hey.except for it being 'hidden' .I think it's a great location.
and I'm always thinking engineers are stupid.

with this location.
you can check the brake fluid easily anytime..right from the driver's
seat.
of course I wouldn't recommend it while driving.but you could.

secondly.and this is pretty darn handy :
when you take a bone-dry new master cylinder you have to 'bench bleed'
it first before it will start to pump fluid out to the wheels for
regular bleeding.

you either do this in a vice on the workbench by yourself, hence the
term 'bench bleeding' ..that's like put the reservoir on, fill it.push
the piston down with a screw driver, and then when you let the piston
return back up, you cover the output holes ( where the pipes screw on )
with your fingers, so air won't be sucked back in there, but fluid will
be pulled in from the res.
when you've done a few of those..and fluid is coming out when you push
the piston down.then you can mount it on the car.  And then bleed the
brakes normally.

if you put it in the car dry, you have to pre-bleed it like that in
place.and if the brake master cylinder is mounted on the firewall, under
the hood like on a regular car..then you need a helper to 'bench bleed'
it on the car.

On a vanagon you can bench bleed it in place by yourself.  It's the only
vehicle I can think of like that offhand.

you want a complaint about dumb design ????/  Ever adjust the length of
the push rod on the clutch master cylinder in a vanagon ??
it is the single most difficult adjustment on the whole van !
almost never needed, fortunately.

scott
www.turbovans.com <http://www.turbovans.com/>