The Master Power tri-year...
The Master Power tri-year Chevy disc brake kit comes with all of the parts needed for the conversion except the steel brake lines and rear hose connection. Shown are Master Power's dropped spindles with caliper brackets, the Camaro-style calipers, the rotors, the proper bearings for the rotors, the master cylinder, the proportioning valve, the vacuum power booster, and the vacuum hose.
After the spindle was installed,...
After the spindle was installed, we packed the bearings with grease in preparation for installing the rotor.
The rear bearing was positioned...
The rear bearing was positioned in the rotor and thoroughly greased, then we installed the seal. It should be centered in the hole, covered with a small block of wood, then pounded in evenly.
The rotors were installed...
The rotors were installed on the spindles, and the nut was secured. Do not overtighten the nut, it should only be snug. It is very important to install the cotter key so the nut won't loosen up when the car is being driven.
The calipers were placed over...
The calipers were placed over the rotor, then the two Allen head mounting bolts were installed.
The finished installation...
The finished installation looks like it came from the factory that way. Notice the new springs from Eaton Springs and the new ball joints from Performance Suspension Technology.
We started by installing the...
We started by installing the rubber brake lines, which were part of the Master Power kit. One end attaches to the caliper and the other secures to the original hose connection on the frame.
A late-model-style proportioning...
A late-model-style proportioning valve is used with two connections from the master cylinder and three outlets for the brakes. Two outlets go to the front brakes while one goes to the rear. The lines shown are pre-bent to go from the valve to the master cylinder.
The vacuum booster attaches...
The vacuum booster attaches to the original master cylinder studs, making it a very convenient installation. The booster is small, so it fits the area nicely, plus it has a rainbow gold finish that looks great. Notice that there is ample clearance between the booster canister and Mullins steering unit.
We bolted the master cylinder...
We bolted the master cylinder and proportioning valve to the power booster, after painting the master cylinder with Eastwood's Cast Iron Gray spray paint. It will prevent rust on the master cylinder.
This car is equipped with...
This car is equipped with a four-speed trans, so we contacted C.A.R.S. for new pedal bushings and pedal pads. In this installation there are small bushings and larger bushings as shown.
Here's a view from the inside...
Here's a view from the inside looking at the connection to the power booster. The rod comes out about an inch lower than the rod from the original master cylinder. The bracket with the hole in it above the pedal is for the brake light switch.
We removed the pedal and drilled...
We removed the pedal and drilled a hole in it about an inch lower than the original hole so that the rod from the new unit would line up.
We installed the two pre-bent...
We installed the two pre-bent lines from the master cylinder to the proportioning valve, then ran the first line from the valve to the rubber brake line connection on the frame.
The line to the other front...
The line to the other front brake runs from the proportioning valve's top front outlet downward to the frame where it is secured by the original brake line clip.
The brake line runs under...
The brake line runs under the engine and is secured to the front crossmember with two original brake line clips. We gently bent the line to conform to the curve of the crossmember.
Since we couldn't purchase...
Since we couldn't purchase a brake line long enough to go all the way from the proportioning valve to the rubber brake line on the opposite side of the car, we had to join two lines together with a union. A short section of brake line was added from the front crossmember to the rubber hose bracket on the frame.
We ran the rear line from...
We ran the rear line from the rear outlet of the proportioning valve down and back to travel along the frame. Again, the line wasn't long enough, so a union had to be used to get the length we needed. The original brake line clips were used to secure the new brake line.
We are running a Plymouth...
We are running a Plymouth Road Runner rearend assembly, so we had to order a special rubber hose to fit it. The hose will be different if a Ford 9-inch or Chevy 10-bolt rearend is used.
The hose stretches from the...
The hose stretches from the T-fitting on the rearend housing to a bracket on the frame. After the lines were completed, we filled the master cylinder and bled the brakes. We also connected a vacuum line from the manifold vacuum source to the power booster. RC
In the July '97 issue of Rod & Custom we installed a Master Power disc brake kit on a tri-year Chevy. The kit included dropped spindles, Chevy-style calipers, and a power booster/master cylinder assembly. Since the installation was done on the bare frame, we couldn't show you how the power booster/master cylinder assembly was installed and what was needed to make it work properly. In this story, we will show you how we installed the unit and run the brake lines. .
What we needed to do the job properly was a tubing cutter, a flaring tool, a drill motor with a drill assortment, a tubing bender, line wrenches, and basic hand tools. We will also show the basics of installing the calipers and rotors, which we covered more thoroughly in the first story. The rubber front brake lines are included in the kit, but the rest of the brake lines will have to be purchased from your local auto parts store. The rear rubber hose will vary depending upon the rearend being used. If you want your classic Chevy to have the stopping power of your late-model daily driver, here's how to do it