just realized most Cobra replicas do not have power brakes Wow

[D111]

just got back from test driving a friend's new era cobra and was wondering why the brakes seem much harder to come to a stop then realized that they are not power assisted I guess to keep it original? so you mean to tell me that you guys with six hundred plus horsepower are doing so without power assist breaks? I could see no power steering I have no problem with that having a BDR I guess I just took power brakes for granted.actually my brakes on my BDR are probably the fastest stopping best i ever had on a vehicle .is it really worth the originality to for go power brakes?

[blykins]

I actually prefer manual brakes on Cobras.

[Paul F]

Mine doesn't even have power windows.

[DanEC]

Power brakes!!! Shifting manual gears, heaving a manual steering wheel hand to hand, breathing exhaust fumes, exhaust blaring in your ears, sun beating down on your head, winding your own windows up and - ohh, we don't have any of those - who needs stinking power brakes? Never struck me as strange since I've got about 30 years in a 66 427 Corvette w/o any power. But I can see how some folks have grown up expecting power brakes and feel more comfortable with them. I have to confess I did add a power booster to my 67 drum brake Plymouth GTX. Those 11 inch police spec drum brakes can be a really stiff.

[D111]

Originally Posted by blykins

I actually prefer manual brakes on Cobras.

what is it that you like better about manual brakes? I mean I really just took this for granted ,I doubt there's much loss of power because its just working off of some vacuum? I totally agree with no power steering.and everything else with a Cobra.

[ERA Chas]

Most performance engines don't make enough vacuum to run a booster. Not suitable for track use.
As Dan said, it's totally out of character for the car and unnecessary. Big brakes with properly sized masters, bias and pads are just fine for track or street.

[lippy]

I have another old tech car that has 4-wheel manual drums. They stop just fine, now that I finally replaced the bias plys with radials. For the Cobra brakes, effectiveness should be more of a function of pad/rotor swept area, and also design (caliper stiffness, number and size of pistons, etc). Manual brakes should stop as well as power assist. The manuals need more effort but provide better feel.

[FWB]

i run power brakes, and i am working on outfitting power steering on mine too.
i use a electric vacuum pump in the trunk to give me vacuum. it s a pump designed for an electric car that doesn't have vacuum.

if i had windows.....i would be putting electric windows in too.
why wouldn't you want all the comfort you can get?

[D111]

interesting , I would assume most modern day track cars "NASCAR Can Am formula 1"would have power brakes ?

I'm sure it's what you're used to, I never owned a vehicle without power brakes that I can remember.

[vatdevil]

SPFs have power brakes. Not sure they are necessary, but I do like them when autocrossing/tracking. I have an aggressive cam....makes enough vacuum when idle is at 800 rpm.

[Frank Messina]

Power brakes can be overly sensitive and difficult to modulate. Manual brakes allow for gradual application to scrub off a little speed without upsetting the car in a corner on the track.
Personally I prefer manual brakes.

Frank

[Hotfingrs]

My EM has power brakes and power steering, my ERA doesn't have either. I really have to watch my self after getting out of one, then driving the other. Can get into trouble real quick.

[bobcowan]

It doesn't matter how much power the engine is capable of. When you're braking, the throttles are closed and the engine is making almost no power at all.

The important part is that the car doesn't weigh very much. Most every car with driver is about 2,500#, and some a lot lighter than that. You don't need a lot of brake power for that.

If you install big brakes - like giant Wilwoods - then a power booster can make the brakes too sensitive to drive easily.

As said above a lot of high-performance engines do not make enough vacuum to feed a brake booster very well, although you can get around that with a large reservoir. With those inconsistent vacuum levels can make the brakes to variable to be useful on the racetrack.

the bottom line is, most cars just don't need them.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

also if the pedal is that hard to depress,the master cylinder rod that goes to the brake pedal itself may not be attached in the optimum location........

I think it is FFR that had a diagram/directive on where to locate the rod on the pedal itself to give the driver more "leverage" and make the pedal effort less.....

David

[phattyhales]

I've never had a problem with the non-power brakes in my 67 Mustang and it is a heavier car and has rear drums. Non-power brakes give you a much better feel for your brakes. Power brakes can be too touchy and over boosted in some cases.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by D111

interesting , I would assume most modern day track cars "NASCAR Can Am formula 1"would have power brakes ?

I'm sure it's what you're used to, I never owned a vehicle without power brakes that I can remember.

Neither NASCAR nor F1 have power brakes.

For a street car, I could live with power brakes, but not on a track car.

I would not have a track car without power steering though... probably prefer it for a street car as well.

[lippy]

Originally Posted by scottj

Neither NASCAR nor F1 have power brakes.

Wow. I never would have guessed but that's spot on: Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website

[Turbonut48]

Mine has manual brakes with racing pads. I ALWAYS remember to drag them first half block out of my driveway to warm them up.
It was scared into me after I went thru the first stop sign.
Then they re good.

The Nut

[fordracing65]

Originally Posted by FWB

i run power brakes, and i am working on outfitting power steering on mine too.
i use a electric vacuum pump in the trunk to give me vacuum. it s a pump designed for an electric car that doesn't have vacuum.

if i had windows.....i would be putting electric windows in too.
why wouldn't you want all the comfort you can get?

Buy a VETTE...

[RET_COP]

No power anything except for the engine. Never even thought about it.
Oh, No Power adders either