Well guys, I have a great running 396 with a "mild, street" cam (according to my speed shop tuners, with an idling vacuum of 5. I know I know, it's low, but it is what it is. It runs great at 1000rpm idle. It's a 4 speed car. Now, I have the original power brake booster that obviously doesn't do much since there is hardly any vacuum. Has anyone ever used a vacuum canister to increase the vacuum to the booster? And where would I install it if I want to keep my original appearing engine compartment? You guys can hear my car run in the link below.

Thanks for any info.

I am lurking for the brake answers.

tie the vacumn cannister into the vacumn line between source and booster. use enough quality hose to hide the cannister behind the inner fender near hood hinge! remember the cannister will help but will also have to recover with repeated brake pedal usage!

If you have power steering, I've seen many people recommend this:

http://www.hydratechbraking.com/products/a_body/

Take off your master cylinder and booster and save them for a milder engine. Go to the FLAPS and buy a master for a 68 Camaro. It should bolt in direct replacement, just make sure you use the other hole in the pedal for the rod. This will eliminate the need for vacuum altogether.

Devin

If you have power steering, I've seen many people recommend this:

http://www.hydratechbraking.com/products/a_body/

X2 Hydroboost the only way to go if your serious about your brakes. You wont be disappointed. If your really stuck on the stock look, you have to go electric vac pump with the booster or manual brakes without. I've talked to a few people who said a canister helped but very little. Electric pumps can be noisy and vibrate but your car is kinda loud and may cancel out some of that.

By the way, sharp car!! Sounds great!

X2 Hydroboost the only way to go if your serious about your brakes. You wont be disappointed. If your really stuck on the stock look, you have to go electric vac pump with the booster or manual brakes without. I've talked to a few people who said a canister helped but very little. Electric pumps can be noisy and vibrate but your car is kinda loud and may cancel out some of that.

By the way, sharp car!! Sounds great!


http://www.classicperform.com/NewProducts/2006/NewFiles/HydroBoost.htm

Is that what you paid for your setup? I'm having trouble finding other vendors. That price makes a vacuum pump look more appealing.

Thanks guys. How much different would not having a booster compare to my barely working booster? I mean, it would make more sense to remove the booster and just leave the master cylinder, but then it wouldn't have the stock appearance. It sounds like I am stuck with not so great brakes since I'm not leaning toward the cannisters or pumps. It's not like I'm road racing every weekend anyways. But I will keep looking for something cool.

Thanks guys. How much different would not having a booster compare to my barely working booster? I mean, it would make more sense to remove the booster and just leave the master cylinder, but then it wouldn't have the stock appearance. It sounds like I am stuck with not so great brakes since I'm not leaning toward the cannisters or pumps. It's not like I'm road racing every weekend anyways. But I will keep looking for something cool.

Sergio,
Manual disc brakes were available "stock" (pretty sure on the Chevelles too). SS cars starting in 1969, came standard with discs, not sure if Power discs were standard and if manual discs were an option. I know manual drum brakes were available, and the master would "look" basically the same. It would still look stock...

Manual brakes require a little more pedal effort, but really not a huge deal (my 85 year old grandmother used to drive her Impala with manual brakes without problems)... Probably not even as much of a difference as a Heavy Duty clutch and a stock clutch... It should still stop the car as well, just requires you to push the pedal a little harder.

Personally, If trying to keep it "stock" looking, I think it makes the car (engine compartment) look more uncluttered like a "factory racecar"...

I am lurking for the brake answers.

Lurkers don't post... :clonk:

I would think a mildly cammed BBC should make more than 5" of vacuum at idle.

Maybe something else???

http://www.classicperform.com/NewProducts/2006/NewFiles/HydroBoost.htm

Is that what you paid for your setup? I'm having trouble finding other vendors. That price makes a vacuum pump look more appealing.

Ya, thats about the going rate for the Hydratech setups. My thought process was I spent over $12000 to go fast, why not spend spend 5% of that to stop fast? A few guys on this site have made their own hydroboost setups from junkyard parts for about half the price. Do a search for info.

Thanks guys. How much different would not having a booster compare to my barely working booster? I mean, it would make more sense to remove the booster and just leave the master cylinder, but then it wouldn't have the stock appearance. It sounds like I am stuck with not so great brakes since I'm not leaning toward the cannisters or pumps. It's not like I'm road racing every weekend anyways. But I will keep looking for something cool.

Sergio, you would probably have better brakes going manual than having a booster with very little vacuum. Like the earlier post said, many cars came with manual brakes from the factory back then. My buddy has a 540 68 Camaro with manual brakes and he says their ok but he finds himself "standing on the pedal at times" He has discs at all 4 corners too. To go manual you probably will have to get a manual master too.
My 540 Chevelle has only 5-7 inches of vacuum at idle in gear and with the booster I almost wrecked the car a couple times cause I couldnt stop "playing around" or just driving in traffic when a woman pulled out in front of me. I have discs at 4 corners too. Now with the hydroboost, the car just plain stops!

Your cam sounds pretty lopey, but it seems you should have more vacuum than 5 inches for a "mild street cam". You sure the booster is good or have any vacuum leaks?

Sergio,
Manual disc brakes were available "stock" (pretty sure on the Chevelles too). SS cars starting in 1969, came standard with discs, not sure if Power discs were standard and if manual discs were an option. I know manual drum brakes were available, and the master would "look" basically the same. It would still look stock...

Manual brakes require a little more pedal effort, but really not a huge deal (my 85 year old grandmother used to drive her Impala with manual brakes without problems)... Probably not even as much of a difference as a Heavy Duty clutch and a stock clutch... It should still stop the car as well, just requires you to push the pedal a little harder.

Personally, If trying to keep it "stock" looking, I think it makes the car (engine compartment) look more uncluttered like a "factory racecar"...

I agree 100% :thumbsup:
I run a 1" bore manual disc master cylinder on my '70 and it works perfect!! Awesome braking...tested at 135+ MPH and the car weighs 3750. With Stock rear shoe brakes on a 12 bolt.
Basically you've got two choices... manual or hydroboost.

I had the same problem with the 396 in my '72. Too much cam, too little vacuum. I installed a vacuum pump from SSBC. Problem solved. Great brakes at all speeds. Words of advice, however: DO NOT MOUNT AN ELECTRIC VACUUM PUMP TO ANY PART OF THE BODY. It will rattle you to death every time it kicks on. I ended up fabricating a simple bracket that mounts my pump between the frame horns in the space between the grille and the radiator. It's low enough so that the bumper hides it and mounting it to the frame instead of the body eliminated the rattles.

Take care,
Mike

Sergio- Don't get the wrong idea here. Manual brakes is what you have when your master cylinder runs out of vacuum, but set up properly with pedal linkage, it is nearly the same pedal pressure as power. I only drive my Camino rarely, but the brakes are the least of my concern, as the pedal pressure feels normal with manual disk brakes.

Devin