<VV> Power Brakes for Corvair

[Frank DuVal]

The first order of business is to get the factory set up working 
correctly. Something is wrong, very wrong, if you find them difficult to 
modulate. The harder you step on them, the harder they apply. But light 
pedal effort should get results.

The second order is to remember that GM like to sell accessories on 
their cars. The more gee-haws they install, the more profit per car they 
realize. Now if GM couldn't sell the public on needing power brakes on a 
Corvair, then why would anyone  need them? They were available on 
practically every other car model that GM produced on the 60's. It would 
not have cost them very much to install (a power booster and a few feet 
of pipe), with a great potential for profit.

The third order is that disc brakes without a power booster are MUCH 
harder to apply than drum brakes, hence why most all cars with disc 
brakes have a power booster. Even those German made Buick Opel  Kadetts 
from the 60's. I have driven Mustangs, etc from the 60's with non-power 
disc brakes, they need great pedal effort.

Fourth, why are you making this judgment call for your wife? I know they 
can be known in some circles as "the weaker sex", but they have been 
driving cars since the electric starter came out about 1910. Don't even 
tell her the car has manual drum brakes. Just think of all the women 
that have driven Corvairs (and still do) since the first '60 model was 
sold. If they wanted power brakes, GM would have gladly sold them. See 
second order of business above.

Get the brakes working properly and get her to drive.

Frank DuVal

I did have a customer that was in her late 80's and maybe weighed 90 
pounds wet. She did lose muscle in her legs and have trouble stopping 
her Greenbrier. She decided to sell it at that point in her life and 
drive the '66 Rambler Ambassador with power brakes.

Bill H. wrote:

>                                   B"H
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>Guys, in my test drive yesterday I found the brakes
>somewhat difficult to modulate.  I'll get used to them
>pretty quickly, but my wife won't.  She'll be very
>upset when she finds out that the car has manual
>drums, as good as they are, they do take some
>practice.  She's used to the powerful 4-wheel discs on
>our Odyssey, and the Prius has a regerative braking
>system that only requires a slight touch to the pedal.
>
>Rather than go through the expense and time of
>converting to disc brakes in front, does anyone know
>of a power brake conversion that would work with the
>existing drums?  So all I'd have to to is remove (or
>replace) the master cylinder with an power unit. 
>Since the brake components are based on bigger Chevys
>anyway, I'm wondering whether this is an easy job. 
>Corvair Underground does sell a power brake kit, but
>they say it's "not really needed" and that kit has no
>provisions or instructions for hooking up to a vacuum
>source, or adatping to the existing brake lines. 
>However, knowing my family, it's "needed."
>
>Any advice would be appreciated.  If this won't work,
>then I've seen disc brake kits for both 13" and 14"
>wheels.  If I did buy the 13" wheel kit, would I have
>to change my wheels to clear the calipers?
>
>Thanks again for you advice guys!...Bill H.
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