Would like some opinions. I purchased a power booster, but i really like the look of a clean firewall. The 54 has the stock drums with new brake cylinders and standard / cheap brake shoes. The Master is Mustang drum/drum with 1" piston. I can change to 7/8 or 15/16 but am not sure if the extra pedal travel will bottom out or hit the floor. Whats the concensus. If i could get an easier pedal, i would keep the stock brakes. My old knees dont like that hard pedal
I’d go with the 7/8” piston. It’s what will defiantly help with foot pressure. I don’t have stock brakes anymore but don’t have a power booster either but I use a 7/8” Wilwood master. In my opinion boosters are just detractions on a nice firewall. Some Fords had power but many were retrofit at dealers with Bendix booster mounted on the left inner fender panel. Prestige Thunderbird in Santa Fe Springs Ca. still does it with double MC’s using the booster just on the front of their disc/drum retrofit and the owners I’ve talked to really like it. Just a possible option. Goodluck.
I went with the aftermarket booster/dual MC & prop valve for disc/drum. It isn't so much for me but all the idiot distracted drivers out there these days that makes having to stomp the brakes a much too often occurrence these days. Old steel is hard to find!
I have used the 15/16 Ranger master cyl on my 56 and my 64 Galaxie. They work just fine with drums all around. I like the aluminum body/plastic reservoir as it doesn't get all rust and look like **** in a years time. The nice thing about these is they are cheap so if you find the pedal is still too stiff you are not out a lot of money when you switch to the 7/8". For a 7/8" the only ones I know of that are cheap are the Mopar black plastic units you see at a lot of race shops Wilwood can hook you up with fancy ones in either size. If you swapping from another dual m/cyl then you will need to pay attention to what side the lines are one and what fittings they use. Ranger 15/16 https://www.amazon.com/Raybestos-MC39567-Professional-Master-Cylinder/dp/B000C75OXE 7/8 https://www.amazon.com/Manual-Brakes-Aluminum-Master-Cylinder/dp/B071JSY2B2
OK...to add to this... I have disc/drum, dual M/C with 7" booster. I added a vacuum can. No leaks. I get 15# at idle... and it stops great - but....if I use the brakes a couple of times at a stop light, my power boost kinda goes away. I can still stop...but HARD brake pedal. It regenerates itself before the next stop sign. No room for a 9" booster. Should I add a vacuum pump? What are you all doing/using? Yes - Boss 351 with moderate cam.
I added a vacuum pump to my 55 and a vacuum can from Jegs. I had problems with the pump and realized that it was not working right [can't recall exactly why] but I discovered that the can retained enough vacuum without the pump so I removed the pump. Do you have a check valve between the carb and the vacuum can? I put a gauge on the can so I can see what the vacuum level is. Like you my 302 makes bout 15# at idle.
I've got the same design master as fordsbyjay, (mine: '01 Mustang Cobra, w/ 1 1/16" (?)bore) but also have a hydroboost as I have NO room for any vacuum booster. Doesn't make for a clean firewall as shortshift wants, but eliminates a low vacuum problem as 50sboy has. Gets it's power from the power steering pump, so your car has to have that system. I have 4 wheel disc, not sure what the '01 Cobra donor car had for rears. I use a Wilwood proportioning valve and a cooler for the power steering fluid. From the pump to the hydroboost, to the rack, and to the cooler then back to the reservoir, plus 2 return lines= 6 fluid lines. Gets pricey, but great stopping system. I really like your engine bay, 50sboy!
THANKS for the input guys.....I may give the 15/16 a try. I am worried about hitting the floor if i have to mash the pedal. After checking, the 15/16 has 12% more pedal travel than the 1" (if u can believe the website) I presume the aluminum MCs dont have residual valves, so will have to plumb those in.
Since you bring up the point. With the 7/8” MC from Wilwood(no power) I have had to panic stop twice and did not come close enough to the floor to worry about but I have disc fronts. My concern for you would be keeping the standard brakes adjusted. Before I made any changes I would need adjust my stock brakes at least twice a year or ever 500 miles of city driving. At my age it was one of the reasons for the disc front upgrade and rears drums from a late 80’s F150 with self adjusters. I have not done but did hear of a person who drilled an additional hole above the rod hole in the pedal to increase leverage. He stated that he added a plug in the original hole for strength and did not have a problem with the rod.
I have a check valve and a gauge on the can. I have to check and see what it reads...kinda hidden in the wheel well. No power steering so the hydraboost is out. Gotta be something stupid because between the booster at the m/c and the can - it should last. Maybe the check valve is junk! Thanks Texas 57.
Unless there is some other problem with the brakes like air in the system or swelling hoses the pedal should be the same no matter how hard you mash the brakes. If there is air in the system the air will compress and the pedal will drop, liquid will not compress and the pedal should drop the same amount if you push it till it won't go anymore no matter how hard or soft you push provided everything else is good. The diameter of the master will affect how much travel it takes to reach the "hard" pedal point but if it is good sitting still it should be the same point moving down the road in a panic stop so it shouldn't go to the floor. On another point if you are a junkyard searcher all Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products with a 3.6L V6 (and some 3.2L) come from the factory with a brake vacuum pump. There are vacuum lines with check valves as well, they started installing these V6 engines about 2011 on Jeeps and by now there are millions of them out there. They are not designed to run continuously but to provide vacuum when the engine isn't producing sufficient vacuum to run the brake booster. May be a cheaper alternative to some of the aftermarket units out there.
I havent installed the self-adjusters. I may in the future once i get the brakes where i like them. Was also wondering if the ceramic brakes would give a different feel when stopping. The car stops just fine now, just would like the pedal to be a bit easier to depress
You may want to install the self adjusters first to see how that changes the feel before making other changes that way you'll know you have the best contact on the drums. You probably won't "feel" the difference with ceramics because the real gain with those is less brake fade when hot,less drum wear and less brake dust.
I went manual front discs and drums out back on my '59 and it stops well. My firewall was busy as it was with my clutch master install.
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