1957 T-Bird Power Brakes

[Alan O'Connell]

How difficult is it to convert non power brakes to power brakes?

 

[miker98038]

Pretty simple, if you’re talking oem drums and single master. I picked Larry’s as I’m more familiar with their site, others have it.

https://www.larrystbird.com/product/a2006ak-brake-booster-installation-kit/

Stil down first, it’s not cheap.

 

[Oldmics2]

T Bird vacuum canisters are specific to T Birds

 

[miker98038]

Question oldmics2. Are the replacements they sell now not correct as a restoration? I haven’t bought one of those since 1999, and wasn’t much concerned then.

 

[dmsfrr]

I've got a '55 Bird that uses the same brake booster. I had heard they don't really 'boost' or change the pedal feel all that much.
After about a year driving it around the (original 68 yr old ?) booster failed and vacuum drained all the brake fluid from the master cylinder, Oops!
I removed and 'temporarily' bypassed the booster as there were places to go & things to do that day.

For whatever reason I noticed no difference in the brake pedal effort. The brakes still work fine, no problem there.
Maybe it was going bad the whole time, wasn't really boosting and finally completely quit I don't know. But it did put enough question in my mind to put off the expense of having the booster rebuilt and adding a booster to another Bird here that didn't have one.
.

 

[miker98038]

Those boosters didn’t provide near as much boost as the later model units most of us are used to, let alone what the Chrysler units did in the day. I’m kind of surprised you didn’t notice a difference, but not shocked.

 

[Oldmics2]

Question oldmics2. Are the replacements they sell now not correct as a restoration? I haven’t bought one of those since 1999, and wasn’t much concerned then.

Miker

The T Bird replacements are as original factory units and proper for restoration.

Passenger car tanks will fit on Baby Birds but the plumbing is a bit different

 

[miker98038]

Thanks

 

[dmsfrr]

...
Passenger car tanks will fit on Baby Birds but the plumbing is a bit different

This may be the plumbing difference?
The large-ish C shaped vacuum pipe attached to the breather can be either vertical or horizontal.
I have a faded memory of reading somewhere (the big red CTCI restoration manual I have?) that both styles were used on Baby Birds depending on the year.
.

 

[KULTULZ]

... both styles were used on Baby Birds depending on the year.

See if the attached will show large enough to read -

 

[dmsfrr]

See if the attached will show large enough to read -

So based on the "S" (Thunderbird) designation it seems '55 Birds used one style and '56 / '57 Birds used the other.
With the '55 version being the same as used in '54 to '56 full-sized cars.

.

 

[KULTULZ]

So based on the "S" (Thunderbird) designation it seems '55 Birds used one style and '56 / '57 Birds used the other.

With the '55 version being the same as used in '54 to '56 full-sized cars.

Correct ...

 

[KULTULZ]

I've got a '55 Bird that uses the same brake booster. I had heard they don't really 'boost' or change the pedal feel all that much.

Consider the booster design will generate enough line pressure (1,000PSI) to operate a front disc conversion properly.

The foundation brake design on this period FORD/BIRD was good as to design and sizing but most likely was never serviced correctly (incl booster) over the years and lacked self-adjusters (IMO).