[nprfan]

I've recently purchase a 25T with 289 Mustang engine and tranny and Corvette rearend and 4 wheel disc brakes. I received some information from the seller but 1/2 of it was incorrect. It is currently up on blocks getting a new wiring harness and I want to take care of some mechanical problems. I had the remote power booster rebuilt but it came back faulty (new problem created: it locked up all 4 disc brakes). Now I'm running manual brakes but it takes a lot of pressure to stop because of the pedal ratio. I can either have a new pedal with the correct ratio welded into place (not much room) or I can go back to a booster assist config. I've updated from a fruit jar master cylinder to a dual chamber mc. I can only find 2 remote booster units, 1 in Calif which measures 11x24 which may not fit behind the running board to frame area and 1 unit in Conn but they did not give dimentions on their website. The unit in Conn is about 1/2 the price as the Calif unit. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[trees]

Parr Automotive in Oklahoma City used to carry a remote booster that is tiny and works fine. I used one for years attached to one of my pickup bed cross members. I sold the booster when I re worked my PU or I would mail it to you.

Trees

[yesgo]

Have you looked into the electric pump acuumulator type? You can mount it anywhere you can fit and run lines to. I have never used one, and prefer manual brakes, but here are a couple examples:

http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com/remote_booster.html
http://www.abspowerbrake.com/InstEHP.html

I dont know if that helps, but figured I'd toss it out there.

[66GMC]

Hydroboost boosters are very small, powerful, and reliable. They could be plumbed to/from your p/s pump too, I'd think.

[nprfan]

Wow! Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond.
Here is what I've learned.
From YesGo: ECI hot rod - They are the ones I mentioned as being in Conn and all of their units are on backorder for 1 month. Size is slightly smaller that the west coast boosters.
From YesGo: ABS High Power - Looks promising and I will call them first thing in the morning. Their units look small and that is what I need.
From Trees: Parr Automotive in Oklahoma City look promising, too. I will call them in the morning also.
From 66GMC - Hydroboosters look promising and I'm on the internet checking them out. Small is what I need.
Thanks to all of you.

[farna]

You have power steering on a T? Well, you can run a PS pump just for the Hydroboost if you don't. The beauty of a remote booster is it doesn't need to be mounted on the firewall. It's like a hydraulic clutch setup -- the fruit jar is the MC, there is a slave cylinder activating the remote booster. Mount a fruit jar MC on the firewall, the remote booster carries a double MC. It can be under the turtle deck or gas tank in the rear -- virtually ANYWHERE you have room. Put the booster wherever you can/want to (reservoir need to be accessible) and plumb the lines accordingly. The lines to the front brakes can be longer than to the back -- steel line length has no impact on braking.

[nprfan]

There are several solutions that I've come up with. I found a long push rod set up in the ABS Brake Catalog that might work. If I can move the booster-MC back about 15-18 inches, it's away from the tranny and there is a lot more room and all other parts are OEM and a lot less expensive. Second solution is less elegant. Since I had the old single booster rebuilt, I could hook it up to the front brakes and buy a 2nd booster (about $100 on ebay) and plumb it to the rear brakes. One of the really expensive systems available in Cal does this when space is really limited. Since the body is a Fordor there is no trunk or rear deck so the boosters have to remain under the car. While there is room, I do not want the units "hanging down below the frame" and that is a slight problem. Thank you all for your suggestions.

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by nprfan

From 66GMC - Hydroboosters look promising and I'm on the internet checking them out. Small is what I need.
Thanks to all of you.

Have you been to http://www.hydroboost.com/ ?
Be sure to check out the multimedia section, too.
Don

[nprfan]

Thank you 66GMC - Loved those movies of the Vettes laying rubber then screaming to a stop. Fun. and thank for the Hydratech.com reference. Looks like super quality product and SMALL.
To bring you all up to date: I had that horrible problem with a mechanic or brake-rebuilder shop (I don't know who rebuilt the booster) rebuilding the booster and then claiming they did it right. It cost me more than a month and lots of homework on the net. I picked up the booster today and was discussing with a old mechanic friend that I was going to use 2 boosters, 1 for the front and 1 for the rear. He said lets look at that booster...and guess what? I don't need a 2nd booster because it has one in-port and 2 out-ports (1 for the front and 1 for the rear). I had assumed that all that old hardware was all outdated. But that Midland had some future built into it. All I have to do is re-install it and run the 2 outs to the proportioning valve and I'm back in business...all updated from that old jam jar single jug mc. Best part is my saving lots of $$$ that I can spend on improving other issues like paying the guy that's doing the wiring harness. Thanks again for all of your suggestions.

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by nprfan

Best part is my saving lots of $$$

Yup, that's (almost) always good.

I'm sort of "in the dog-house" at the present ... a lot of you will be able to relate.

I'm changing jobs (from NAPA to Ford Parts) and have my project pretty much at the "rolling chassis" stage. I have been scrambling to get it back together before I leave and have been putting a LOT of new parts on it while I can still buy them cheap. Unfortunately, it's put me WAY over budget ... I think I'm done until after Christmas ... in fact, I'm sure that this WAS Christmas for me.

[farna]

"Since the body is a Fordor there is no trunk or rear deck so the boosters have to remain under the car. While there is room, I do not want the units "hanging down below the frame" and that is a slight problem."

Not really. Put it on the floor behind the rear seat, sort of in a corner... well, I guess that won't work on a T, as the seat is all the way against the back of the tub... Looks like the Hydroboost is going to be the best option. A PS pump won't detract from looks or anything, especially if it means you can stop now!