Manual Brakes on a Box?

[P72Ford]

Are you thinking about doing this on a 90+ or on a 79-89?

If it's the 90+ you've got it made. Get a newer model non ABS brake booster and you've got plenty of clearance. I'd spend the money on maybe making an offset pedal for the clutch so they line up a bit better.

On the 90+ you weld the tube from the mustang pedal assy on top of the stock pedal box. Just cut down the brake pedal to the same shape as the mustang brake pedal and you can reuse the rubber cover on it.

On my 89, it's a bit more fiddly. First, the tube has to run through the pedal box. Also you have to clearance a bit of room up top for the clutch quadrant.

Other than the throw on my clutch pedal and it riding a bit high, (mostly due to the different curvature of the mustang pedal) it looks pretty much like it came from the factory that way. If someone were to cut the mustang clutch pedal off and weld on the lower part of a panther brake pedal (trimmed of course) It would probably look perfect.

Also look into converting a t5 to hydraulic clutch before going down that route. Unless someone has begun selling a kit a lot more reasonably than what was available when I did my conversion, it's not worth it. Granted the pedal feels a lot nicer on a hydraulic one than with a cable, but it's not that much of a difference imho.

I have an '87.

I know I could make a pedal assembly and have it look and function well. It is absolutely critical that it works perfectly, but I am stickler for visual details. When I look into the foot box I want to see arms that look like they came there, that are somewhat lined up (the clutch pedal in my truck always sits higher than the brake pedal). I just thought starting with a universal piece and modifying it would be easier. I have to study the firewall and floor pans more in order to know if its even possible.

Also, I have no intentions of using a T5. I like the low range first of the TKO 500. The TKO 600 is obviously a possibility, but I have heard of folks complaining about shifting the TKOs. The T56 would be expensive, but pretty much the ultimate.

McLeod was supposed to be releasing a transmission of their own (the M880?), but it hasn't come to the market yet.

I'd prefer to use a hydraulic clutch.

Like I said, this is just research. But with what I am planning on doing here down the road, the T5 will be inadequate. As I discussed in my reader's ride thread, my engine build options were a windsor stroker, or a 500 inch Cadillac (or an LS, in which a T56 would be the trans).

And if you're saying to yourself that it isn't possible to put a manual transmission behind a big Cadillac, you'd be wrong. There are a few folks that make what I need.

I am still on the fence about a stick shift all together, because I will be doing quite a bit of racing with this car. If I did the swap before an engine swap, a windsor stroker would be the simplest engine build. But with a new flywheel, bellhousing and clutch I could probably make the 500 work.

[mrltd]

Even on the pre 90 cars the newer boosters can be used. I just had one installed on my 89.

Didn't Dave go wilwood mc's on his 2 door?

[gadget73]

Hydroboost units are a much smaller diameter, so lots of clearance around them if thats a factor. They are longer, and require that you have a power steering pump though.

Proper manual brakes should work fine, you just need to re-engineer the pedal assembly to get enough travel and leverage to get good braking. Just using the stock geometry, I have to suspect it would suck horribly since the stock stuff is designed around having the vacuum assist. To move the pivot point up significantly though may have issues with the steering column being in the way. I guess you could locate the MC downward to retain the leverage but thats still gonna involve some work.

[Fordman75]

I won't even comment on using a caddy or ls engine in a panther.

I'm going with a manual brake set up on my 1954 F250 4x4 project. I'm going with a set up similar to what they run in Nascar. It uses two completely separate master cylinders. It uses an adjustable balance bar that eliminates the need for a proportioning valve.

I'm going with an aftermarket pedal assembly. But they do sell an adapter to use with a stock type pedal set up. But you would need to make up an additional plate to adapt it to a panther.

Here's the link to the dual master cylinder set up with the adapter. http://www.cncbrakes.com/sra.asp?grp...240&subseries=

And here's the link to the pedal assembly I've got. They sell them from 12" to 15" long so you can get the ratio you want.

http://www.cncbrakes.com/dcbpa.asp?grp=dcbpa&subgrp=sm&series=214&subseries=ST

This set up is suppose to take more effort then a power brake assembly. But less effort then a regular style manual brake set up.

[P72Ford]

Thanks. That looks like a ncie set-up. The assemblies I was looking at also utilize a balance bar.

And Thain, I'd imagine that manual brakes with the stock geometry would be horrendous...

Reagrading the engine swap options...

A windsor stroker is kind of blah. It'd be good reliable performance, but I'm just not sold on it. I'm not a big proponent of big block Fords either, as most folks here know from my past commentary.

The LS is great cutting edge technology, although I'd run it with a carb and modified ignition. But to find a decent one and rebuild it, I'd be looking at a larger monetary cost than I would with either a windsor stroker or a Cadillac.

The Cadillac swap is alot more probable than the LS swap. I have been talking about a 500 swap into something for a long time, and I really think this may be the project. With the right work done, there is a buttload of potential in the big inch Cadillacs. Plus, there is always the... 'Why in the hell would you do that', crowd when you open the hood.

We'll see. Its a ways off.

[Fordman75]

Thanks. That looks like a ncie set-up. The assemblies I was looking at also utilize a balance bar.

And Thain, I'd imagine that manual brakes with the stock geometry would be horrendous...

Reagrading the engine swap options...

A windsor stroker is kind of blah. It'd be good reliable performance, but I'm just not sold on it. I'm not a big proponent of big block Fords either, as most folks here know from my past commentary.

The LS is great cutting edge technology, although I'd run it with a carb and modified ignition. But to find a decent one and rebuild it, I'd be looking at a larger monetary cost than I would with either a windsor stroker or a Cadillac.

The Cadillac swap is alot more probable than the LS swap. I have been talking about a 500 swap into something for a long time, and I really think this may be the project. With the right work done, there is a buttload of potential in the big inch Cadillacs. Plus, there is always the... 'Why in the hell would you do that', crowd when you open the hood.

We'll see. Its a ways off.

I'm a Ford guy so anything but a Ford in a Ford just turns my stomach. There are too many cool Ford engines not to use one of them.

If you want power and to be different build a Clevor. Build a Windsor stroker with some aftermarket Cleveland heads. It's something that has been done but it's not something you'd see every day.

Me I'm holding out for a twin turbo'd stroked Boss 429 build for my dream 2dr Panther.

The way I feel is if you have your heart set on using a caddy or LS engine why not build a Caddy or general motors vehicle? But it's not my project or money, so my opinion doesn't mean shit.

[gadget73]

And Thain, I'd imagine that manual brakes with the stock geometry would be horrendous...

at least you're smart enough to realize it though. Lots of people don't understand that manual brakes are not the same as power brakes without a booster, much like manual steering is not power steering without a pump.