'63 brake booster swap to newer

[73ScampSS]

Hi I need to fix my brake booster on my '63 Dodge 880, on the cheap. It has stock drums. Does anyone know if the later mopars use the same bolt pattern between the booster and firewall, as I would like to swap to an A-body booster, or something cheap and available.

Cardone had one, now not available (part #50-3533). Dewey wants $200+, and Napa wants even more to send it out. The A-body boosters go for $100 which is much more reasonable. My booster looks like the pictures above:

 

[Hanover Mopar]

Brakes are not the place to screw around.

 

[73ScampSS]

Brakes are not the place to screw around.

I only do quality performance mods and fabrication, you shouldn't screw around with cars, brakes or not.

 

[73ScampSS]

For future reference, since forums should be a place to spread knowledge and help others:

I found the cheapest route was to downgrade to manual brakes, for now. It turns out, new drum brake boosters seem impossible to find, or cost more than the price to rebuild my stock Midland Ross Gen1 10-screw up in the pictures. I am going to hang on to my failed booster since they are valuable, even as a core, but I will have it rebuilt in the future.

I got a new dual circuit master cylinder for $36, and got both brake lines & a prop valve (off a '60 ford truck with drums), and an adjustable brake pedal pushrod from a '65 Dodge d200, all from pick'n'pull for less than $20. I wired up the prop valve to the e-brake warning light on the dash, so if one of the brake circuits goes out- it lights up. Everything came out looking stock, and it will be easy to add the power booster back into the system in the future while retaining the dual master cyl.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Well done for updating your thread mate.

I had a similar leaky Midland booster that I had repaired here in Australia.

I drove with vac disconnected for ages until repaired, as the manual drums were not too bad. Much nicer boosted though!

Cost me an arm and a leg just for the seals, and thankfully the diaphragm was still in good condition.

Good luck with yours.

 

[KarNut46]

View attachment 352716 View attachment 352717 View attachment 352718 Hi I need to fix my brake booster on my '63 Dodge 880, on the cheap. It has stock drums. Does anyone know if the later mopars use the same bolt pattern between the booster and firewall, as I would like to swap to an A-body booster, or something cheap and available.

Cardone had one, now not available (part #50-3533). Dewey wants $200+, and Napa wants even more to send it out. The A-body boosters go for $100 which is much more reasonable. My booster looks like the pictures above:

Well done for updating your thread mate.

I had a similar leaky Midland booster that I had repaired here in Australia.

I drove with vac disconnected for ages until repaired, as the manual drums were not too bad. Much nicer boosted though!

Cost me an arm and a leg just for the seals, and thankfully the diaphragm was still in good condition.

Good luck with yours.

Measured a 75 Duster brake booster. Master cyl bolt pattern is the same as my 65 Satellite w/ single master cyl. Firewall mount measures as follows: ctr to ctr horiz= 3.75 (3 3/4)", vert= 3.5 (3 1/2)". This booster came off of a disk brake car, the booster for a drum brake A-body may be different but would be easy to check. The 75 A-body had a cantilever system that put the booster up high enough to clear the engine but will work in a straight on application like your 880. Only problem is the push rod, the A-body has one that is shorter than your C-body. Yours may work w/the A-body booster or you could get an adjustable one. I converted my Duster to a later (80s era) master cyl and did away w/ the booster (per Rick Ehrenberg's advise) and the brakes work fine. Can't remember the place where I got the adj. pushrod, one of the co. that sells hot rod brake components. Those C-body cars had fairly large drums and were adequate w/ a booster. Remember, any time you put more modern equipment on a car it is considered an upgrade and is an improvement. Good luck w/ the project.