Hydroboost needed?

[bowt1ed]

Hey Gents (you too Dne!),
I currently have brake booster/master donated from 81 Camaro in my 57 and stops great. Future work includes a 383 Stroker crate and (hopefully) comp cam (anticpated lumpy idle). I'm curious if I will lose necessary vaccum to maintain good stoppage or is a Hydroboost set up required? Oh, I do want to stick with my firewall mounted (swinging) pedal. Any experience with such set ups out there? Thanks, Jim

[vht]

Depends on the cam, and if you can run as much initial timing as you can without detonation. My chevelle has a solid roller, 650 lift, 258, 265 duration at .050. Eng is a 434 sb, 850 QF carb. I started with 9 and working with the advance, bumping the initial up and limiting the total I got 14. I use a vac tank also from jeg's. My brakes never give me a problem. Carb has to be adjusted right, and size of booster makes a difference.

[bowt1ed]

Thanks vht

[Speedbumpauto]

Another direction for consideration is a vacuum pump like the one offered by Stainless Steel Brakes Company. That's the route I went as it's way more simple than changing to a hydroboost. I can't elaborate on how much I like it because the truck is a couple of weeks away from going around the block. I have started it in the shop and the pump works well and the pedal is great. It does make a little noise when it runs. Remains to be seen how it all will translate on the road.

[1project2many]

There are factory applications for electric vacuum pump as well. Early Chevy Cavaliers (83-85 vintage) and some 2.8V6 powered Pontiacs (6000, for example) used electric vacuum pumps. Diesel Fords built around 200 also were sometimes equipped with electric pumps. And there's always the Electroboost electric booster used by GM in some turbo RWD cars in the '80s and a few hipo front drivers such as Olds / Pontiac with 3.4 DOHC engine. Electroboost also is used in many medium duty trucks and buses and is a reliable system imo.

[mr48chev]

I'd think that the "don't fix it until you know it won't work" concept applies here. Then decide if you want to go to a hydroboost or get a vacuum pump. The hydro boost will require a power steering pump to work so that may be the deciding factor if you don't have power steering.

If I was starting from scratch it would be hydroboost hands down as I just flat like the feel of them a lot better.

[Kim57]

I would think the cam manufacturer would know if it will produce enough vacuum to operate your brakes.
Why don't you contact them?
Kim

[bowt1ed]

Thanks much for all the information, answers, and insight. Jim