actually ..
the MC is below the floor in a 77 VW Bus where they can get quite rusty.
That metal cover that goes under there, or once was there, is to help
protect the MC under there.
A safety requirement even .... german TUV rules that say a brake master
cylinder can't be exposed to road salt n' grit - something like that.  A
guy from Switzerland told me that in the 70's ...makes sense to me.

On 6/8/2012 3:48 PM, Ken Wilford wrote:
> Courtney, actually because the master cylinder is inside the van behind
> the instrument panel, the line ends there should be like new.  There
> should be no problems getting the lines loose there and replacing either
> the lines or the MC itself.
>
> Under the van, the easiest way to deal with rusted fittings if you are
> going to replace the metal lines anyway is to cut the metal line at the
> fitting with a pair of pliers and then tap an 11mm socket (six point
> only) onto the fitting.  Spray some PB Blaster on it and it should come
> off without much fuss or muss.  BTDT but no one has every given me the
> T-shirt :-)
>
> --
> HTH,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
> Phone: 856-327-4936
> Fax: 856-327-2242
>
>
>
> On 6/8/2012 5:45 PM, Courtney Hook wrote:
>> Well, since the brake hoses actually have a plastic ring around them
>> that says 77, I'm betting the metal lines are original too on my
>> Westy. So I know the nuts are frozen onto the brake hose ends of the
>> metal lines, and I had to actually spin the whole caliper/ hose
>> assembly to get it off the metal lines. I am just imagining what the
>> other end is going to be like at the MC. My thought is to use PB
>> Blaster and soak the hell out of it for a few days, then apply some
>> heat from my propane torch. Can I do this without destroying the MC?
>> It appears to be working fine; I'd hate to ruin it just to get the
>> metal brake lines off. Of course some will say, just replace it
>> anyway :-)
>> Thanks,
>> Courtney
>>
>