[sjdiesel]

My 1967 GTO currently has all new power brakes from inline tube. I rebuilt the rear factory drums and have single piston disc brakes up front. Car stops great when it has vacuum. But my engine only makes around 11” of vacuum. Not quite enough to sustain the power brakes. I am strongly considering a hydroboost conversion. From my research, it seems like the way to go for those who have low vacuum engines and want stopping power. And it appears to be a fairly straightforward swap.
I am considering this booster:
https://www.performanceonline.com/Hy...ssist-Booster/
And this hose kit:
https://www.performanceonline.com/Hy...ttings-Rubber/

Does anyone here have any experience with this company? Is this a good kit? What hydroboost parts are you guys running?

[Lemans64]

Don't have any experience with that company, but by looking at that kit, they give you a flat mounting plate for the firewall, not sure if your master have the upward tilt as most GM's do. That would make the master cylinder lines not line up so good. I used a Hydratech Booster for my 64. Yes it works very well and you have to be careful when first trying it out, make sure you wear your seat belt, LOL. http://www.hydratechbraking.com/products.html
That price does look good though.

[Schurkey]

Hydroboost is a moderately-common brake modification. I had zero experience with hydroboost until I bought a 3/4-ton truck-and-snowplow combo last New Years.

The truck overall was in poor condition. It had had no proper maintenance since Fido was a pup. I've never had the rear drums off, because I've got the full-floating axle assembly and I"ve never pulled the drum/bearing assembly before. I still have a long way to go before I've got all the problems corrected. I'm saying this to let you know that MAYBE my issues with Hydroboost are due to something being wrong, not an inherent flaw in the engineering.

Hydroboost works GREAT. Low pedal effort, strong stopping power. The problem is the goofy "feel" at the brake pedal. Thank God for ABS because it will take me the rest of my life to figure out how to modulate the pedal for fastest stopping otherwise.

[torqhead]

Sean, I'm not sure if you've seen reference to it on here but you can take a brake booster from a 1985 Chevy S10 all disc (dual 9" factory booster) and swap it in place of your existing and problem solved. I've done this on two vehicles, mine has 9 inches of vacuum at idle. Problem solved and a lot cheaper and gives you more room in that area by the valve cover. Just picked up a rebuilt one at o'Reilly's and it's worked great the past few years.

Careful if you do this as you will throw yourself and your passengers through the windshield the first few times you drive it!

[Steve C.]

Another option....

ELECTRIC VACUUM PUMP KIT.

https://leedbrakes.com/

And for the future:

High Performance brake shoes

http://www.musclecarbrakes.com/


.

[sjdiesel]

Originally Posted by torqhead

Sean, I'm not sure if you've seen reference to it on here but you can take a brake booster from a 1985 Chevy S10 all disc (dual 9" factory booster) and swap it in place of your existing and problem solved. I've done this on two vehicles, mine has 9 inches of vacuum at idle. Problem solved and a lot cheaper and gives you more room in that area by the valve cover. Just picked up a rebuilt one at o'Reilly's and it's worked great the past few years.

Careful if you do this as you will throw yourself and your passengers through the windshield the first few times you drive it!

Wow! I have not heard of this. This sounds great. I think I’ll give it a try before spending $800 on hydroboost. Thanks!

[70UglyBird]

I went through a few boosters and finally solved problems with hydra tech setup and have brakes!


It takes a bit to get used to. If I was going all out performance I would do a right sized manual brake setup.

[torqhead]

Originally Posted by sjdiesel

Wow! I have not heard of this. This sounds great. I think I’ll give it a try before spending $800 on hydroboost. Thanks!

Search through the forum and you'll find a few post on it. I was seriously considering hydroboost myself.

[64speed]

Originally Posted by torqhead

Sean, I'm not sure if you've seen reference to it on here but you can take a brake booster from a 1985 Chevy S10 all disc (dual 9" factory booster) and swap it in place of your existing and problem solved. I've done this on two vehicles, mine has 9 inches of vacuum at idle. Problem solved and a lot cheaper and gives you more room in that area by the valve cover. Just picked up a rebuilt one at o'Reilly's and it's worked great the past few years.

Careful if you do this as you will throw yourself and your passengers through the windshield the first few times you drive it!

I was looking at this as an option but I have a question. My booster has a u shaped bracket that fits around the pedal shaft with a pin that goes thru it and the a cotter pin goes thru that. How do you secure the pushrod to the pedal and is it the right length right off the bat?

[Tom Vaught]

You have to modify the push rod typically to get it to work with a 64 brake pedal push rod.

Some have cut off the round loop end on hydraboost push rod, tapped that rod for threads, added a coupler, and attached the brake pedal rod.

Tom V.

[GTO JONES]

I went to hydro boost couple years ago best thing I ever did. Made the hoses a little longer so they don't lay on the inner fender they go behind and come out by the hydro boost, cleaner install. Had an electric pump before that did the job but hydro boost for me is the way to go on 571 cu in.

[David Jones]

I bought my unit from http://www.custompowerbrake.com/
He helped with install tech info and the unit has been trouble free. Braking feel is as good as any “modern” car I’ve ever owned. I sourced my hoses from Rock Auto, if I remember correctly. To my eye it looks like Mother GM did it. If you search my name and hydro boost I posted a detailed thread about the install.

[Tom Vaught]

I did a search as you suggested and PY did not find any thread by you for hydro boost.

Can you post a link yourself to the thread? Thanks

Tom V.

[64speed]

Originally Posted by David Jones

I bought my unit from http://www.custompowerbrake.com/
He helped with install tech info and the unit has been trouble free. Braking feel is as good as any “modern” car I’ve ever owned. I sourced my hoses from Rock Auto, if I remember correctly. To my eye it looks like Mother GM did it. If you search my name and hydro boost I posted a detailed thread about the install.

I love your engine bay and finned valve covers. I have the same ones only i bead blasted them satin to match the intake and the water pump and heads. I have an NOS Cal Customs finned air cleaner that I am gonna use but I am on the fence. I don’t want to bead blast an NOS part but at the same time I want it to match. My front accessories are billet cause that’s what they came in so maybe it won’t look too out of place

[Chris65LeMans]

Originally Posted by GTO JONES

I went to hydro boost couple years ago best thing I ever did.

+1
With hydroboost and 4 wheel discs, my car stops like a modern car. Good thing, too, the way people drive around here.

[Mister Pontiac]

Another perhaps cheaper option is simply revert to manual brakes? Also makes for a 'cleaner' engine bay. Sure they takes a little more foot pressure, but after driving it, you develop the needed "feel" quickly.

I daily drive my 72 with manual brakes, and recently converted my 67 GTO back to manual. Got tired of lifting off the throttle quickly and having to stand on the brakes for a bit before the vacuum returned enough to help. No fun with a rump-rump cam and low vacuum. Now I don't even think about it.

Just a thought.

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

I did a search as you suggested and PY did not find any thread by you for hydro boost.

Can you post a link yourself to the thread? Thanks

Tom V.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ght=Hydroboost

[Tom Vaught]

Thanks David, a lot of good info there.

Tom V.

ps Thanks to all of the other people who contributed info too.

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

T

ps Thanks to all of the other people who contributed info too.

That's what has always made this site so great. People stepping into help.

[TAQuest]

Originally Posted by Mister Pontiac

Another perhaps cheaper option is simply revert to manual brakes? Also makes for a 'cleaner' engine bay. Sure they takes a little more foot pressure, but after driving it, you develop the needed "feel" quickly.

I daily drive my 72 with manual brakes, and recently converted my 67 GTO back to manual. Got tired of lifting off the throttle quickly and having to stand on the brakes for a bit before the vacuum returned enough to help. No fun with a rump-rump cam and low vacuum. Now I don't even think about it.

Just a thought.

Manual disk brakes here too. They work fine.