Jim, could it not be bad hoses? of course then youd have fluid on the ground...
once on my `60 military Volvo I lost one brake hose up front,it broke/popped as I hit the brakes! and I lost all braking, no fluid left...(while exiting onto a freeway overpass at 60mph! luckily I shifted down , passed the stop sign as I crept up on the left side against and to the left of oncoming traffic)