69 Brake Booster ?

[Raven R code 281]

This first pic is a Sam Adams with a midland booster. I found that eBay sells rebuilt bendix boosters for $145. Just look at the picture to make sure it matches the 1969 bendix booster .

Edited July 16, 2014 by Raven R code

[Brian Conway 264]

From my research the early 69 cars, yours and mine, Midland is correct for a Dearborn car and a slim chance for a Metuchen car. You need the Midland w/bracket to cover that high and wide hole in you firewall and through the hole in the pedal support bracket. Officially the Bendix was the 69 booster. The Bendix booster without the bracket will mount to your firewall but will leave that high and wide bolt hole exposed. Like you said most folks won't notice. Your call. Brian

[michael2938 24]

From my research the early 69 cars, yours and mine, Midland is correct for a Dearborn car and a slim chance for a Metuchen car. You need the Midland w/bracket to cover that high and wide hole in you firewall and through the hole in the pedal support bracket. Officially the Bendix was the 69 booster. The Bendix booster without the bracket will mount to your firewall but will leave that high and wide bolt hole exposed. Like you said most folks won't notice. Your call. Brian

As I understand it, the Midland has the bracket sort of built into it (like my picture above) so it's not really an option. All Midlands have that bracket, right?

 

As far as mounting the Bendix to the firewall without the bracket, it would then require drilling another hole for the bolt that would normally just have a nut on it and hold the bracket on. That also correct?

[Brian Conway 264]

Yes, the midland booster has the bracket attached. The boosters, midland and bendix, have 4 threaded studs behind the body. The firewall has 4 holes that mirror the threaded studs and a 5 th hole that is high and wide. The high and wide hole in the firewall, the mounting brackets and the pedal support require a bolt through all 3 secure it. So... do you have a 5 th hole in your firewall ? Do you have a pedal bracket with a bolt hole behind that 5 th hole ? If the answer's are yes then you can use either booster w/bracket and your are good to go. No drilling required. Brian

Edited July 14, 2014 by Brian Conway

[michael2938 24]

Yes, the midland booster has the bracket attached. The boosters, midland and bendix, have 4 threaded studs behind the body. The firewall has 4 holes that mirror the threaded studs and a 5 th hole that is high and wide. The high and wide hole in the firewall, the mounting brackets and the pedal support require a bolt through all 3 secure it. So... do you have a 5 th hole in your firewall ? Do you have a pedal bracket with a bolt hole behind that 5 th hole ? If the answer's are yes then you can use either booster w/bracket and your are good to go. No drilling required. Brian

I don't think I explained very well. If you look at this picture:

 

 

The threaded stud on the top left was throwing me off. That bolt gets a nut on it after the bracket goes on. Like this:

 

 

So my question was if you don't have the bracket on like above, would that upper left bolt then go through the firewall?

 

EDIT: btw, that upper picture is listed at O'Reilly's for about $97. The bottom one is $197. They appear to be identical in every way except that bracket. I'll likely just get the bracket from eBay or a local junkyard.

Edited July 14, 2014 by michael2938

[Brian Conway 264]

I added another picture to my last post. The pedal support 5th hole. As you can see a threaded receiver for the bolt that goes through the bracket and firewall to the pedal support.

Your question; NO that is a stud and how would you thread it into the pedal support bracket ? You can , of course modify, customize and alter your car in any fashion you like.

Your statement 'appear to be identical' they are not. The function may be identical the assemblies are not.The Midland has a breather/vent assembly on the front and the main case is held together with a metal strap. The Bendix has none of those and the main case is crimped together. So the $100 difference is because these are two different parts. Brian

I just realized that your question about drilling meant through the firewall and the pedal support bracket and then a nut on that short stud. Yes you can make it work.

Edited July 14, 2014 by Brian Conway

[michael2938 24]

The two pictures I was showing are of two bendix boosters. Neither one were midlands. One had a bracket, the other did not. They both had the crimped case and otherwise they appeared identical. I checked again, and one does have a diaphragm diameter of 7.250 Inch and the other had 6.950. I'm not sure what that means though.

 

Either way, it doesn't matter. I just got back from the parts store and I ordered this:

 

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/OBH3/503202.oap?ck=Search_50-3202_-1_-1&keyword=50-3202

Next, I am going to find one of these:

 

Rear Mounting Plate

 

That should work, right?

 

-Mike

[Wycked69 20]

My car was built 9/19/68 at Metuchen with factory front disc brakes. I needed to replace the Midland Style FORD stamped unit. After much BS trying to find out what the ' correct ' booster was I settled on the Cardone 54-73222 Remanufactured Power Brake Booster, Correctly stamped ' Bendix ' and ' 6945 ' on the front. The adpt. plate is separate and slips on if you choose to use it. I did. My pedal support has a matching backing plate with the provision for the high and wide bolt. None to be found in San Diego at the time so off to AMAZON, $230.00 no core or exchange S$H included. Brian

 

Brian is pretty much all over this and figured it out. I ran into the same situation a couple years ago. At the time, no one was making a bracket for the Bendix booster. I bought an original bracket off of ebay ($80) and reversed engineered the bracket and built a die to form them. I have been selling them on ebay for over a year now. Since then, someone has been selling a Chinese repo of the bracket. Its priced less than mine but its not of the same gauge material no does it have ALL of details of the original bracket but it does fit. My bracket is pretty much to the EXACT Tee ! by the time I pay set up, laser cost to cut the blank, and have them formed in the press, I have $21 cost in the thing so I don't make much of anything.

 

My bracket on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/201111843196?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

My competitors bracket: http://www.ebay.com/itm/331061694694?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

 

From my research the early 69 cars, yours and mine, Midland is correct for a Dearborn car and a slim chance for a Metuchen car. You need the Midland w/bracket to cover that high and wide hole in you firewall and through the hole in the pedal support bracket. Officially the Bendix was the 69 booster. The Bendix booster without the bracket will mount to your firewall but will leave that high and wide bolt hole exposed. Like you said most folks won't notice. Your call. Brian

 

One thing to keep in mind is this bracket is necessary to set the proper distance from the booster to the brake pedal so that the pushrod will fit properly.

[RPM 1,190]

Very nice product and ad Wycked69. Kudos to you for stepping up and producing a much needed piece. One trick to find your selling price point is to start another ad at a price maybe $5 higher and see how many of each sell.

 

Bob

[michael2938 24]

Unfortunately I already placed an order for the bracket last night. If I had known a member here was reproducing them, I'd have bought that. :oops: It looks like I got the other one instead, as it was the cheapest. The prices for those brackets were a bit all over the place, so I just got the cheapest one. I knew it looked slightly different, but figured it would perform all the same and wouldn't be noticable.

 

-Mike

[Wycked69 20]

Bob, Thanks for your kind words. I was a tool maker years ago (in the '80's) so I had a little die experience. I have a friend with a nice machine shop including a wire machine and a laser cutter which I have access to 24/7.

 

I bought an old die shoe from him for a couple hundred bucks and built most of the form die myself. I have the blanks laser cut by him so I only have to form the parts in the press. (not enough volume to go the blanking and forming route) I can use any of the machines in the shop when I want but I don't do lasers and I don't run EDM machines. So I pay him to laser cut the blanks (not cheap) and to run the form die in his press. ........ by the time its said and done, No money in it in parts price, just a passion for the hobby.

 

Mike, No problem. We all try to save money when possible. These cars can keep you broke if you don't manage your money properly. I appreciate you would have considered. At the time I started making them, no repo's were available. I sold about 250 or so parts the several months. since the repo came out, its only been a handful.

 

Oddly enough, Half of what I have sold the past several months have gone to the guys in Oz. who would have thought ????

[det0326 179]

My competitors bracket: http://www.ebay.com/itm/331061694694?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

 

 

 

One thing to keep in mind is this bracket is necessary to set the proper distance from the booster to the brake pedal so that the pushrod will fit properly.

 

Wycked69 I have replaced my firewall with a repop and it has the high and wide hole. I have not got to the point of doing the brakes yet but is this a part I would need with the bendix or midland either one?

Thanks Dave

[Wycked69 20]

The midland does not require it because it is made with the finger and fifth hole for the stud but finding a rebuilt midland is not so easy and I have yet to see them at the O'reilys or advance auto parts stores.

 

You can do just like Brian did. You can buy a Bendix style remanucatured by cardone at an auto parts store which is virtually indentical to the original Bendix but it does not come with this bracket. you simply just add the bracket just like the original

[3pedal 95]

Combination valve rebuild kits...Muscle Car Research...571- 262 1612 around, $25.00....mine came out perfect...check it out on line.....joe

[3pedal 95]

Bought a rebuilt Cardone Bendix Booster last year from them on e-bay...$119-no core...also a set of 70 front discs.....joe

[michael2938 24]

The midland does not require it because it is made with the finger and fifth hole for the stud but finding a rebuilt midland is not so easy and I have yet to see them at the O'reilys or advance auto parts stores.

 

You can do just like Brian did. You can buy a Bendix style remanucatured by cardone at an auto parts store which is virtually indentical to the original Bendix but it does not come with this bracket. you simply just add the bracket just like the original

The only options I found for getting a midland was sending mine to Booster Dewey to get rebuilt or spend $300+ on one at some of the few places that might have had one in stock.

 

I did what Brian did and got a Bendix. OReilly's had an option to get a Bendix with a bracket already on it, but those were marked up an additional $100.

 

-Mike

[Raven R code 281]

Spec question on Bendix boosters. Does anyone know the correct diapham diameter for a big block bendix booster?

 

Napa Auto offers these, not sure what the difference is besides price though:

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=NBB5473202_0311457126

 

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Power-Brake-Booster-w-o-Master-Cylinder/_/R-NBB5473222_0328873108

[Wycked69 20]

They both appear to be the same except the second comes with the bracket (which I make and sell on Ebay) where as the first one does not. I did not check the price but would venture to say they are priced about $90 - $100 difference.

 

I don't know that a big block takes a different booster versus a small block. My guess is if you enter the car, year and engine spec, you may find they are the same regardless of engine size.

[danno 128]

I dont know if it matters, but adding that bracket to a booster will add a spacer between the booster and the firewall. This will mean that the hole where it attaches to the brake pedal is closer to the firewall on the inside. Can you understand what I am thinking, because it is difficult to explain. If you add the spacer, you are going to change the position of the brake pedal. This effectively limits the travel in the pedal. Maybe it does not matter?

[Wycked69 20]

Danno, I fully understand your thinking. The point is, unless the booster design is one with the additional finger having the mounting hole or stud already as part of the booster, you need to add the mounting plate so that it does position the power brake pedal correctly. A standard correct 5-stud booster that does not have this mounting plate will need it. It's what I was trying to explain in one of the earlier post on this thread.

 

The length of the pushrod in the correct booster is based upon the use of the mounting plate.

[michael2938 24]

ok, this may be a dumb question, but what side of the master cylinder should the ports be on? I picked a brake booster with master cylinder a few days ago and in looking at it today I see the ports are on the side facing the passenger, not the driver side. Which is correct?

 

I have rear drums, front power disc brakes, and air conditioning if any of that matters.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[RPM 1,190]

Not a dumb question at at Michael. Wish I'd have thought of it a while back. You want them on the drivers side. It is the same side your distribution block is located, and is away from the exhaust especially if you have headers. If you don't have headers you shouldn't have issues. The header design will affect clearance.

 

I bought a recommended master cylinder for 4 wheel discs not realizing it had passenger side ports. Nor did I realize until after installing it, the clearance issues with headers. I have one inch clearance between a header tube and brake line and 3/4" to master cylinder. I think my best option to keep heat at bay is to fab and install an aluminum heat shield between the headers and lines. At least I'll start there.

 

 

 

 

Bob

[michael2938 24]

Thanks, Bob. After reading your post I went down to Oreillys to replace it. Should have it by Tuesday, so we'll see if it's on the right side his time. I will have headers too so that's good to know about the tight fit.

Edited July 20, 2014 by michael2938
Spelling

[RPM 1,190]

You're welcome Michael, my pleasure. With these cars there are no dumb questions.

 

Bob