hi i am new and need a little help.

when i look up brake parts for my galaxie, i keep seeing reference to police/taxi and non police/taxi. shows the police/taxi have a 1 3/32" front wheel cylinder and the non police/taxi have a 1 1/8" front wheel cylinder.

i need to replace mine (would like to do it soon), but would like to know if the police/taxi type can be used as a slight upgrade? do they fit the same and without needing a different master cylinder?
to replace the rear rubber brake hose, i am told to take it off, bring it in and match it up, but does anyone know what hose matches up correctly?
how the heck do i get the rear drums off?
tried heat and multiple sizes of hammers. adjuster is rotated all the way in.

also, does anyone make a patch panel for the front edge of the hood? i have seen them for the lower front fenders and the rocker pieces which i also need.

Here's a place for panels but I never heard of a hood panel.

Black Car - Ford Body Panels

I don't know about the cylinders on a 59.

eBay Motors: 1959 Ford Galaxy Fairlane 500 HOOD 59 Nice (item 130222356164 end time May-20-08 11:04:50 PDT)&

i appreciate the links. i went ahead and ordered the standard size of 1 1/8th and will check out my master cylinder after i get the wheel cylinders on.

anyone else have any ideas for the rear brakes? getting them off? replacement for the rubber hose?

Hey Kenny,

If the adjusters are all the way in and the wheel spins freely (IE the shoes aren't locked up on the drum) Then the culprit is probably where the center of the axle/studs goes through the drum. This is a tight fit as is and if they haven't been removed in 20 plus years, cancer probably welded them together. Get some PB Blaster or other rust eating lubricant spray and HOSE them down where the axle sticks through. repeat several times over the course of a day to allow it to penetrate then smack the drum pretty good around the axle with a BFH (aka Big Freakin Hammer) to get it to release. (I prefer a 2 lb sledge myself)

Good Luck

Keith/Bumble

where should a person hit the drum? trying from the backside, me and my dad chipped off 2 small edges of the drum, and hitting just off of the axle flange, i think the vibrations had caused another edge to crack and fall off.
hitting the axle flange area itself would drive that against the bearings which i didnt want to do.

i will soak them again and use heat again.
thanks for the help guys.

hit them right around the axel end -- you dont need to wail on them --what your trying to do is break the rust weld that forms between the drum and axel end-- --careful with the heat -- -heat close to the axel end [not axel]-- and tap with hammer--

i have met a couple that i had to cut off the car--

i really hope it doesnt come down to that.
i have the front off, they look immaculate. my dad replaced the drums all around about 25 years ago and only put maybe 1000 miles since then(car sat).

how about this: i will be goign back to school soon and have toooooooooo many projects on my plate as it is, but once one of my cars is done(during school) i plan to restore this car(59 galaxie).
with me buying new brakes NOW, what is the best process to go by for a vehicle that will sit for a while?
i would imagine emptying the system and flushing will not get all the brake fluid out and will rust the system away.
is leaving the brake system full of fluid really the best idea? maybe replace the brake fluid with grease instead to protect the lines and rubber?

no--no grease -- stop trying to reinvent the wheel-- fill it with dot brake fluid and put the cover on-- cars have sat for 20 years with the same fluid in them--

Originally Posted by deadhorse

no--no grease -- stop trying to reinvent the wheel-- fill it with dot brake fluid and put the cover on-- cars have sat for 20 years with the same fluid in them--

Dead horse is DEAD on. NEVER use any oil based product in your brake hydraulic system! or you will replace EVERYTHING made of rubber in the system and be flushing the steel lines with alcohol for a LONG time! If the car is going to sit a long time it should be bled at least once a year. The fall is the best that way you get rid of the absorbed water that will freeze and separate from the fluid during the winter. This is what pits the bores on the master and wheel cylinders and leads to seal failure.

very good -thanks capt- bleed the brakes --do not drain them --