Brakes Masters and Equilizer blocks

[66bspecial]

does anyone have a cross reference for brakes on a 1966 Buick Special. while making a gas line on my sons car I broke the brake line.Which got me thinking bout how the system works .does the brakes completely go if one line goes because there is no equalizer block, and can one be added with the single mater cylinder.i found and bought a booster and master from a 1970 chevelle now just lookin for the equalizer block . and can I hook the power brake assy. up to a regular system.any information on a conversion would be helpful . thnx for your time

[raycow]

With the stock system, if you have a leak anywhere you lose all the brakes. From the safety standpoint, the single best improvement you can make is to split the system and use a 67-up MC.

You should be able to use the Chevelle parts if you make a couple of new lines.

Ray

[BluesBrothersBuicks]

66bspecial - You don't say whether your car has drum brakes or discs. The Equilizer block (Proportioning valve???) is only for cars with disc brakes and has nothing to do with whether the master cylinder is a dual system or not. Look at the master cylinder - is there ONE brake line coming out of the "reservoir"??? - This is a single system and if you get a leak - yes, ALL the brake fluid will leak out and you will have no brakes AT ALL - OR are there two brake lines coming out of the reservoir??? This is a dual system. (There are TWO separate reservoirs.) In a dual system - One line feeds the front or the back and the other line feeds the other system. If you get a leak, only half of brakes will go out and you can at least stop. Raycow is right - going to a dual system is a big improvement in safety. Be aware that if you are changing your car from a single system to a dual sytem - you WILL have to make and route new brake lines. You will have to get a double flaring tool to make new lines and connections and find a good local source for brass fittings. To familiarize yourself with how all these lines are routed on a dual system, your best bet is to make friends with someone who has a little newer car that already has a dual system and will allow you to crawl around and under it to see where all the lines go. Either that or go to a junk yard and look at a car that has the engine already removed - the brake lines can be easily seen then. I put a power brake booster and dual system on a 1947 Chevy once by using bits and pieces from a 1969 Chevy Impala (brake lines) and a 1970 Chevelle (booster and dual master cylinder) so I suppose you can put anything on anything. From what I can remember, the biggest problem I had was connecting the booster to the brake pedal (I had also added the swing pedal from the 1969 Chevy to the 1947 Chevy). The best advice I can give you, is think the whole conversion through carefully before doing anything. Do research galore and talk to as many people as you can before doing anything. Single systems were around for decades before dual systems showed up and work just fine - however, you must watch the brake fluid level - and if a leak develops, don't drive your car until it is fixed!!! Period!!! Above all else - BE SAFE!!! and do not leave your garage with your car unless you know ABSOLUTELY FOR SURE THAT YOUR BRAKES WILL WORK!!! DO NOT TAKE ANY CHANCES!!! By converting from a single system to a dual system, you will be altering your car's original engineering and it will be totally your responsibility if something goes wrong.