power,manual or hydro boost?

[71maroesteban]

I've decided to run c6 z06 brakes on my 71 Camaro seeing how it's a lot of brake I wanted to know what people would recommend power,manual or hydro system? The car will be a daily driver/spirited driver and occasionally autocrossed thanks

[Schwartz Performance]

Manual.

-Dale

[Hydratech®]

For simplicity and lowest costs, go ahead and start off with a manual brake scenario as you just may like it. Do note that you will need to either obtain a manual brake pedal or modify your existing power pedal to provide proper mechanical leverages to run a manual brake scenario. I have seen countless amount of people foolishly try to convert a factory power brake car into a manual brake car with adapter plates and other non sense. If you do have a factory 2nd gen manual brake F body, then great! If you have a factory power brake car, you most definitely will have to mount the master cylinder across the top two bolt points in the factory power brake four bolt vacuum booster mounting pattern, and then modify your brake pedal rod connection to line up properly about a full inch~ higher up the brake pedal to run in manual brake mode. Grab a small bore manual brake spec MC an give it a go. If you're happy, then you are done.

Note that the 2nd gen F cars did not have the greatest power brake spec factory mechanical pedal ratios, so I advise you go with a maximum of a 1" bore MC with the C6 Z06 brake package on any type vacuum booster.

I will refrain from further input as to my direct thoughts, as I am of course heavily biased towards exceptionally powerful braking.

I understand that there are people out there like manual steering too (even though I most definitely do not).

Baskin Robins 31 flavors - some like chocolate, some like vanilla, strawberry, rocky roads... My favorite certainly does not have to be your flavor.

[Smoker03]

How much autocross do you actually plan to do? Is it a true daily(primary) driver?

[gsxrken]

I have a Hydratech booster and it generates an incredible amount of power assist. Too much, really for finesse braking. Anyone who drives my car jars the car on the first few brake applications. I like it now, and it is the only solution that worked for me, but if you forgot what you were driving and stomped the brake pedal instead of squeezed it, you'd lock the car up for sure.

[andrewb70]

I have the same brakes and mine are manual.

Andrew

[Hydratech®]

Anyone who drives my car jars the car on the first few brake applications. I like it now, and it is the only solution that worked for me, but if you forgot what you were driving and stomped the brake pedal instead of squeezed it, you'd lock the car up for sure.

If you had 800+ horse on tap with the "little pedal on the right", you had better also be damn careful as to respect what it would do if you also just stomped it.

Interesting story from years ago worth a chuckle (!). My wife hops into my dual quad 455 powered ride to run up to the store to get some stuff (as it was the last car in the driveway on a sunny Saturday afternoon). I sternly warned her to be VERY easy on the gas pedal, she nods, backs out of the driveway, pops the car into drive, then lit the hell out of the tires moving forward. She slams on the brakes (which then had her face almost meet the steering wheel as per being Hydratech equipped), kills the ignition, jumps out of the car all wild eyed (cussing me up and down) - NEVER EVER DROVE THAT CAR AGAIN - was actually jumpy about even riding in it again from there on in (LOL).

[JChilders]

I went with a hydraboost and I would never go back.

[71maroesteban]

How much autocross do you actually plan to do? Is it a true daily(primary) driver?

a few events here and their but mostly a daily driver. Manual only appeals to me since I'd get more pedal response and with a hydro unit I'm afraid of locking the brakes up

[benno505]

is the hydroboost unit adjustable to lower the pressure at all?

[KEV 190164]

I bought hydraboost not fitted yet looking forward to driving my car some day .

[Mkelcy]

I have a hydroboost unit in my '68 Camaro and really like it. It does provide substantial braking power, but it's also pretty easily modulated. It's nice knowing that I've got brakes that easily match the go pedal. Just like any other aspect of driving these cars we build, they take a little finesse.

I had manual brakes in my prior '68 with the same front brakes and a different rear disk setup, with an S10 quick takeup master cylinder. While I never felt nervous about the manual brakes, I vastly prefer the hydoboost brakes.

Two things:

• I got my hydroboost through Summit Racing which sold a CPP branded Hydratech unit. When I had issues with it the guys at CPP were worthless and the guys at Hydratech were extremely helpful. If I were to buy again, I'd go direct to Hydratech.
  
  
• Second, I tried and tried to use the "T" fitting for the return from the power rack and the hydroboost with no success - lots of kickback in both the steering and a bit with the brakes. I ended up getting an aluminum reservoir for the C5 style power steering pump I'm using and plumbing it for a second return line. All issues resolved.