F-body Camaro mastercylinder question...

[Jbird]

I helping a friend get his prostreet Camaro to STOP. Everything in the brake system seems to be working just fine, but, it takes a bunch of pedal pressure to get the car to stop. It's a disc/drum setup. My thought is that the original builder used a power brake mastercylinder in a non power application. If space was available I'd change it over to power brakes. My question is does any one know which non power mastercylinder could I use?

        Jbird

[Bruce Dorsi]

My question is does any one know which non power mastercylinder could I use? Jbird

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I have Wagner brake catalogs covering Camaros from 1967-1994.

1981-1994 show all are w/vacuum boost and utilize 24mm, 1'', or 1-1/8" bore m/c's.

1968-80 shows ALL manual brake m/c's with 1" bore.

1967 used 1" bore for manual and vacuum boost.  --- A 7/8" bore was used on disc brake option.  

Vacuum boost M/C's for 1968-1980 were 1-1/8" bore.

If you need Wagner part numbers, let me know.

How 'bout putting a pressure gauge in the front and rear brake circuits to see what pressures you are currently developing? ....If you don't want to tap into the lines, you can install a gauge at a bleeder port.

With w-i-d-e tires on the rear, you may be able to use different wheel cylinders to improve braking.

What year Camaro are you dealing with?

[Jbird]

It's an 83, and, yes it has wide and tall tires 18"x 30". I ran into a similar problem on a 68 chevy p/u but I was able to put a booster on it... after spending almost two weeks to find the correct linkage from the pedal to the booster.

I thought if I used a smaller bore mastercylinder it would boost the line pressure up enough to give him some stopping power.

[enjenjo]

Your first instinct is probably correct. My guess, he used the stock master cylinder, andthey won't hardly work without a booster. I did a pro street 84 some time back, and used a manual disc brake master cylinder from a Plymouth Volare with an aluminum spacer/adapter, and it had good brakes then.

[Bruce Dorsi]

FWIW, the '83 Camaro had a 1" bore M/C for power brakes w/rear discs, or a 24mm bore M/C for power brakes w/rear drums.


Wagner catalogs show '76-'80 Volares using 1-1/32" bore m/c's on ALL app's.