Piston Slap: The crowning touch on the Coronet’s power play?
Roger writes:
I have a 1951 Dodge Coronet with a non-power master cylinder on the frame rail under the driver’s floor pan. I would like to add power brakes to this car. Is there a way I can use a fire wall-mounted power master cylinder from another Chrysler vehicle so I can finish the floor without the removable panel needed to service the frame-mounted master cylinder?
Sajeev answers:
Repurposing master cylinders (more to the point, brake pedal assemblies) on drastically different firewalls is not without its risks. The evolution of firewall design over time can be a safety concern when it comes to grafting on the things your foot needs to stop a moving vehicle. So while I have a very, very hard time making a recommendation using factory parts from another car, using a universally-engineered part intended for Street Rodders makes sense.
Spending a modest amount of cash for something like Master Power Brake’s universal hanging pedal assembly ensures you have the perfect pedal placement on your Coronet’s firewall. This is because just about every dimension is adjustable to any firewall design. My only word of caution is to ensure the kit will bolt to the power brake booster and dual-circuit master cylinder from a 1967+ Chrysler product. (If they don’t, hopefully those folks can provide a suitable workaround using another dual-circuit master cylinder.)
To make things easier, order a booster and master cylinder for a 1967 Dodge Coronet with power drum brakes, because Coronet + Coronet parts matching is fun! The Raybestos MC36221 master cylinder might be a good fit, but acquiring a brake booster looks challenging. As most places only offer rebuilding services on brake boosters, consider yourself lucky if a local parts store lets you “eat” the core charge and just hands you a 1967 Coronet brake booster. If not, you’re gonna be hunting for a used booster, which will likely need that rebuild service in its future.
With a universal hanging brake pedal assembly custom fitted to your 1951 Coronet with 1967 Coronet brake parts, you should be good to go. Consider this bit of aftermarket engineering the “crowning touch” for your Coronet!
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