47-55.1 Power Brakes, What have you guys used?

[Mains52]

I don't necessarily want to purchase the bolt on power booster / pedal combo from speedway if I don't have to. What booster/pedal assembly have you guys used from other vehicles that has worked well? TIA

[popstand]

I used a ’79 Chevy Nova pedal assembly and bought a new oem booster from MBM Brakes.

This is firewall mounted, maybe you don’t want that. The booster was for disc front and drum rear brakes. Later, I installed a ’81 Pontiac Firebird WS6 rear axle with disc brakes, so bought a disc/disc booster.

I still have the disc/drum booster, never used, and the previous rear axle, 8.2 10-bolt maybe should list in classified.

Photos are similar pedal assembly and disc/drum booster installed on firewall.

[mick53]

I'm using an under cab unit from Wilwood with remote fill reservoirs. I'm trying to keep my engine compartment clean. I'm also running electric vacuum pump for the brakes because I have no manifold vacuum. electric power steering and electric air conditioning with remote condenser keeps the engine compartment looking stock for little 292.

[mr48chev]

If you are going to use donor vehicle pieces or as popstand did, new replacements for donor pieces the important thing to remember is to do as what he did and match the pieces.

Where a lot of us get in trouble or create setups that may be a bit less than ideal is when we start mixing donor vehicle parts because they are available or look a little less ugly than what matches the front and rear brakes.

Looking back, when I subframed my 48 I used 72 Monte Carlo front rotors and calipers, 66 impala rear axle and brakes, mid 70's Pontiac booster and master cylinder. The rear axle and booster/mc because they were on donor rigs I had at the shop at the time and the rear was a 12 bolt posi. My brakes worked pretty good but if you weren't used to the truck and hit them a bit hard you got slammed forward and got a wakeup call as one friend who drove it one day did. I had a learning experience with it when I put it together but I have a light foot on the brakes anyhow having driven as many as 20 cars a day test driving them after working on them back in the 70's.

Mick53's setup is all aftermarket but you can bet a bottle of single malt that he sat down and scienced every piece of it out and then got on the horn and talked to the guys at Wldwood to confirm that what he planned went along with what they worked best.


I don't like brake boosters on the firewalls of AD trucks though. That is a lot of ugly to stick right there to block the view of the engine you just spent tons of time and money making pretty or in Mick's case there is no room for it.
Even with my 292 the Aussie Speed intake will put the 4 barrel right out where a booster and master cylinder would want to be. Plus I have 300 tied up in my finned aluminum valve cover and am not about to hide it.

Still with donor parts, All from the same model donor or from donor's that use the same parts most likely will work best. Or from donors that your aftermarket pieces emulate. Simply meaning that if you are running 11 inch mid 70's Chevelle/Camaro style 11 inch rotors and calipers a mid 70's same size car mc and booster and attending pieces should give you the best results. S-10 or 78/84 G body Stay in that group.

[95Z24A4]

Originally Posted by popstand

I used a ’79 Chevy Nova pedal assembly and bought a new oem booster from MBM Brakes.

This is firewall mounted, maybe you don’t want that. The booster was for disc front and drum rear brakes. Later, I installed a ’81 Pontiac Firebird WS6 rear axle with disc brakes, so bought a disc/disc booster.

I still have the disc/drum booster, never used, and the previous rear axle, 8.2 10-bolt maybe should list in classified.

Photos are similar pedal assembly and disc/drum booster installed on firewall.

Thanks for the great pics!

Did the 1979 Nova pedals "bolt in" with the exception of drilling holes? Or were additional modifications needed. I have been unable to locate a set of 1975-1979 pedals. I have found a set of 1974 pedals. Do you know the difference between the 1974 and 1979 pedal assemblies? I think the picture you posted is a set 1969-74 pedals.

What year steering column is that? It looks like a a 1969-72 column? Were any modifications needed to install the column? Thanks for the help!!

[popstand]

[QUOTE=95Z24A4;8875095]Thanks for the great pics!

Yes, the bracket bolted to firewall and to lower flange of dash. Like it was made for it. Bought all new clutch actuated starter safety switch and brake light switch parts from Camaro Central. All looks nice and neat, like factory. Nothing cobbled.

Not sure what the photo is, just a reference for swing pedals. Maybe mine is ’74.

No modifications to install column. Clamped right in place. See previous photo. Column as I remember is a chevy van auto trans circa 1970, which is a smaller tilt column. Didn’t want a fat one like later and passenger car. Steering wheel came with it which looks like a pickup, so maybe column was a pickup. No changes to column other than filling shifter hole because my truck is floor shift manual. Truck has a ’79 Camaro/Nova subframe. I did modify the intermediate shaft connecting the column to the power gear - shortened, and eliminated the cush thing, did keep orig GM rag joint coupling to gear.

Maybe should't post so many photos here. Any rules?

[popstand]

Couple more photos showing pedals bracket mounting to dash lower flange. Photos are fuzzy, scans of prints on copy paper.

[popstand]

Photo of disc/disc booster master cylinder and steering column thru firewall

[95Z24A4]

Originally Posted by popstand

Yes, the bracket bolted to firewall and to lower flange of dash. Like it was made for it. Bought all new clutch actuated starter safety switch and brake light switch parts from Camaro Central. All looks nice and neat, like factory. Nothing cobbled.

Not sure what the photo is, just a reference for swing pedals. Maybe mine is ’74.

No modifications to install column. Clamped right in place. See previous photo. Column as I remember is a chevy van auto trans circa 1970, which is a smaller tilt column. Didn’t want a fat one like later and passenger car. Steering wheel came with it which looks like a pickup, so maybe column was a pickup. No changes to column other than filling shifter hole because my truck is floor shift manual. Truck has a ’79 Camaro/Nova subframe. I did modify the intermediate shaft connecting the column to the power gear - shortened, and eliminated the cush thing, did keep orig GM rag joint coupling to gear.

Maybe should't post so many photos here. Any rules?

Thanks for the additional photos and explanation! Your pedals appear to be 1969-1974 pedals. The clutch pedal arm on 1975-1979 assemblies is attached with a nut and the brake pedal is a little larger than the clutch pedal. I attached photos of both for reference. I'm glad to hear yours is a 1974 pedal. I believe I have found a set of those. The 1975-1979 seem extremely rare and fetch absurd prices when a set does become available.

The Chevy van column does appear to bolt in. I have my eye on a 1970 truck column at a fair price. It's a non-tilt floor shift column. I also found a 1968 column for twice the price of the 1968 column. I prefer the 68 steering wheel to the 1969-1972 steering wheel, but the 1968 wheel has several cracks in the usual places.

I really want to mount my original crack-free 1953 Chevy 3600 steering wheel on the 1968-1972 column. Until I get my hands on one of those columns, I won't know for sure. Did you try to fit your original steering wheel on the van column?

Can you post a photo looking straight at the pedals hanging below the dash? I would like a photo of the relative position of the brake pedal pad to the steering column and gas pedal.

What are you using for a gas pedal? I'm installing a GM NV4500 in my 3600 behind a Chevy 292. I may have to enlarge the tunnel near the fire wall and consequently slide the gas pedal to the left a bit.

Thanks for all your help!

[Rickysnickers]

"Maybe shouldn't post so many photos here. Any rules?"

Great photos and we love pictures!!!! Post as many as you like, please!!

[popstand]

I’ve thought about replacing my steering wheel with an original 47-53. I have an old one that would need restoring. Wouldn’t be too difficult. The problem with an original wheel is that it’s so big, 18 inches diameter. My truck has a subframe and modern power steering so don’t need a big wheel. There are places that rebuild wheels to smaller diameters but would be expensive.

I thought about replacing my column with an original and add one of those chrome bolt on turn signal switches - look cool, kinda like the 50’s. So I bought an original coe column (no column shift) and switch kit but never did anything with it. I’d have to modify the column to connect with my subframe power steering gear but that wouldn’t be difficult. Someday I’ll just bolt the turn signal switch on the old column, put the old wheel on it, and hang it from the ceiling in my garage.

I do like the idea of a tilt column as long as it’s not one of those fat ones. It’s my truck and I’ll do what I want with it. Right?

[95Z24A4]

Originally Posted by popstand

It’s my truck and I’ll do what I want with it. Right?

Yep. I feel the same about mine.

[mr48chev]

I had to read though every one of Popstand's posts to figure out the "It's my truck and I'll do what I want" thing.

No issue there from me, the whole install is extremely well thought out, neat Tidy and SAFE. Not one thing cobbled together and not one short cut taken.

Good photos are educational and a lot of folks are far better at looking at a photo and understanding what is going on even when the person doing the writing does an excellent job of explaining things. The more photos the better as far as I am concerned.

The booster on the firewall or brakes under the floor are part personal choice and part necessity. S-10 swaps don't give you any choice, Sometimes engine and transmission choices make things dicey.
Still I am with Mick53 in that I am going to bust my butt to have a clean uncluttered firewall with nothing on it that blocks the view of the engine I spent so much buying and having finned aluminum polished for. On his a booster and mc on the firewall not only would be clutter they would want to be right where his induction system sits.

[mick53]

Originally Posted by popstand

I’ve thought about replacing my steering wheel with an original 47-53. I have an old one that would need restoring. Wouldn’t be too difficult. The problem with an original wheel is that it’s so big, 18 inches diameter. My truck has a subframe and modern power steering so don’t need a big wheel. There are places that rebuild wheels to smaller diameters but would be expensive.

I thought about replacing my column with an original and add one of those chrome bolt on turn signal switches - look cool, kinda like the 50’s. So I bought an original coe column (no column shift) and switch kit but never did anything with it. I’d have to modify the column to connect with my subframe power steering gear but that wouldn’t be difficult. Someday I’ll just bolt the turn signal switch on the old column, put the old wheel on it, and hang it from the ceiling in my garage.

I do like the idea of a tilt column as long as it’s not one of those fat ones. It’s my truck and I’ll do what I want with it. Right?

In my 53-3100 I'm running original column and steering box. I'm using the turn signals and integrated wheel off a 57. They just slide on the 53 column. You can pick them up around here at junk yards for about $20 for the wheel and switch assembly. The switch assembly came on a lot of cars and trucks. You can buy the new internal switch mechanism for about $30. I'm putting a smaller ring on the 57 wheel. I will also run a 1.5 or 2.0 steering quickener inline. I'm running electric power steering inline. No pumps, hoses. pulleys or belts. The column will need shortened because of the dished steering wheel on the 57. That's no big deal because I have to cut a chunk out of it for the power steering and quickener anyway. Thank you for your time.

[whitedog76]

I punched my firewall out to take a GM Hydroboost unit from a 2003 van. I can't say how well it works yet, but I like where everything is bolting up.

My buddy has a front clipped truck. Ironically enough, their master cylinder and pedal are in an almost identical location as mine. We think it came from a Nova, not for sure though, since they aren't the ones that clipped it.

[whitedog76]

Yeah, I don't know why they're sideways.

[Rickysnickers]

I fixed them for you. There's a sticky about posting photos.

[dsraven]

hey Ricky, can you post a link and/or explain where we can find that sticky thing about posting pics?
thanks