The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Dual master cylinder for a 53

Im tired of worrying about potentially catastrophic failure of my old school single master cylinder. Is there any way to swap in a more modern dual master cylinder? Surely someone has encountered this before? any info would be much appreciated!

thanks!

ecihotrodbrakes.com

edit: sorry I mistyped.

Search for master cylinder. There are a ton of posts about the swap.

jay

When did dual master cylinders become stock?

1967 on all cars & light trucks wen,t to dual master cylinders. It was a government regulation. A few had it before that. Rambler pioneered it.

I went throught the same thing with a '39 Packard several years ago for the same reason. Be very careful which size master cylinder piston size you choose. Bigger than 1" will not stop you with drum brakes. Pistons >1" are for disc systems. It will take some looking around for a 3/4" to 7/8" master cylinder that has the deep hole for a long rod (manual) versus the short rod used on booster type systems. Hope this helps.

6cylindersovertexas,

I just went to buy a bracket the other day and the kid that answered the phone at mpbrakes says they do not have a bracket that fits AD trucks and allows you to keep your clutch. He said you can only use their stuff with an automatic. I am pretty sure they had the bracket at one time.

I have dealt with ECI before, but they raised there prices a bunch and I tried shopping around. Ended up with the ECI bracket cause even at the increased price its a lot easier than the time it takes to weld one up and the guys there know their stuff. They are way overpriced on their master cylinder and residual valve, too IMO.

Chris

MP Brakes doesn't have an adapter bracket, but Chevy Duty does. You can buy the bracket from Chevy Duty and go to MP Brakes for the approiate master cylinder.

www.chevyduty.com/frame-store.html

It's a good looking bracket and I used the basic design to come up with a bracket for my 37. Not finished with that project yet, but it's coming along nicely. I bought a Master Cylinder from MP Brakes and had them set it up for the lines to come in on the opposite side from stock to keep them away from the transmission. It's going to work great!

Picture looks just like the ECI one, for $10 more than ECI. These brackets used to be $69.95 everywhere I looked. Mine came last night via UPS from ECI. What I like about it is that it is bent with a sheetmetal brake and then welded using only one piece of metal, if I had to make it myself, I would have a lot more welds.

Would love some pics of your 37 setup as I brought a 39 home last night and am thinking a dual master for it, too since I have to check all the wheel cylinders.

Olivertwisto, if you want a picture of this thing so you can get your creative juices flowing let me know. I can probably take a pic with it in the 53, too since theengine and tranny are out right now.

Chris

Classic Performance is another source for the dual MC upgrade.
http://www.classicperform.com/

anyone have the details as to what dual master cylinder is being sold/used by jim carter's and chevy duty??

I saw the posts of custom car companies,...however, i'm not into billet parts for my truck. thanks in advance

Jason

So can a dual master cylinder kit be used in an AD truck with a manual transmission?

I've got to ask the same question again. I have asked it in the past but have never got a real decicieve ? answer. Can it be done???

I've never used a "kit" but my truck has a dual res master with a vacuum booster and it's all under the floor. I made my own mounting bracket, mounted the booster and master to it, made an adjustable link to the pedal and replumbed it.
Scott

I bought the bracket from ChevyDuty, though I learned soon afterward that the same part was available cheaper from Classic Performance.

I converted to front disks at the same time, and used a power brake master from a '73 Chevelle, but without the booster.

I had some trouble with the brake and clutch pedals, but solved it by spacing the brake pivot a little further from the clutch pedal. At first I didn't like the solution, but now almost three years and 10,000 miles later I'm satisfied it did the job.

The kit I've got from CPP came with a spacer for the brake/clutch pedals.

The problem with booster/master cylinder on a manual transmission is that both of them together are longer than the original 4-spd or 3-spd. So, if you are using either of the original manual transmissions the rear transmission cross member prevents the use of both a booster and master. If yer using a t-5 or have put in an automatic of some sort you will have had to have either removed or relocated that cross member.

I know lots of people who run just manual brakes. I'm putting a booster in mine 'cause I've got the space and time.