Brake booster

Detonator;
The Pantera used a Bonaldi booster as well as a Bonaldi master cylinder. Not sure that Ford has an exact cross reference to a vehicle. Since you are using Brembo brakes, it may be necessary to match your booster and master cylinder to the calipers and piston assemblies you are using. Possibly Brembo or a Brembo specialist would be helpful.

Thanks, I have the willwood master, the guys at the shop say the booster may be bad as the old master was leaking, Brembo says the stock master is fine so I don't know, proly just grab a new one.

I ended up going with the booster/master kit from http://precisionproformance.com they have a upgraded GM booster, but to finish this post off for anyone who might need the stock part number My Master Parts Catalog shows it as a "28195 Booster Assembly". The stock Pantera brake booster was a Bendix-Italia unit (Benditalia) also used in various '80 & up Ferrari 308 series. Info from Jack DeRyke, and Jim Nowlin.

As Detonator did, I replaced my leaking OEM with a Precision Pro-formance GM conversion assembly. Not quite a bolt-in since you must cut the ISO bubble-flairs off the stock hard lines and add SAE conical flairs to fit the GM master. And on early cars, there may be a small amount of interference from the slightly larger dia. booster can with the inner left fender and the front trunk floor. Both easily fixed with the requisite Big Ball-peen Hammer. And some clutch masters may touch the larger booster, also needing a bit of grinding or a small dent. I had none of these on our Sept '72-build Pantera but others have mentioned them.

On the positive side, the GM assembly uses a larger aluminum dual-diameter master cylinder piston (front OD is larger) that is rebuildable and a dual-diaphragm booster with a built-in residual pressure valve. Weight of the more effective converted GM is almost identical to the OEM. In addition, I've had nothing but praise for Precision Proformance and Bob's business practices. Good guy to deal with.

I have the same booster as Jack. See pic.
Wondering which is the front/rear brake connection and what size flare. The two connections are of different sizes. The smaller connection seems like a 3/16 brake line with double flare is correct. The larger connection I have no idea. Anyone know?

Hey Boss,

I was leaning towards getting one of these to replace my badly leaking Italian replacement master cylinder. Do you think this will work okay with stock brakes. I've removed the proportioning valve. I want to upgrade the calipers at some point but I don't have the money right now.

Steve

I've asked around a lot on the forums and this booster/master upgrade will supposedly make the brakes work very well with the stock calipers. That's what I'm hoping for once I figure out how to get it installed !!!

Sean,

Precision Proformance offers 3 version of this. Which did you get and did he tell you the difference? Are you going to need an after market proportioning valve? He lists them at $450.00, is that what you paid?

Steve

Got it from Hall last year. Think it was around $450. I saw PP had them too but maybe Hall was cheaper at the time. PP might have different bore sizes in their masters to compensate for their advertised racing systems.
I was planning on just leaving my stock proportioning valve in place cause that was easiest for me.

I'd say give Bob at PP a call he can answer all your questions.

This thread baffles me... The point of a different booster and different master cylinder bore sizes, is to increase line pressure while reducing leg effort. If the stock booster is good and the master isn't leaking, starting at the booster or master to increase performance is the wrong place to start.

By replacing the booster and master in an effort to increase brake performance is fine except, leaving the stock proportioning valve in the mix is actually lowering pressure to the front brakes. So your increasing master cylinder bore size to increase pressure, then you leave the proportioning valve in the circuit to reduce brake pressure. All for only $450.00. You could do the same thing by leaving the stock master and removing the stock proportioning valve for free!!! However, I wouldn't remove the proportioning valve if the rear brakes are still stock.

Trying to increase brake performance by replacing the master or booster FIRST is completely backwards!!!

If you are on a budget, the CHEAPEST way to get a HUGE performance upgrade is to simply upgrade the rear calipers and remove the proportioning valve. This change alone will pay HUGE dividends in braking performance.

Brake system changes should be done carefully or you will end up with an unbalanced and unsafe brake system.

Scott

I wonder if this Fiat Booster is something that will fit?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1507...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

There is also a lot of Brake Masters that looks very similar. I don't know if anyone has ever experimented with a suitable substitute from i.e. Fiat or Alfa. For sure they will be very interesting on the price ;-)

My old stock booster was not holding vacuum and my resevoir was leaking. Thats why I decided to replace it. I was leaving the p valve in place just for simplicity. I'm not very experienced with brakes so I appreciate all your input.

quote:

My old stock booster was not holding vacuum and my resevoir was leaking. Thats why I decided to replace it. I was leaving the p valve in place just for simplicity. I'm not very experienced with brakes so I appreciate all your input.

Hi Sean,

If your brake system is stock then leaving the proportioning valve in the system isn't a bad idea. I wouldn't recommend removing it until the rear calipers are upgraded.

Take care, Scott

This guy, Harmon Brakes, rebuilds them. He did one for my 68 Shelby. I spoke to him about the Pantera and he said they rebuild the same as US units and he has the parts and equipment to do them.

He advertises on ebay. I've dealt with him and can recommend him. He is very easy to talk to and guaranties his work.

It's about a 10 day turn around.

He doesn't substitute another unit for yours. He rebuilds yours and returns it to you.

Just tell him PanteraDoug in NY sent you. He's originally from about a mile a way from here before he got smart and moved to CA and left me in all of this ice, snow and sub zero winter weather.

I should go take a CA roadtrip but how do I get my car there? I don't think the CHiPs will like the flames coming out of my exhausts from the Webers?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Midlan...em53fd2fdc84&vxp=mtr

Scott, can you tell what is going on with the master in the picture. Why one size connection is larger and tell what size/flare should connect there?

Doug your tip on Harmon Brakes is a FIND!!! Had no idea you could do a rebuild on the original booster, plus he's about 30 miles from me! Thanks

He really is. His name is George. Give him a call. He's a nice guy and very knowledgeable.

He isn't one of the NYers who screwed up Cali.

quote:

Scott, can you tell what is going on with the master in the picture. Why one size connection is larger and tell what size/flare should connect there?

All brake lines should be 3/16 in size. Even the metric lines are darn close and can be flared correctly.

Some masters use different size tube nuts so people don't hook them up backwards.

You can have a 3/16 line with a 3/8-24 tube nut (this is the most common). OR, like in your case, the larger hole is likely 7/16-24. So you would use a 7/16-24 tube nut that is made for a 3/16 brake line.

They have tube nuts in MANY sizes that will fit a 3/16 brake line. The double flare is the same no matter what size tube nut you are using.

Let me know if you need more help or if you have more questions.

Take care, Scott