I recently purchased an original Power brake booster for my 56 T-bird which is all original other than a dual master cylinder and disc brakes up front plus A/C in the cab. I know that the unit bolts to the drivers side inner fender but can some one tell me if they have a 55-57 T -Bird how it hooks up to the brakes and engine. Thanks Tom A photo or two or a diagram would sure help
The OEM booster was not designed to work with disc brakes. It is not sufficient for all four wheels, but may be adequate for either front or rear. This has been confirmed by Gil Baumgartner (CTCI Gil's Garage) and probably others. If you want power brakes for all four corners, you will have to use an aftermarket booster made for that purpose. It will have to be mounted to the firewall, and the battery will have to be relocated.
You can plumb it in for all wheels but then it defeats the purpose of having a dual reservoir master cylinder as there is only one in or out. You could plumb it for the front brakes only, it would work if you had disc brakes. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have remote booster boosting only the front disc’s, works great. Rear brakes are original converted to self adjusting. The booster is not an original but one that Master Power Brakes sells.
Prestige Thunderbird in Santa Fe Springs Ca. has a kit using 4 piston Ford disc brakes on the front and a Bendix power assist vacuum booster mounted on the inner fender panel like many of the 55-6 Fords used just on the fronts master cylinder reservoir. According to all the owner with that set up I’ve spoken to they love it...
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