First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List ......................................................................... Hi folks,
4 1/2 years later... A couple of months ago I ordered this kit http://www.ssbrakes.com/commerce/detail/index.cfm?nPID=8856 from Classic Industries for my 68 Bird. I know, I know - SSBC is on our 'black list' and I would rather have ordered from DFBrakes, Matt's or Touring Classics. But there were reasons why I had to order from Classic - I spare you the details. Besides I couldn't imagine that there _still_ might be issues after so many years. Anyway. The kit fits good, looks good - but doesn't brake good. Today the car will be on a brake test bench, just to be sure that these somewhat 'reluctant' brakes aren't just a phantasm. Besides there is still a slight chance that we did something wrong during installation but actually we suspect the booster/master cylinder. Just in case if we are unable to fix it locally - would there be anyone out there willing to help me out? I.e. - getting me a stock 68 mc (front disc/rear drum) and shipping it to Germany? Of course I would cover all the costs. Thanks! Ekki > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] Im Auftrag von > Michael Howell > Gesendet: Montag, 3. Januar 2005 02:03 > An: First Generation Firebird-L > Betreff: [FGF] SSBC Problem... FIXED!!! > > First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List > .............................................................. > ........... > Ok fellas, I have to give a BIG shout out to Mace for this > one. Dude, you rock! > > I took a chance this weekend and bought a master cylinder > from Napa (the third I've tried with the SSBC kit) and > swapped it out on my 68 coupe with the SSBC A-123 kit with > single piston calipers. I had original power drum brakes and > 2 years ago installed the SSBC kit to convert to front discs. > I have been experiencing the same problem as everyone else. > I had tried a master cylinder from a 72 vette, a master from > a 72 GMC one ton truck and a replacement master cylinder from > SSBC. I had bled the system countless times and gone through > more brake fluid than I care to mention. > > On Friday I purchased a master cylinder for a 67 Firebird > with disc brakes from Napa. They did not have a listing for > a 68 so that's why I went with the 67 part. This casting > looks like the original master cylinder for the car (as it > should) and bolts right up to the SSBC booster. In addition, > the fittings for the lines are the same as the SSBC master > cylinder. The only trick is the adapter Mace mentioned that > Baer provided. This master has a deep center piston rather > than shallow, and the booster (original or > SSBC) is designed to work with a shallow piston master. I > made my own adapter out of a bolt. After bleeding the brakes > out thoroughly, guess > what? I HAVE GOOD BRAKES!!!! The pedal is a little low but > once you are > used to it (compared to my truck) it feels great and the car > stops just right. It has plenty of power to stop and will > stop hard when you press hard. LIKE IT SHOULD!! I did some > hard stop tests in a parking lot from about 40 mph and it > felt great. It did not lock up but stopped the car very > quickly. It would be interesting to set up a distance test > but that's for another day. So here are the details: > > Master cylinder: Napa part # 10-1339. Stock for a 67 > Firebird with front disc brakes. $20 + $14 core > Adapter: Use 1/2" bolt or steel rod. Cut to 1+3/8" length > and drill out one end to make a cup for the tip of the > booster rod. I used a small bit first and incremented up to > the size of the tip of the booster rod. > > Double check the depth by test fitting the master cylinder. > You should be able to hold it up against the booster without > putting any pressure on it. I left my bolt a little long to > start with and ended up with the > 1+3/8" length after trimming and grinding. That is the appropriate > 1+length > with the described cup in the end. As a further test, you > can always check to make sure the brakes aren't dragging once > the system is all bled out. At that point it will be harder > to get the adapter out and fix the issue, but it can be done. > > I hope this helps the other people out there who have had > this problem. Thanks again to Mace for using a process of > elimination to find > the trouble on his car! Oh, and I am still using and loving > that camera > you sold me 2 years ago! > > On another issue, some of you (Bob Trimpe I'm sure) may > remember that I had some overheating issues at the 2003 Trans > Am nationals. That along with the poor brakes kept me from > going this year as I had not had much time or luck fixing the > problems. Well, that issue also seems to finally be resolved > as well. After much tuning and replacement of everything in > the cooling system aside from the radiator, I replaced the > radiator. It was only 4 years old and a "new" 4 core unit > from one of the major suppliers. It felt like it was working > properly but it had always had some > very small leaking issues that I tried fixing twice. I had > also power > backflushed the system in an attempt to correct the problem. > I replaced it with a literally brand new 3 core (original > style) unit from a local shop and guess what? The car hasn't > broken 200 degrees since. It has a 180 thermostat in it and > it stays between 190 and 200 no matter what I do. I couldn't > be happier with that. Thanks to everyone for their > suggestions on this problem as well. > > Celebrating in Louisville tonight!! > Mike > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submissions to Firebird-L: <[email protected]> Unsubscribe from Firebird-L: <[email protected]> Help: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/Firebird-L.html> Classifieds: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/ubb/> Owner Pictures: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/show/>
