Jim Maxwell]

Please ignore the plastic overflow tank and its bright blue bracket. Again, on long trips and in traffic, I would lose most of my coolant without the additional overflow catch tank.

[Ivygreen65]

We're the same reservoirs used on both the 427 and 289 street cars?

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Jim Maxwell

Sorry the photo is upside-down. The canisters are mounted on the front of the footbox, below the windshield wiper motor which is partially visible. That is the clutch master cylinder you see with the plastic cap below. Since I drive the car on long tours, the original steel cap was not optimal for removal since it got pretty hot!
Send me a PM and I will send you more photos.

Jim

Jim - PM sent

[CompClassics]

Yes, street 289 & 427 Cobras both shared the same reservoirs.

[ACHiPo]

I found this site--~$90 for one canister, bracket, decal, etc.
Retro-uk - Misc parts

I realized I should be specific when Googling "UK Escort"--it may not lead to brake reservoirs.

Not sure if these are the right ones or not?

[ACHiPo]

In the hundreds of pictures I have of original Cobras, almost all pictures of the engine compartment do not show the brake reservoir. Here are a couple:

CSX3203

[ACHiPo]

This car was at The Cobra Experience. Unfortunately I don't know the number. It may be an S/C?

[ACHiPo]

Csx 3021 (S/C)

[LMH]

That’s the same ones I found. Original reservoirs have the line fitting on the bottom off-center while the new ones are centered. I tried to buy them w/o the fittings and not drilled but wasn’t successful.
Larry

[DanEC]

Evan - not sure how far over under the fender and how far down the foot box they were. Jim's picture seems too place the brake cans fairly high up near the top of the foot box. But I suspect they may be back under the fender which is why we never notice them on open hood shots of street roadsters.

I think the cans ERA supplied would work fine but I would have to work out new steel lines and some how cross over or under the ERA headers. And then I have the issue of three mounting holes in my aluminum that I would have to do something with - probably put some rivets in them or something.

But I may just leave mine alone - they are tight and don't leak and there is little point in trying to get crazy authentic with the engine bay because there are a number of other things on an ERA that depart from the originals - the wiring harness and position of the voltage regulator and wiper motor being a major one. Also, not many original Cobras survived too many years without a few owner modifications here and there.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

But I may just leave mine alone - they are tight and don't leak and there is little point in trying to get crazy authentic...

if your Girling reservoirs are not leaking, and they are not sloshing fluid out around the tops when turning/braking hard, then I wouldn't even think about touching them.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by patrickt

if your Girling reservoirs are not leaking, and they are not sloshing fluid out around the tops when turning/braking hard, then I wouldn't even think about touching them.

I followed a couple of yours and ERAChase's suggestions on how to seal them up.

[1795]

Dan,

I agree with Patrick, if they are working fine, leave them be. I would also hesitate at trying to re-route lines around the headers, then you will have to figure out how to install heat deflectors to reduce the risk of boiling or burning your brake fluid.

I can tell that you like to tinker, having followed your posts for several years, find something else to tinker with.

Jim

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 1795

I can tell that you like to tinker, having followed your posts for several years, find something else to tinker with.

I agree with Jim. OK, Dan -- here's something you can do. Install a nice Moroso oil/air separator, like you see below. It requires a little bit of fabrication to get it to sit nicely, especially if you have a turkey pan. This will occupy your time for a while.

[RodKnock]

Too bad AK isn't close to CA, DanEC can tinker with my Cobra anytime.

In fact, grab some polish and the orbital buffer and have a good time re-polishing my aluminum.