My original master cylinder went out on me. My original brakes were never very powerful anyway, and it would have cost $180 just for the original-style master cylinder. So not wanting to replace mediocre with mediocre, I looked to Speedway Motors for power brake solutions.
Initially I bought P/N 91031977, '47-'54 Chevy pickup power brake pedal assembly (under floor frame-mount) for $70 bucks, P/N 91031411 7" dual brake booster & master cylinder combo, 1" bore for $180 bucks, and a round stainless steel pedal pad, P/N 7024852 for $20 bucks. It is designed to use EXISTING holes, so no modifications need be made to your truck. But upon attempting to install it, I saw that it was not going to fit if a stock manual transmission clutch fork and pedal are being used. Once I checked with the part manufacturer, I learned it is for automatic transmission upgrades only, and does not appear like the pedal rod itself would likely clear the exhaust of a V8 engine. So it looked to me like it was intended for automatic conversions with a stock stovebolt engine.
That was frustrating, because how many people convert their trucks to automatics and still keep their stock stovebolt motors. I needed something made for the stock manual transmission. So Speedway gave me the manufacturer's number and they DO sell a kit for the application I needed; just not to Speedway. My apologies, I did not keep the info, but a call to Speedway looking for the manufacturer of these parts will get you to this manufacturer.
I sent back my Speedway parts for a refund and ordered direct from the manufacturer, and just got it installed. The darn thing works! Very well! Plus, the stock brake pedal and pedal rod are reused, although the end of it needs a little ground off to clear a V8's exhaust. Thing is though, this would be perfectly compatible with a stock stovebolt with stock transmission with ZERO permanent modifications.
The only thing is, now that my brakes are so powerful, I need to adjust the drums on the left and right sides because the right tends to grab more, pulling me to that side.
This is a mod that might be of interest here.
