Ackattack's Pro touring restoration thread

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I still have a lot of pedal to travel, so if I needed more volume, i still have more pedal. However, I just can't push it down that far due to lack of pressure.

BTW the 96 camaros (vehicle I got the rear calipers off of) also had a 1" bore MC. The area of the front pistons is very close to what my area is. (LT1 camaros used a single piston caliper in the front)

I may need an adjustable proportioning valve. Right now I have a CPP disc/disc non adjustable proportioning valve.

The LT1 cars used the small piston metric caliper in the front. You probably have the large piston D52 style caliper on the front of your truck so the smaller 1" bore LT1 sized master may not be right for you. I would stick with the 1-1/8" one you have.

I think you might be on the right track with the booster replacement. The one in my Blazer was going out and took a bunch of effort to get it to stop. You couldn't push hard enough on it to lock the brakes up.

With the new booster installed it only took a couple toes on the pedal to lock the brakes up.

I am thinking of replacing the 72 Suburban booster on my 67 K10 with one from a mid 90's S-10 Blazer. It has four threaded mount studs on the back of the booster so it should be pretty simple to make it fit the bell crank setup mount of the 72 Suburban booster setup. Just have to modify the pedal rod on the Blazer booster so it can connect to the bell crank parts. Looks pretty straight forward though.

I could always make a new mount setup for the Blazer booster where it just lines up straight with the pedal connection point. I will have to mock that up this weekend and see if there is enough clearance to do that.

[Ackattack]

96 camaro z28 uses a single 2.5" bore front caliper = 4.9 sq in

My front calipers are dual 47mm bore = 5.4 sq in

Comparing the camaro and my truck also assume an approx. equal pedal ration too (that comes into the equation too)

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

96 camaro z28 uses a single 2.5" bore front caliper = 4.9 sq in

My front calipers are dual 47mm bore = 5.4 sq in

so I would need a higher pressure at my front caliper to get an equivalant clamping force.

Comparing the camaro and my truck also assume an approx. equal pedal ration too (that comes into the equation too)

The LS1 F-body has the same configuration dual 48mm front calipers as what you are running and I believe the rear is the same size as the LT1 so maybe an LS1 master cylinder would be a good piece to work with for your setup.

Most likely the truck has more pedal leverage than the F-body so that should be in your favor.

[Ackattack]

LS1 F-body also use 1" bore

[Ackattack]

Well I got a master cylinder for a 72 corvette with manual brakes (1" bore). I took a few initial measurements, painted it, bench bled it, then installed it.

It was a bolt in deal, the two lines from it line up with the proportioning valve, the push rod depth was the same.

I did not get to test it out. I have a flat tire. I took off the wheel/tire and put some air in it, and the valve stem is leaking. So I'll take care of that, then bleed the whole brake system again. Not much air got in it, but better to be safe than sorry.

I did start up the truck to see how it feels. The pedal has more of a natural feel to it, rather than being stiff and little movement. Guess we'll see later for sure.

[ripdog28]

Nasty build man, i love it.

[RdoubleU]

Just wondering if you could post up some pictures of your new MC and prop valve setup. This is the exact setup I'm going to use and just wondering how it all fits/looks together before I order.

Are you using the stock lines/bends from the prop valve down?

Also any reason you went with a 72 vette MC rather than an earlier model one 68-69?

Thanks - awesome looking build

Originally Posted by Ackattack

Well I got a master cylinder for a 72 corvette with manual brakes (1" bore). I took a few initial measurements, painted it, bench bled it, then installed it.

It was a bolt in deal, the two lines from it line up with the proportioning valve, the push rod depth was the same.

I did start up the truck to see how it feels. The pedal has more of a natural feel to it, rather than being stiff and little movement. Guess we'll see later for sure.

Got some work done on it. I replaced the CPP disk-disk distribution block with a summit adjustable proportining valve.

[jbice70gmc]

Was wondering which caliper perch's you used for the rear brake calipers and where you picked them up at. Beautiful truck thanks for the detailed thread.

[Ackattack]

Figure I'll update my build thread.

The biggest news is that I now live in KS. We moved here in December and pulled my 68 behind our suburban from WA to KS. It was not a lot of fun. Through Oregon the roads were snow packed and going up one pass in 4wd I spun twice and the whole suburban shifted about half a lane. (we were going about 25) Talk about pucker factor when my truck was hooked up behind and my kid was in there with me (oh yeah, and the big moving truck with my car on a trailer was in front of me too).

Then in Wyoming the roads were closed for awhile, and that delayed us about 6 hrs. About 100 miles of slow going, but with no problems.

The only problem we had was a leaky trailer tire that I got taken care of quickly at the tire shop while my son and wife stayed at McDonalds playing....so no biggy.

Finally we got to KS a few days before christmas, closed on our house, and I put the truck in the garage (oversized single car garage). It pretty much stayed there until about March, and I got it out and washed it. All of the grime that was on it from the trip was still there. It did a number on the wheels, and now they kinda look crappy, so I may try to polish them up myself or just take them to a polisher.

Last weekend I finally got a little time. I replaced the power brake booster with a new one and the brakes seem to be working better. I may change out the MC to see if I can get a little better. Right now I'm using a 72 manual corvette MC. I think the 72 power corvette MC might have a bore size between the stock power truck MC and the manual corvette MC. Not 100% sure though.

After I got the brake booster installed me and a buddy went to a cruise in. It was fun showing the truck off a little, though it needs some work yet to be done. I might get there eventually.

As for the house, the garage here is small and all my tools barely fit, and I have no room to work (plus no 220V either). But that is all gonna change. We just agreed on an offer to buy another house (keeping the current one as a rental). The new house has an oversized 2 car garage (26x30) and a 30x30 detached garage. So I should have PLENTY of room to work on the trucks soon. Of course I will be needing an air compressor shortly since I sold my old one before we moved. That will be purchase #1 for the garage.

And of course this thread would be worthless without pictures so here they are:

Attached garage:




Detached garage:

[hotrodhomi]

I'm Jealous. Congrats.

[VA72C10]

Congrats on the new house! Awesome workshop!!!

[Mechanic77]

Welcome to Kansas

[mcbassin]

Wow! I love the new shop and garage. You can never have too much space. Sorry to hear about the long journey. Sounds like you made some major changes to move all the way from the left to central America. Topeka isn't too far from where we deer hunt.

[BlazinC5]

Dang, Sure wish I knew you were in spokane before ya moved.. I would have loved to have seen that truck in person.

[69CST-V]

Welcome to Kansas. I lived in Topeka through my high school and College years. Hope to see ya around at some events this summer.

[68 TT]

Glad the trip was safe and everything made it there pretty much in one piece.

Do you have a paved driveway to the new house now?

I am in the process of looking for a new place with some property, an attached garage and a shop just like you found. Nice score.

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

Glad the trip was safe and everything made it there pretty much in one piece.

Do you have a paved driveway to the new house now?

I am in the process of looking for a new place with some property, an attached garage and a shop just like you found. Nice score.

yes....all paved roads (there is a small section of the driveway around the house going to the detached garage that only has gravel down, but it no big deal.

FYI, my house in WA is on 2.5 acres and has an oversized 3 car garage.....wanna move to Poulsbo?

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

yes....all paved roads (there is a small section of the driveway around the house going to the detached garage that only has gravel down, but it no big deal.

FYI, my house in WA is on 2.5 acres and has an oversized 3 car garage.....wanna move to Poulsbo?

If only it was on a paved road

It would be nice but I am pretty anchored on the other side of the state with my whole family over here and a great job with a company I really like here too.

Good luck selling the house. Everything has gone down so much in value that people are having a hard time getting what they owe out of their homes when trying to sell. I'm probably going to end up keeping this one as a rental instead of just breaking even or losing a bit on selling it.

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

If only it was on a paved road

It would be nice but I am pretty anchored on the other side of the state with my whole family over here and a great job with a company I really like here too.

Good luck selling the house. Everything has gone down so much in value that people are having a hard time getting what they owe out of their homes when trying to sell. I'm probably going to end up keeping this one as a rental instead of just breaking even or losing a bit on selling it.

Yeah our house in WA is currently rented out and after paying the property management we're loosing about $900/month. But that's better than loosing all of the payment each month.

We're hoping to put it back on the market next summer (hopefully the market will be a little better then)

[Ackattack]

Finally closed on the house yesterday after jumping through a bunch of hoops from the bank.

Bruiser is now at its new home

[eagleuh1]

Congratulations on the move. Now bring that thing down to the Petit Jean Car show in June in Arkansas.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

Finally closed on the house yesterday after jumping through a bunch of hoops from the bank.

Bruiser is now at its new home

Looks like you have plenty of light in there. Should be a great place to get some work done year round.

[72BlckButy]

Glad to hear things are moving forward.

[thor]

just read the whole build. what a journey. awesome truck! moved for work I'm guessing? who'd ya work for on the peninsula?

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by thor

just read the whole build. what a journey. awesome truck! moved for work I'm guessing? who'd ya work for on the peninsula?

I worked for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton for 7 years as an engineer. Moved back to KS to be closer to family with the kid and all.