How long is a piece of string?

Could be an hour could be a weekend, much depends on good old corrosion. If the brake pipe connection comes undone then it's a simple task, assuming the slave cylinder securing bolts (or clips?) come free too.

Unfortunately with brake pipes nothing is written in stone, the pipe may twist off, and the next section may too and from experience you can end up fitting new brake pipes half way down the car before you get to an easy undo joint.

If the brake shoes have become contaminated i would replace them, they should be very cheap from a factor anyway, not worth the trouble of doing the work and leaving manky shoes on.

Give the other brake bleed valves a little dash of releasing fluid such as plus gas, this can be soaking in over the next few days whilst waiting to do the cylinder....check to see if the bleed valves undo before you go to the factor for the parts you need...you may need the other cylinder if it snap's off.

Edited by gordonbennet on 27/04/2011 at 21:34

Gordonbennet, I agree with you 100%,way back to the master cylinder.

A trick I used if it looked like the pipes stood a chance of twistingwas to remove the cylinder bolts & pull the pipe through the backplate, knock out the piston & seals, put a tommybar through the hole & holding the pipe union nut turn the tommybar.

This was done on a Cortina of about the same vintage as the car in question albeit a long time ago.

Best of luck, I think you will need it.