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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 23 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 23 | Hey Guys, While browsing the net a while back I saw an ad or something that advertised a power brake booster that you could mount behind your manual master cylinder. All you had to do was drill one or two holes. I looked all day & for the life of me I can't find the darn thing. Is there something out there like this? Any help appreciated.
Ray K.
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 187 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 187 | Most likely what you saw was a hydravac unit.There has been a lot of posts in different forums,if you look I'm sure you will find a few.
_____________ Floyd If we choose being kind over being right,we will be right every time. Knowledge is a poor substitute for experience. Remember what is precious to another, may not be to you, but it is precious nonetheless. 1948 Chevy 2-Ton | | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 482 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 482 | Funny you should ask. I just posted on this very topic. Do a search for HYDROVAC and read all about it. Basically, the older big trucks had a remote mount booster with its own secondary master cylinder. You take the out line from your existing and route it to the in side of the hydrovac. Then you go from the out line on the hydrovac to your front and rear brakes. You run a vacuum from the intake manifold to the hydrovac. Then you run another air intake hose from a filter mounted on the firewall to the hydrovac. It's inexpensive and very simple to do. You can mount it anywhere and you don't need to change out your existing master cylinder. I have pix in my camera. I'll send you later. Skip | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,877 . | | . Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,877 | There are even much newer versions of the same thing, they look like a traditional vacuum booster with a master cylinder on it. Usually found on medium sized trucks, ask your local big truck sales parts place. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,552 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,552 | Ray: Are you looking to convert your manual drum brakes on your '64 C10/K10 to factory power drum brakes? If so, post an ad in the Truck Parts Wanted forum. If not, what are you looking for and what year and model is your truck? In any event, I can help you with this conversion. factory power brake booster Tony | | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 23 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 23 | Thanks guys, No i'm not looking to change the current drum brakes at this time. just give me a little more boost in braking. I have a 64 LWB with a 283, 3 on a tree
Ray K.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 | What you need Ray, is a factory booster like Tony writes of above. Really helps in stopping w/the drums. Brian | | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 23 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 23 | Hey Tony, That is exactly the setup I'm looking for. Can you give me more info on where & what to buy? Ray
Ray K.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,552 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,552 | Ray:
Shot me a PM and I can share info with you, otherwise post a topic in the Truck Parts Wanted forum for a factory power brake booster for a '64-'66 Chevy truck. I can respond there or others will chime in, if they have the necessary parts.
It is an easy conversion and as Brian says, makes quite a difference in the braking ability of the factory drums on your '66.
Tony | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 613 Member | | Member Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 613 | i used a 1980 power booster.it bolted to the fire wall.i had to extend the brake pedal rod with allthread and drill a new hole in the pedal because the power brake pedals had the hole an inch higher. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 141 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 141 | It is possible to use a reasonably small vacuum brake booster beneath the floorboards in the original position operated by the stock brake pedal. You would have to either buy a mounting bracket or fab one up for yourself. You may as well put a double-unit master cylinder behind it while you're at it. It's a simple matter to run a vacuum line forward to the engine.
I used an 8-inch booster in my rig. They make even smaller diameter ones, however. Willwood makes hydraulic fluid pressure retention units for either drums or discs. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,552 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,552 | The '59 factory brake setup is different than the '64-'66 factory power brake setup.
Tony | | |
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