Brake booster and master cylinder combo

[77rod]

Hey guys,

I've got a 1977 dodge aspen that I completed a 383/727 swap in and I'm having a hard time figuring out a booster/master cylinder combo for the car. I've owned old yeller/ "ed" since I was 14 and this has been a father son project through and through with my dad. 5-7 years ago when I installed the big block I picked up a smaller booster from a small company that sold brake/suspension parts and this was their display. Long story short I got screwed and the booster is shot due to seals inside dried out or something that isn't right inside of it. Does anyone have any thoughts on a brand or exact setup they have used when doing the big block swap in these cars? On another forum I read something about a gentleman using a K car booster for a 440 swap on a fury.

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated!


Thanks

 

[Camtron]

small diameter booster from a K car or do a hydro booster from a van/truck and completely ditch the canister all together.

K-Car Booster - Cardone 5473172

From what I understand, there’s still a bit of a clearance issue on the driver side depending on the valve covers used with the K-car booster.

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Or throw caution to the wind and go with a manual brake set up

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

small diameter booster from a K car ... K-Car Booster - Cardone 5473172

uggghhhhh...I LIKE!!!

So here is the thing, when I re-did the brakes on my Coupe I installed Cardone 54-73370, but even than (which is a dual-chamber booster, 10.75" 9.0" diameter) I still have just a tiny amount of room between the booster body and the valve covers.

Therefore....while I dread having to unbolt it all and install the smaller one, boy, hard to argue with an opportunity to lose a whole 1" each side in a booster diameter by going to your suggested 54-73172 part.

Hmm...how do you deal with the Imperial to Metric conversion? I haven't actually compared, but if these do NOT convert to the same number, is there a separate MC you need to run?

BTW: I love the booster I have b/c even when the idle vac drops to 6-7" my power brakes remain very happy...courtesy of the dual-chamber config, which was a fleet car spec.

EDIT
====
So I did strike-out couple of the above statements because I went back to my records as something didn't "feel right"...yup, indeed, for some reason I pulled up the 54-73770 booster on Cardone's site instead of the 54-73370 piece, which is what I had actually installed in my Coupe. Point being: that booster is 9" diameter and if I recall correctly it was the narrowest factory booster at that time. So going to the K-Car booster today for a very little gain (diameter wise) just doesn't make sense. Sorry for the confusion for those who looked up the specs and tried to make sense of it all! lol

 

[Aspen500]

Deleted (posted in wrong thread, oops)

 

[80mirada]

The stud spacing is the same on the K-car booster as the earlier (sae) booster, just have to use metric nuts.

 

[77rod]

All very good responses gentlemen. I was hoping someone would have a lead for custom master cylinder and reservoir setup, but it looks like I'll have to possibly try the K car number if my findings show it's the same size as my current or at least not big enough to hit my valve covers. Anyone running anything else other than that K car booster? I really don't want to go manual brakes and won't lol. I want my wife to be able to drive it if needed and I also don't want to worry when I'm going to shows as they seem to be PACKED with little kids running around like wild animals lol.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

A K car one is what most big block swaps have used with no issues.
I thought there might have been some sort of issue that made one of those components not fit with older mopars and you might be affected by that, or maybe not?, because stock you still had the older master cylinder style. It changed for 79.

 

[80mirada]

The boosters in turbo cars are dual diaphragm and are smaller diameter than non turbo. For a master go with a 79-80 master cylinder.

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

...Anyone running anything else other than that K car booster? I really don't want to go manual brakes and won't lol. I want my wife to be able to drive it if needed and I also don't want to worry when I'm going to shows as they seem to be PACKED with little kids running around like wild animals lol.

OK, so given your model year and I'm guessing a 4 bolt MC setup, check out this Cardone "bad boy", literally the equivalent setup to what I have in my Coupe, but a 4 bolt MC config (Vacuum Power Brake Booster - 54-73309)