Hey guys, Recently I bought my first real project car a 53 chevy 150 and need some help and direction on a few different topics. As I stated, this is my first rod project and im sure my ignorance will come out, but after searching with the criteria im looking for and not finding much, ive turned to just asking.... First, what kind of brake master cylinder, stock or aftermarket is the best for the chevy 210's and 150's? Where can I find oem types and firewall mounted types? Second, I have a 235 to install with the stock 3 on the tree, but I think im missing the clutch fork... Where can I locate one of these? Ebay cant seem to have any, and google searches bring back nothing... Third, What are the stock wheel dimesions and besides stockton or coker, where are these commonly found? Anyone have a set for sale? Sorry if my questions are dumb, im new... Jaison
here is just a couple site that i use.hit me up in a P.M. if you need some help. http://www.nationalchevyassoc.com/ http://www.belairautoparts.com/enter.htm http://www.stovebolt.com/
On my '58 Olds, we basically decided that no version of the stock 'treadle-vac' power master would do, so I started thinking about what would fill the gap with minimal issues that I can't control. Disc brakes started appearing in the early-70s on the front of 'non-sports-cars' and we know that those pump way to much fluid for our cars, but the feds didn't mandate a dual-master until 1967. That left cars between 1967 and 1970 to look at as sources. Tex Smith (I kinda trust him, he told me about ackerman) told me, in his stellar book 'Hot Rod Chassis', to look for a master designed for a car with similar config (drum-drum) and a similar weight as mine for optimal performance. I selected a 1967 Olds 88 to match our '58 Olds 88 in both configuration (drum-drum) and weight (a whole fucKing lot). Rockauto.com sold me a dual-master from a '67 Olds 88 for ~$30 shipped to my door and my 125lb girlfriend thinks the brakes are 'excellent'. Here's what the $30 brake pedal looks like installed with a pedal that I built with $8 worth of Tractor Supply 3/4" x 1-1/2" barstock looks like. I also added a $4 heim-joint to attach it to the stock pedal. The motor side. And the inside, this was last summer, floors are being done as I post. Well, they're on hiatus until the temp in the garage breaks 40 degrees, but that's another story... I managed to lock them up at 40mph once when some chump in a Civic decided not to look (you can't miss a 4500lb '58 Olds coming at 40mph) before pulling out in front of me once, so I think they're fine. As for feel, I'd rate them at excellent, but don't forget about the 'pedal ratio' when designing your pedal. Remember, it's not a switch, it's a lever. Here's a diagram to aid you... This is 3:1. For non-power-brakes, you want something in the neighborhood of 6 to 1...
Remember, if you're planning on eventually having three carbs under the hood, you're gonna need all the vacuum you can get just to idle right. Run manual brakes, they're more than fine, and they don't crowd your firewall with an ugly booster...
hit up the classifieds,and put an add up in the wanted section you will find it,good luck with your build and welcome to the HAMB
I'm doing a 50 sedan myself. First thing I would do if you haven't already. get a shop manual and a clutchhead screwdriver. If you havenot beet to Chevytalk.com check it out. Lots of good info there. I made my own dual m/c bracket for under the floor of my car. Not hard at all. I used a 67-76 Vette non-power M/C for it.
Not hanging shit.......but look back at this in 6 months, and I hope you laugh as hard as I did As long as you keep asking humbly (like you have) you will come to find out that ALL the cool shit AINT web accessable.....and most of the time, THATS WHAT MAKES IT COOL!!!!! Welcome aboard !!!!
Redneck,...I don't think I've ever seen a brake setup like that; it looks good and sounds like it works good too. It's kinda nice with the master cyl. mounted lower on the firewall like that. How many tries did it take to get the ratio rite, or did you get lucky the first time?
Twice, I completely ignored the section on pedal ratio my first time and tried to reused the stock brake pedal, that didn't work, I almost blew out my knee bleeding them. The master location is actually a little higher than normal, Olds mounted them under the steering column for the power masters. I like the location, when I get around to pulling the motor and cleaning up the engine bay, it'll be nice to have it tucked out of sight. Nothing ruins an otherwise sweet custom or, even worse, a hot rod for me than a bigass modern master complete with plastic mounted high on the firewall. The stock ones were WAY overboosted, which is why they had a reputation for being touchy and why the pedal ratio was so out of whack. With cars, I'm NEVER lucky the first time, and seldom lucky at all...
hey bro, if you want to use you stock pedal (which I suggest) you can use the drum drum master cylinder that redneck was referring to. you need to make a bracket behind your current master cylinder and turn your new one around so the back is facing towards the motor. make sure they are lined up. I know this sounds crazy but follow me on this one. hollow out the brake side of your stock master cylinder so you can run a rod straight through it into your new master cylinder behind it. now the reason for this is so you can use your stock clutch pedal and pivot and also so you can keep your master cylinder under the floor. it would be a little weird to have your clutch coming out of the floor and you brake coming out from under your dash. what redneck did with his was great but for a 53 54 you have the ridiculous body mounts all the way up the fire wall that kinda crowd everything so a master on your fire wall (if you keep those mounts) could be a pain in the butt?) just seems that way to me at least. I have built a 54 all the way through and had to learn a lot of this shit the real hard way (which has its place) but I also wasted a lot of time and money... so all that being said feel free to pm me I will be more than happy to help how ever I can. also can give you tranny, front end, and rear end options too... and as far as your clutch fork goes find a more door rotting in a junk yard some where... if you can't find one around you let me know. I know where there a 5 or 6 of the setting. and stock wheels are 5 on 4 3/4 bolt pattern and are 5" or 5 1/2" by 15" you can buy them new but they are pricey. once again I suggest ye ol scrap yard. also if you dig around you can normally round up a set of steelies that people have on old junk cars. look for stock wheels on chevy cars from 49 to late fifties early sixties. if you do though, make sure you look for rust around the air valve hole. remeber pitting is one thing flaking is a no no...
Thank you all for your prompt and great answers! Its great to be a part of a forum that when you ask a question, people respond, crazy idea!! Thanks Hambers! Jaison
I may have a clutch fork left over from my '53 wagon. I'll see if I can dig it up. As far as brakes, I have the National Chevy association dual master cylinder in my wagon. It works the way hotdamn was describing in his post and took no time to install.
If your car was manual brakes (and I think they almost all were that year) go ahead and adapt your stock pedal, the ratio will be close enough. Mine needed changed because it was power brakes and EARLY power brakes, so the ration doesn't work for anything but unreliable late-50s single-channel power-brakes...
WOW!!! That was cool. I'm gonna bookmark this post, and the next time a FNG gets his ass ripped for asking stupid questions and showing off a cocky attitude, I'll direct him here to see how to PROPERLY intro yourself and ask respectfully. I usually [only] click on the "newbie with ?'s" posts just to see some stupid 17 year old punk get raked over the coals for asking some idiotic question. Way to go Jaison,,,, That was a first class introduction and request for in formation... Welcome to the HAMB.
Thanks Darryl, You are correct, Unfortunatly we live in a world of asshats and keyboard heros, neither of which Ive ever cared to deal with. Ive lived on several other forums over the years, and have yet to escape the b.s. of dealing with internet jerkoffs. I always try to conduct myself in a professional manner, weather I know what im talking about or not, as you can see pertaining to my 53 its "not". I really appreciate the vast amount of help I have already recieved on my first post, and am gald to be a part of the H.A.M.B. family, without this board and its members, I would have no clue where to start, or where to look! Thanks HAMBERS Jaison
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