I'm wondering if anyone here could shed some light on what ( after hours spent w/ Google) appears to be a very convoluted topic- converting a '55- '57 'bird to a dual (split) reservoir brake system. I DON"T want to convert to discs, as I have no problem with the existing drum/ drum factory setup. I just would like the peace of mind afforded by splitting the system. If anyone has experience with this specific changeover, may I inquire as to how you did it, how did it turn out, and the components used?Also, whom did you purchase the parts from? From all I've read, seems many folks confuse residual valves w/ proportioning valves. (What did you use successfully?) Also what M/C is/was the proper choice. I'll be re-using the factory booster after Cardone rebuilds it again, due to it allowing my current M/C to be sucked dry of fluid. (That's a story for another day, though) Any thought are appreciated, & Thanks in Advance /Duck

BOO- YA!!!

Duck, Just so I understand your plans, You want to used drum brakes all around with a dual M/C using your factory booster on the fronts only?

If that's the case you should used an adjustable proportioning valve since your using power on the front but not on the rear. I'd use a dual M/C off a drum brake car (Granada or similar) with no residual valves.

Not an expert, just my opinion and it's worth just about how much you paid me for it…



"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Right- keeping drums @ all 4 corners. I've seen that '67 - '70 Mustang master cylinders had been mentioned in several occasions. as an appropriate donor. I surmised that a few of them came w/ drums fnt & rr. I haven't a clue as to if that particular M/C had internal valving or not, however. I have a suspicion that the booster being a player only at the front brakes will be the fly in the ointment. I don't want to swap in a different booster, if it can be helped though, as I already have this one, and also due to the constraints of available under hood free space.

BOO- YA!!!

Yes, a mustang M/C may be better for a 'Bird. For some reason I was thinking car.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Duck, this would be a lot easier if you could move your battery to the trunk, and install a firewall booster. You can get a two-stage 8" booster and dual M/C from MBM for under $200.

Not that it matters because Ford and GM never made Combination Valves, but I like the GM style better. It comes with two mounting holes in the valve body.

You're right, some folks fight about the proper name, and vendors use 'proportioning valve' to mean a host of different things, including flow controls (which don't proportion anything).

To save confusion, I call OEM-style, "Combination Proportioning Valves" while others simply call them, Combination Valves. They come in two flavors: Drum/Drum and Disc/Drum. If you do the firewall booster, you should use the Drum/Drum to equalize flow between the front and rear systems. This is an easy setup and not high in cost. - Dave

Royal Oak, Michigan (Four miles north of Detroit, and 12 miles NORTH of Windsor, Canada).  That's right, we're north of Canada.

Ford 292 Y-Block major overhaul by simplyconnected

To make it even more confusing I have heard that you must use the brake failure switch (4 ports) as it contains a shuttle valve that not only turns on the brake warning light but blocks the line to the failed system to maintain almost normal pedal hight during a system failure.

Nothing says you have to wire the warning switch but a cutaway view of the switch I have seen looks like it does block the failed ports on activation. If you have ever bleed a dual master right at the ports the pedal drops almost all the way to the floor when any line is cracked so there may be something to using the switch.

There is a lot of mis-info related to brakes. Mine with the dual master cylinder is no safer than a single. That I can tell you as a fact. Something that was mentioned to me is perhaps the pedal travel is not sufficient to engage the safety feature. I haven't taken the time to research this for myself but it should be easy to get an idea if yours is sufficient by finding a travel spec for the vehicle that the master cylinder is intended for and then verifying that yours can achieve the same.

At this point, I'd advise you to not expect the "safety" that everyone claims of a dual mc on a vehicle for which it was never intended. If you install it, maybe it will be safer and maybe it will not. I guess that chance could make it worth the cost.

Here's a fairly recent thread to give you a little more to think about.
http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic90139.aspx


Lawrenceville, GA

If i ruptured a brake hose, i'd like to think that with a dual circuit master cylinder, two wheels would at least slow me down.


South Australia

I like to have thought that, too. But that's not what happened. A, fortunately, very low rate of speed in my driveway and the parking brake stopped it. Hydraulics were doing nothing.
There is more too it than simply the master cylinder. I don't know enough about it to say what, and I don't want to contribute to the mis-info.


Lawrenceville, GA

I had the same situation as Charley, on two different cars. Both have combination valves and dual master.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ