what is involved with a manual to power brake conversion?

jerry S

New Member
Sep 3, 2003
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52.22N 5.12E
My car originally had manual drums. I added a wilwood 4 wheel disk brake kit but I still have way too much "Go" and not nearly enough "Whoa!" What does a manual to power conversion entail? Do I simply get a brake booster and bolt it on?
 
Check NPD and the other Mustang parts suppliers, they offer conversion kits. The kit includes a booster and a matching master cylinder, you will also need a combination valve (allows different pressure front to rear) and some new lines that you get to bend. I installed a kit made by SSBC on my 66 when I changed from manual drum to front disc. It was pretty easy to install, no pedal modifications or drilling required. Expect to pay about $320 for the kit and another $130 for the combo valve. Do not try this without the combo valve. :notnice:
 
good stuff

thanks for the info. When you say "combination valve," is this the same thing as a proportioning valve? By your description of what a combi valve does, it sounds just like what the proportioning valve that came with my wilwood kit does.
 
I have made the same swap (to 4-wheel 4 piston Wilwoods) and got a booster/master cyl combo with a built-in proportioning valve, designed for disc/disc applications, from Master Power Brakes.

The car was originally 4-wheel manual drums, so I had to replace the brake pedal (just the pedal/arm, not the whole pedal assembly) and also mount said pedal into a different hole on the housing.

As you found out, putting the brakes themselves on is only half the job!
 
a quick ?

reenmachine said:
I have made the same swap (to 4-wheel 4 piston Wilwoods) and got a booster/master cyl combo with a built-in proportioning valve, designed for disc/disc applications, from Master Power Brakes.

The car was originally 4-wheel manual drums, so I had to replace the brake pedal (just the pedal/arm, not the whole pedal assembly) and also mount said pedal into a different hole on the housing.

As you found out, putting the brakes themselves on is only half the job!

What kind of a job is it to do the conversion (installing the the booster/master cyl and pedal)? Do you have to mess with the lines or is it just plug and play?

Another bummer is that I need the electric vacuum because my cam is so wild. In the end, the conversion will cost about what the brakes did once you figure international shipping, duty, and VAT (30% of the sale price plus shipping). Oh wello, it's just money.
 
Talk to Master Power Brakes or one of their dealers and they should be able to hook you up with a system that's nearly, if not entirely, plug-and-play as far as the lines go. That's assuming you have a dual master cylinder right now. You'll still have to make the pedal mods I mentioned above.