Disc Brake Conversion

I have been an observer on the sidelines on most topics and look forward every day to seeing what's being talked about.

I have been working on my disc brake conversion and I want to share the good, the bad, and the ugly. My car is a '63 Plymouth Sport Fury 383, factory power brakes and factory air. I bought a Master Power conversion kit. I wanted the aluminum calipers for eye candy and their kit did NOT require new spindles and did not change the track width of the front end. It also seemed to be a very complete kit, including everything down to a syringe to use to clean brake fluid off wheels/ tires. I ended up with pneumonia and had a trusted mechanic install the kit. He had issues installing the supplied new booster and pedal attachment assy. When he contacted Master Power, they said that was a first. (?) Well, we reverted back to using the original Midland Ross booster and finished the job.

When I was able, I started driving the car some, (late spring) and I didn't like the pedal feel (too tight) or the braking, and also had leaking at the proportioning valve. I thought more driving might loosen the pedal travel and brake performance but I wanted to stop the leaks before brake fluid took it's toll on the inner fender. I couldn't find fault with line flares or fittings after inspecting with a magnifying glass, so I used Permatex thread sealer on all line fittings and re-tightened..... still leaked.

I now am inspecting everything every time I drive the car, using a mirror and magnifying glass. I finally discover the source of the leak to be the threaded plug where the valve is put into the proportioning valve body! Master Power says the valve body cant be serviced and sends me a new one. It is now mid summer and hot and the brakes get so tight when driven, gas mileage is awful and the car just won't coast or roll when it's hot. So as a last resort, I pull the M/C loose from the booster and adjust the push rod down to minimum. This makes pedal feel much better! But, we still have a leak.

Last week I decided to do a littler Quality control of my own, and I took the plug out of the valve body replacement M/P sent me. What a mess! Then, same day, I get my new HOT ROD magazine and on page 150 I read the article (by Willwood) saying 50% of these imported P/Vs leak new out of the box! See pics.......... http://s128.photobucket.com/user/carverex/library/Master%20Power%20Project

I know this is a long post, but it's been a real journey. I now have two new valves from M/P to install in the valve body myself. I see light at the end of the tunnel. I know there are a lot of these valves out there, and I wonder if others have had problems? I am learning to stay patient, and positive, yet persistent, and the end result will be good. Whenever that is.

Lyle