No Brakes!!

[jaekl]

The factory only assembled new parts and everything threaded easily using a wrench only to tighten. On RHD cars they might have assembled the rear line prior to bolting the MC in place. However much less free movement is available on LHD cars and trucks due to the routing of the rear hard line. Wrestling with the line is a bit easier with a loose MC. To make removal and reassembly easier I only loosen the flare fitting enough to allow the it to spin on the line and then remove the banjo bolt after the front line is removed. Getting the banjo bolt out and restarted is easier than trying to start the smaller flare fitting.

To move the torsion bar out of the way I use an angle or a piece of wood jacked up against the underside and then use a C clamp close to the bolt to pull the torsion bar just enough to pull the bolt, one bolt at a time to minimize the amount of bending.

[59Elva]

I agree all new fresh parts would help. As you suggested I only loosened the rear line flair nut enough to allow the banjo bolt to turn freely and did start it with the master cylinder free. I don’t have fat fingers but couldn’t get a hold on the banjo bolt to screw it into the master cylinder. It’s one half of a flat at a time with an open end wrench. Twelve wrench flips per thread!
Cutting the floor opening back an extra inch would have helped. Maybe they pre assembled the rear line to the master cylinder and then threaded it thru the side exit in the frame?
With 50 years in manufacturing, most of it in manufacturing engineering, it piques my professional curiosity as to how they incorporated this tedious task into the assembly line.

[59Elva]

Some success! I took the truck out for a little spin around the neighborhood and found I had some braking. Not neck snapping tire squealing deceleration but it will stop. Eventually. Pedal is still a bit low and maybe more bleeding will help. I was thinking of ordering new shoes for the front from Moss but have heard so many complaints about new brakes being “rubbish” here on the forum.
I have the exhaust pipe to manifold leak. The clamp is not in good shape and I don’t know where to find a replacement over here.
The carb is still rich. Maybe a worn jet but the Moss replacements don’t look like what I have. I guess the ultimate solution is installing the Sprite carbs and exhaust manifold but that will require a custom pipe.
Rear gearbox seal definitely leaks. That should be available but I also need transmission mounts. Are they unique to the Minor or is there a cross reference to something more common in the US?
Finally a ray of hope.