Circa late 40s /early 50s driving 36 6Cyk 4dr (probably lowest model as painflly plain interior) slowly in small town. Stepped on brake, pedal dropped/pushed to floor, lots of sparks and elec smoke under hood (no crash, no fire)++
Found brale pedal made in two parts, joined just under toeboards by bolt or pin thru a clevis type connection...bolt or pin'd worked loose, fell out. When I stepped on brake, "top" part (pedal mounted on round rod) had slipped thru clevis (not moving "bottom" part linked to master cyl etc, so no brakes engaged) falling down onto and shorting out starter solenoid. creating sparks and smoke...
Now I*'m told by other Hudson owners no such brake pedal existed (tho advisors did not have 36 6cy)
In a posting on smokstak, Jake Jacobs was kind enough to post the whole 117 page 36 Parts book...brake pedal around pg 12 or so, illus on "Illus BZ"....but there was no illus BZ in the Parts Book illus index...(another B+ was listed, I think BM, and maybe more)
There was a teaser---illus "C" of whole hyd system, including sketch of brake pedal, with a curious round area where my "join" would be, or maybe simply a bulge in a one piece forging---but no parts numbers were on that illus...nor does the "pedal assembly" list of parts mention any two pieces...
So: does anyone here have a copy of "illus BZ from the 36 parts Book??? or perhaps a 36 6Cyl , and, if so, would you be kind enough to look at the brake pedal under the toeboards, looking for a joint just under the toeboards???
As best as I recall, everything seemed to be factory; nothing looked like it'd been Mickey-Moused, and I believe any mismatch between clutch and brake pedals would've been noticeable. The car itself was, then, just an old car, but not a jalopy or rattletrap,,,..
Dying of curiosity...but, as someone suggested, don't believe National Recall necessary...any comments appreciated...Bud Tierney...
The pedal shaft is connected to the actuating lever in der the toe-board as you describe. There is a clevis and nut going through the lever, and this clamps the pedal in position. If this nut and clevis is loose you will get exactly what you describe.
GEOFF: Many thanks for quick reply...
I was beginning to think I'd had some kind of designers nightmare...
Any idea how long this dangerous arrangement was used??
Not sure, exactly, but from 1948 onwards, the pedals had a taper on the end which fitted into the arm, and a nut underneath.
[quote="Geoff Clark " post=21498]Not sure, exactly, but from 1948 onwards, the pedals had a taper on the end which fitted into the arm, and a nut underneath. And a key-way.
Starting in '41 was a new design, '48 a bigger shaft and wider apart.
Bud, like anything mechanical, sometimes you need to inspect everything while doing routine service and maintenance, regardless of Marque.
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