Anyone every convert to manual brakes?
I have a project car and basically will be replacing the whole system. I was looking at a manual brake setup. Is it comfortable for street and even some road track driving?
Older car doesn’t have abs, just looking at some options.
Yes I know I need a master/caliper/proportioning valve al configured to be compatible.
You better start planning your stops about a block early. I drove an old Mustang with manual brakes once and hated it. It may have worked okay in the 30s when 45 mph was lightning fast, but it sounds like a quick way to cause a big wreck in modern traffic.
Not true. Your mustang just had shit brakes. I deleted ABS, and am running manual brakes in my car. I can easily threshold brake.
Probably wrong. First gen mustangs rarely had power assist. It was an option but majority didn’t have it, at least on the early models.
I’ve driven one and it did indeed feel scary AF. Like pressing wood together. I don’t know exactly the problem but I figured they can still threshold brake, it would just require a ton of pressure.
I have an unassisted all drum 1970 corona which initially was also scary, but once you realize how hard you can brake it becomes much easier, but still a chore.
Sounds like something was wrong with the system. I daily drive my 66 mustang with manual brakes and it has no problem in the worst of California traffic. It’s just the stock disks with EBC pads and drums in the rear and has no problem slowing down from 100+ mph. All with a pedal that is not much harder to press than a boosted brake pedal. Plus It’s way lighter since I also track and autocross my cat
I believe you, but how much heavier is a brake booster really? They’re pretty much just a big hollow air chamber with a diaphragm inside. I’ve never actually compared a vacuum assist booster master cylinder to a manual master cylinder before side by side but I can’t imagine the booster weighing more than like 5lbs. (Which yes on a very light car matters but for most cars it’s not something anyone is gonna notice)
Edit to caveat:
Hydraulic brake boosters (yes they exist) I’m sure weigh a lot more because of all the fluid inside.
I think you’re just used to it. When I drove a 65 it caught me off guard for sure. Since then I’ve daily’d unnasisted cars and gotten used to it, but it’s still a chore. An hour of stop and go traffic on hills feels like an eternity, and that’s a 2000lb car with fully rebuilt drums all around.
I wonder if having front drums was a factor. Only some of the first gens came with front discs (I assume you know).
Your drums are 100% a factor. Switching to disc and more aggressive pads will make your life a lot easier. Assuming your system is properly maintainedz
Your drums are 100% a factor. Switching to disc and more aggressive pads will make your life a lot easier. Assuming your system is properly maintainedz