Whitby Power Brake Kit

[zee]

Hey,

Since I am going with 15" wheels, I ended up ordering 11" front and IRS 11.5" rear brakes. It'll be a street car, so that should be fine.

Other than IRS, I am also adding hydraulic clutch and power steering.

I've been thinking about power brakes, do they make much of a difference in this case? If you have this setup, do you have power brakes or not and how is your experience?

I also plan to go with triple reservoirs (front brake, rear brake and clutch). The power brake kit comes with two remote reservoirs, does it mean it'll be in addition to the triple reservoirs (sorry if this is a dumb question) ... meaning in total I'll have 5 reservoirs?

[edwardb]

You'll get lots of opinions about power brakes. I've done all three. Vacuum power (the Whitby kit), hydroboost, and manual. Once I've gotten used to the heavier pedal that non-powered brakes typically have, I'm Ok with them. Properly set up and with the right pads, no reason non-powered can't be made to stop just as well. I always point out that if you're using the Wilwood pedal box, it has to be modified, the MC's moved out of the footbox, and you loose the front/rear balance bar setup. Can be duplicated with a proportioning valve however it that's important to you. A donor pedal box is easier to set up for power. And would also required a proportioning valve BTW. But then isn't directly set up for a hydraulic clutch like the Wilwood pedal box. So each approach has plusses and minuses.

You would still only have triple reservoirs with the Whitby vacuum power setup. It has a dual master cylinder (front and back), so a reservoir for each plus clutch. Same as with a Wilwood pedal box, manual brakes, and the added clutch.

[alexmak]

I have 15in wheels, and when building the car originally, we went with manual brakes. It was OK, as "EdwardB" said — something that you can get used to it. However since I expect that at some point even my wife is going to be driving it, I decided to add powered brakes, and when the car had the body off for paint, we installed Whitby kit with their modified pedal. I have lost some of the "authenticity" but I feel much more comfortable with powered brakes, much more predictable and controllable. Would recommend to a friend.

I have three reservoirs — two for brakes, one for clutch.

[zee]

I have 15in wheels, and when building the car originally, we went with manual brakes. It was OK, as "EdwardB" said — something that you can get used to it. However since I expect that at some point even my wife is going to be driving it, I decided to add powered brakes, and when the car had the body off for paint, we installed Whitby kit with their modified pedal. I have lost some of the "authenticity" but I feel much more comfortable with powered brakes, much more predictable and controllable. Would recommend to a friend.

I have three reservoirs — two for brakes, one for clutch.

I had a list of cars I was considering modelling my build after. A tribute to CSX3040 or 3042 or ...

Now it seems like I'll be building an Alexmak tribute car, paint and all :-).

[mcwho]

Sounds like you are on the right track, I used a lot of info I learned from A Sunbeam Tiger I owned when I as younger. It had hyd clutch, manual steer and hydralic clutch.

So, the first things was to make it a comfy driver without the pain of slow turns in a parking lot.
My final couices was Power steering, Power Brakes, and hydralic clutch. I am happy yjay I went that directyion, also 15" hilabrand wheels.
Bob

I am 77 and wanted a easily driverable car, thats what I got.. Diring the build school I was able to test the power brakes as well.

Bob