Ah, by-passing the silanoid. I've done that so many times in so many different vehicles. And brakes, you don't need brakes to stop...just to stop gently.
My Mercury Zepher had loose vacum lines and every once in a while I would end up stalled at stop light and have shove a screwdriver in the carburetor to get to somewhere that I could figure out which line came off. And that was the least of its problems. That thing was a jalopy from bumper to bumper...except its AC. Best AC I've seen in a car. In 100 degree temps I could get people to complain about the cold in the back seat.
