[57s67RS/SS]

My 1967 RS/SS 350 has factory disc brakes. The car is a roller with original drive train (muncie, 12 bolt rear), but, there is no power brake diaphragm booster. How can I tell if my car came with power or manual disc brakes?

 

[Silvrmax04]

Is there a master cylinder on it now? If so see if it is original. A manual master is different from a power master. If the fire wall is completely stripped and you have no parts or build sheet that I am not sure that you can tell originality. Others may know.

 

[davidpozzi]

Look at your brake lines where they connect to the master cylinder. Manual MC is very close to the firewall. Power brakes move the master farther away from the firewall and up, because the booster is angled. Also look at the firewall for marks that the booster was there. Booster uses all 4 bolts. Manual only uses the top two bolts and the lower two will still be there with nuts and lock washers. Look inside below the MC hole. If it had manual brakes, the master cyl would have leaked at some time and there would be evidence of fluid leakage.

Booster cars have a lower pedal height, even with the clutch. The brake light switch contacts a metal tab bolted to the top (manual) hole in the brake pedal and there should be evidence the lower hole on the pedal was being used. If power brake, there is no rubber bumper for the pedal because the booster controls pedal return.

If manual, the top hole is used, no metal tab for the brake switch, rubber bumper is used for pedal stop, there may be a return spring. Nothing in the lower pedal hole.
Power brake setup: still has rubber bumper because it was converted from manual brakes by the dealer.

 

[dyno jonn]

My 1967 RS/SS 350 has factory disc brakes. The car is a roller with original drive train (muncie, 12 bolt rear), but, there is no power brake diaphragm booster. How can I tell if my car came with power or manual disc brakes?

Trim tag still on the firewall? Maybe decoding it will show how it was when it was new.

camaros.org shows 1967 manual disc brake cars used the 5459467 master cylinder casting. 1967 and 1968 power disc brake cars used the 5460346 master cylinder.

 

[Garfields Maro]

Jon, none of the 67 cowl tag codes refer to the brakes. Only a 4L (Z/28) designation would indicate power disc brakes. Often wondered why when other seemingly less significant options are listed...

EDIT; Non-power DB's was fairly common in 67. If the car still shows a lot originality in general, I'd tend to believe it never did have power assist. Especially if it still retains an "AD" coded 5459467 mc.

 

[57s67RS/SS]

Thanks for all the feedback. The Brake pedal set indicate the car was manual disc. Now I have to decide if I rebuild my 4 piston calipers or use the 1969 single piston type. I have been told by various "experts" that rebuilding would be unwise just switch over to single piston, any thoughts?

 

[Everett#2390]

I would think depends on your idea of keeping originality by sending out the 4 piston calipers and have them stainless steel sleeved,
or buy 69 calipers, sleeved as well, and may be replace brackets accepting 69 calipers and go from there.
Whitestone Restoration(?) for sleeving? Local machine could do it.

 

[Silvrmax04]

I would not get rid of those 4 piston. You can rebuild them yourself on the cheap. Local parts stores sell the kits. Unless they are pitted beyond your abilities and have to send them out.

 

[Garfields Maro]

https://www.camaros.net/forums/16-brakes-suspension-steering/458611-1967-ss-disc-brakes.html

 

[mahunt]

There's no comparison between the feel and performance of 4 piston calipers to the single slider design. Multi-piston calipers are a hallmark of modern high performance brakes.

My 67 RS/SS 350 originally came with manual 4 wheel drum and I upgraded to the single slider soon after getting the car in the early 80's. Power disc brakes (even if they are single sliders) are a WHOLE lot better for a daily driver than manual drum.

After the car was retired from daily service, I investigated going to the J52 setup for 67, but ended up going the JL-8 route as the rotor was bigger and used Corvette 4 piston calipers are easy to find. In addition to the JL-8 front brake setup, I also bought the 2 piece rear brake line so I could fit the rear proportioning valve. During the conversion, I was lucky to randomly get a pair of regular 3rd Gen Corvette front calipers on eBay that had already been sleeved.

Just get your 4 piston calipers sleeved and you can ALMOST have the performance of the JL-8 front brakes for not a lot of extra money or work. You would need to change a few things to convert to single slider. Caliper bracket, calipers (obviously), flex brake line, rotor and maybe the dust shield. All for lesser performance.

I'd also check for the rear brake proportioning valve under the car near the driver's seat area and get one if your car isn't equipped.

The JL-8 front brake equipped 67 stops like a modern car with ABS. Amazing performance.