What do I need to convert my '68 to servo assisted brakes?

[supaninja]

I'm completely fed up with the lack of ish for the brakes on my '68. I have a NOS MC that I had to rebuild because the old seals finally blew and the lower reservoir (which I paid good friggin money for) is a cracked pos. This rig has real power now and I plan on towing stuff with it so the substandard brakes gotta go. SACO has a sweet front wide 5 disc brake kit and I think a power assisted MC would be the bee's knee's. What all do I need?

[Marc]

I think this'll answer all of your questions. Don't know if the SACO discs might end up needing a proportioning valve, but that could be added later:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... 4196c9e456

If you have dual carbs you'll probably be able to get by with taking the vacuum from one cylinder, but in my experience it can be marginal. I prefer to tap both sides and tee the hoses together (use two check valves, one between each manifold and the tee). Junkyard waterpumpers are an excellent source for checkvalves and reinforced vacuum hoses. I would avoid using any `71/`72 components since they're either obsolete or headed that way. `73-`79 parts should remain available forever, though.

http://type2.com/rvanness/mastres.htm

[supaninja]

That's perfect Marc, I hate hate hate, did I mention I hate the TOS's bay forum, it's the largest conglomerate of wankers in all of the internet. I have a Honda K20a in it, in overrun I'm pulling 23 KPa's, vacuum is not a problem

what I was thinking is to use either a 69-70 servo MC and try it first with the drums since all that stuff is rebuilt and good stuff, if it's not enough then add the SACO disc brake kit. Or should I just go with the 73-79 stuff due to availability?

[Marc]

Power-assisted brakes were an M-code option on pre`71 Type IIs (it says...I've never seen one with `em). All US-market Buses had power brakes, although I understand there were non-power in some other countries (again, never seen personally).
I'd definitely go with `73-`79 parts for the sake of future availability; if the front drum brakes are serviceable, may as well use `em and see what happens.

Maybe by the time the present drum brakes need major work you'll be ready to change to 5x112 and put `79 brakes on all-around. There are some Audi rims that'll fit, including wider/bigger diameter ones (the center hole needs to be opened up and longer studs are usually required for alloys).

[Chris V]

We flat-towed my `67 hot street car to the drag strip on stock `73 brakes, they're pretty solid. Another friend used his stock `78 to deliver phone-books (loaded to the windows) for a stretch...In our Bus w/1995cc & later on a 1775cc with dual carbs...tapping #3 DCNF, and later on #4 IDA manifold for vacuum worked well until you winged-the engine up and had to lean on the brakes immediately...still alive to say so, but there were a few 'fun' moments over the course of ~30K miles.

There are some guys doing Audi rotor/Wilwood caliper conversions.

[fusername]

.... I hate hate hate, did I mention I hate the TOS's bay forum, it's the largest conglomerate of wankers in all of the internet....

yeah more or less.

ok this is all off the top of my head, and I HAAVE NEVER DONE THE CONVERSION but I think I can get it close. there is an early/late brake booster. it is not listed in 90% of the books, and one VW manual actually claims "there is only one booster" but this is false. up to 73 you MIGHT find teh smaller one. I think the larger one sometimes interferes w/ something random under there ,but can be easily clearenced esp if it's a custom install. I think the fluid is fed the same way, so no change there. I think the pivot is even the same, just the pushrod is longer and goes to the master. then you need to drill a plate w/ the one big hole and 4 M8s and weld it to your beam and you are probably good to go. A proportioning valve will be needed for the rear end if you have disk in the front. factory valve is eh, I would go adjustable so you can dial it in, or a fancy proportioning valve like an active one from a pickup truck.

front to back vac line is steel tube, so you will want to hunt down somethign and weld it up under there to avoid having 100 feet of hard rubber line.

honestly nothign hard comes to mind. snap a pic of under your pedal cluster so i can verify the pivots eh?