Front Discs with original master cylinder?

[stylinmike]

A friend with a 53 Chieftain wants me to install a front disc brake conversion kit on his car. Is it acceptable to use the original master cylinder? I have read a few things that say no because there is not enough pressure and because the original has a residual valve which causes the discs to drag. If I cant reuse the original, does anyone know of a 'under-floor' universal master that I could use? I assume a firewall mounted power brake master is an option, but sounds like alot of work.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Not sure about the GM cars..seems to work well on the Mopars..GM and lots others used the Bendix, Mope the Lockheed and a few Wagners from others..from a safety standpoint the dual reservoir is the better option...there are a many aftermarket sources for these kits..from brakets and you get your own parts to complete ready to bolt on..I would recommend you go to MP brakes page as they seem to have a good FAQ section..

[Norm's Coupe]

You might check ECI's website too. http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com/index.html . They make several different under floor dual master cylinders. They also have a good FAQ and instructional page.

[stylinmike]

Dual master cylinders will give me seperate resovoirs for front and back, but they won't do anything in terms of power brakes correct? For that I would need a vacuum assisted booster? My question was more towards whether or not power braking was needed for discs rather than single or dual resovoirs.

[Joe Flanagan]

I know a number of guys on the forum are running the original master cylinder with discs in the front and original drums in the rear. From what I hear, it's pretty dependable. I'm doing it that way myself. More experienced guys will have some advice, I'm sure.

[Norm's Coupe]

You are correct, the dual master cylinder alone will not give you power brakes. However, unless you have a hemi in there that you plan on driving at 100 MPH, you really don't need power disc brakes in our cars. Mine will put you through the windshield (so to speak) if you hit them really hard. I'm only running the 218, front disc from ECI, original master cylinder with residual valves added inline, and original drums in the rear.

[Don Coatney]

You are correct' date=' the dual master cylinder alone will not give you power brakes. However, unless you have a hemi in there that you plan on driving at 100 MPH, you really don't need power disc brakes in our cars. Mine will put you through the windshield (so to speak) if you hit them really hard. I'm only running the 218, front disc from ECI, original master cylinder with residual valves added inline, and original drums in the rear.[/quote']

Norm;

How fast can you get going from your garage to the end of your driveway or from the end of your driveway to your garage? If you installed the seat belts you have but have not yet installed would your brakes still put you through the windshield so to speak?

[Norm's Coupe]

Don,

Since I do not (or have not as of yet) driven my coupe on the freeway, I've only had it up to about 65 MPH. I really haven't slammed on the brakes that hard outside of the neighborhood when I first installed them. That was just for a test.

As for the seat belts, I'll probably never install them, so that's about a $160 waste of money.

That said, I never use to wear seat belts in any car. But........:rolleyes:the new car I just bought about a month ago has this annoying beep that beeps every 60 seconds if you don't buckle up. Started to just buy a seat belt extension and buckle it into the buckle to stop that. But........then decided to try the seat belt. That was about the second day I had the car. Ever since then, I have been using the seat belt in that car. That's a whole whooping 540 miles since about August 21st. As you can tell, I do a lot of driving, especially since about 350 to 370 of that was on two different day trips we made. I think the reason the belt doesn't bother me in the new car is because the shoulder strap is adjustable up or down on the door post, so I could adjust it not to cut into my neck.

[grey beard]

Hey Don,

What really bothers me when you talk like that, so to speak, is that I unnerstand it . . .

Obviously, some people don't.

[Plymouthy Adams]

NOrm..read your owners manual..the annoying beep beep should (could) be an owner optioned alert..on my Dodge Caravan I have the option of turning on and off many alarms and features on the car...

[Norm's Coupe]

Tim,

I did read the manual but I didn't see anything about turning off the beep warning on the seat belt. I'll look again though just for information. Really don't mind putting the belt on in this car anyway. That said, I don't think you can turn that beep off from what I remember seeing in the book. What I do remember seeing is that the side airbags do not work unless the seat belt is used. In fact, there is a light next to the clock on the dash that say's On or Off for the Passenger side air bags. When no one is sitting in that seat, those airbags are turned off, until the seat belt is buckled on the passenger side. So.....if no seat belt is worn, the air bags don't work.

[Rollie���]

Stock MC here on the '51 with a front disc brake conversion and the car stops\panic stops really well with no problems.