The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop firewall brake booster

Hi Guys I've recently purchased a 1953 chevy half ton with a 350 under the hood tied into a 350 auto trans. fatman fab. front end. The power brake master cyl. is mounted under the driver side floor and I'm not happy with the installation. I'm considering removing it and installing a firewall mounted type. Has andbody on this forum gone that route, and if so what did you use.
Oldkoot

Classic Performance. 37000 miles, no trouble.
http://www.chuckthetruck.com/page5.html

I bought the hanging pedal assembly, dual booster, and master cylinder off ebay from Fatrodder for, as I recall, about $170. Made in China but it installed OK and works fine. They don't come with a pedal, just the swing arm, so I visited the local pick & pull and got a pedal/arm from a late model Caprice and cut and welded it to the aftermarket arm.

If you can, put an 1/8 or 3/16 plate between your booster bracket and firewall to spread the stress and prevent cracking due to flexing. If your firewall insulator pad is not in I like to run a plate from the top of the firewall (on the inside) to the top of the toeboard. If on the outside, you are limited to the distance between the two raised ribs. I have seen ones with many miles with no cracks and others with few miles and cracks around all four holes. Good luck

Why were you unhappy with the under cab location of the booster? I am planning out my conversion to front disc and power brakes and have tossed back and for the benefit of under cab vs. front of dash. Thanks.

With some mods to the pedal arm mine is out of a 76 cadillac , on the firewall with no probs.
had to modify and put the right bend in the pedal arm to clear the steering column it is also out of the same cadillac.

The linkage between the pedal & the booster on my truck is very mickey mouse with washer stack ups
and bushings. As well there is a clearance issue with the speedo cable coming off the rear of the transmission. Not my idea of a very good installation. The firewall mount looks like the way to go for me.

Just to clarify, your undercab was not a complete kit from CCP or such was it?

It was installed by an alleged hot rod shop in Southern California before I bought the truck.

I know someone will cringe at this but on my '46 Panel I got the hanging bracket, pedal from a wrecking yard and bought a new booster and MC both are from a '75 Granada. The booster is about 8" so its not so large under the hood.