First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List .........................................................................
Have you looked on www.rockauto.com ? I think they ship worldwide. I've got the old MC off my 69 you can have for the cost of shipping. It does not look like the original but seemed to be working. It was supposedly new just before I bought the car 18 months ago. ----- Original Message ---- > From: Ekkehard Nax <[email protected]> > To: First Generation Firebird-L <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, July 3, 2009 2:07:32 AM > Subject: AW: [FGF] SSBC Problem... FIXED!!! > > 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: > Unsubscribe from Firebird-L: > Help: > > Classifieds: > Owner Pictures: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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/>
