Hi guys, I've been lurking on HAMB for over a year now, and have really enjoyed reading about everyone's projects. I'm a few months into my own project now- This is my first post. I'm restoring a 1950 Chevy 3600 3/4 ton pickup. I have converted the front brakes to an 11" rotor & mid 70's GM single piston caliper. The rear end I've installed came with disc brakes (S10 Blazer ZR2) so I'm going to keep them. I'm about ready to select a master cylinder to m***age into place and then get the system plumbed. I realize I'll need 2 lb RPV's in my system (master is under the floor), as well as a method of balancing the front & rear brakes. I am considering a manual 4 wheel disc stup, as I am not sure yet whether my engine is going to produce decent vacuum at idle, and getting a descent sized booster to fit next to the frame while keeping my clutch setup might not be possible... (I don't want to run a vacuum pump or the hydroboost system either) Anyone out there running 4 wheel manual disc brakes? If so, what size master cylinder you installed and how do you like it? I'm a little concerned that I'm not going to be able to move enough fluid for 4 calipers with a 7/8" or 1" master cylinder piston with my stock pedal geometry. I am also concerned about screwing the pooch with all of this and ending up with high pedal pressure. I've driven a few foreign cars with 4 wheel manual disc, and I really liked the feel of the brakes in those cars. I'm hoping to replicate that feel in this truck. Any input will be appreciated, Dave
get a Hydroboost? That's what's on my Mark IV, with 4 wheel discs. Vettes had 4 wheel discs with manual master cylinders from the mid 60s to at least the late 60s, maybe later.
Thanks, Jim. I was, in fact, looking at the early Vette system as a model for mine, as my truck's pedal ratio (6.33:1) is close to the Vette's (6:1). But my truck is heavier... I may just go with the Vette 1.0" MC bore and see where that gets me. The early Vette MC's are pretty cheap and I can always change to a Wilwood 15/16 bore MC later, if I end up with a heavy pedal and moving the MC push rod hole in my pedal won't cure it. I'll post my results here for anyone else who ends up using my brake combination on a similar truck. Additionally, I have read a few accounts of guys removing their proportioning valve to relieve high pedal pressure and then ending up with a system that works well without a proportioning valve. Seems more likely to happen in a disc/disc than a disc/drum setup. I might end up trying that as well. We'll see. Dave
I would not bother installing a proportioning valve (or residual pressure valves), but I'm kind of lazy and cheap about brakes.
The Jalopy Journal
