adding power brakes to 69 Camaro

[larrydaniels]

I am restoring a 69 Camaro. It came with power steering and factory A/C. It also has front disc brakes with rear drum brakes and I am wanting to add power brakes but am having trouble determining what type of brake booster I need. Would like to keep as original as possible. Also came with 350 v8 engine. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, larry

[GaryL]

Call Steve Gregori at brakeboosters.com. He can help you.

[rich69rs]

Also will need to change master cylinder to one with bleeder valves.  Unlike the non power mc which sits level, the power mc will be at an angle

[JohnZ]

Also will need to change master cylinder to one with bleeder valves.  Unlike the non power mc which sits level, the power mc will be at an angle

A master cylinder with bleeder valves isn't really necessary; if you bench-bleed the master before installing it, you don't need them (which is why the bleeders were eliminated in later years).

[opelitis1]

If I wanted to go the other way and take the power brake system from my car as I made a mistake in putting a cam with way tooo much duration in the engine and as a consequence, my vaccum is 'bout 7 - 8 lbs at 750 rpms...  Don't wanna bring up the rpms as I love the idle, but a mite dangerous and after a couple of stabs at the "binders" there is not much braking and it is a mite dangerous to say the least...  What do I do to change from Power brakes over to manual braking system???  T.

[JohnZ]

Why not just increase the idle speed to 850-900 rpm? Seems like a poor trade-off to have a rumpety-rump idle instead of dependable power brakes.

[opelitis1]

Hi John!!!  I hear you, but 850 to 900rpms  is going to bring up the vaccum to 10hg...
I increase the idle to 1100rpms and then the brakes are a mite better but not really trustworthy...  I must admit I went the wrong way in putting a "stocker" cheater cam in there with .390 and .410 lifts but at 244 @ 050 on both sides... Last thing I want to do is pull the pan off as I did not use a 2-piece  timing cover and the engine does not leak a bit.. You know what is gonna happen when I pry the pan down in order to get the timing cover off...  My combo is further off as I went to 882 heads from the mid 70's and with the stock 4 valve relief pistons, I am lucky to be at 8>1cr.
I have humps that need a bit of work and will throw them on with a RPM Edelbrock instead of the single plane Weiand Excellerator on there now...  Just a thinkin' out loud and maybe Rhoads along with 1.94 camels and the RPM intake and I might be okay.  If that doesn't work I have no choice except maybe non power brakes or last but not least pull the cam out and put a correct one in her...   Kinda frustrating but, no one to blame except.....   Ted

[tom]

Can you get an aftermarket vacum unit to compensate for the cam? I see them advertised in the mags, but I have no experience with them.

Tom

[JohnZ]

Summit and Jeg's have lots of vacuum reservoir tanks that will address your problem - lots cheaper than electric vacuum pumps.

[69 Z11]

Is this a factory manual disc car?  I've never seen one myself, isn't that kind of rare?

[69 Z11]

Hmmm.  Looked it up, 67,231 cars had J52 front disc, rear drum and with J50 power assist in 69.  82,890 with J50 power assist, so that means there were 15,541 cars with power drums.  So 92,758 cars had manual brakes but I don't see a way to figure out how many had manual disc.

[KurtS]

So 92,758 cars had manual brakes but I don't see a way to figure out how many had manual disc.

0 in 69 (and 68).

http://www.camaros.org/suspen.shtml#Brakes

[69 Z11]

It also has front disc brakes with rear drum brakes and I am wanting to add power brakes.

Well thanks Kurt!  I just looked at that opening statement and jumped right in 'cause I had never seen a manual disc brake car.  Zero production is rare indeed!