Hydro-boost Power Brakes in an F/Z

[FuturaGuy]

I don't know if I'm the first to do this, but I put the Hydro-boost power brake and the power rack and pinion steering from a '96 Mustang into a Futura. The 32-valve 4.6 Cobra engine is WIDE and there's no room for a regular power brake booster.

The mounting plate for the Hydro-boost and master cylinder has 4 bolts that go thru the firewall and attach to the clutch and brake pedal assembly. Ford changed the bolt size, going to metric, and changed the hole pattern sometime between 1979 and 1996. Facing the firewall from the engine side, the 2 bolts on the right line up to the holes in the Fox firewall. The 2 bolts on left are different. I had to make a special socket wrench to remove (and later retighten) the nut that holds the brake booster to the mounting plate. I then pressed out the 4 metric bolts and drilled all 4 holes to 3/8" diameter. I drilled the lower left hole, also 3/8" to match the firewall and plugged the unused hole with 3/8" rod. The fourth hole, upper left, would overlap the existing hole, so I welded in a 3/8" rod and redrilled the hole to the correct location. I then put four 3/8 hex head bolts into the holes, brazing them in place to I wouldn't need a helper when I installed the clutch and brake pedal.
I also had the plate power coated, nearly the same color as the cam covers, and it looks like a factory installation. The only other special parts that I needed were the 2 lines that go from the master cylinder to the proportioning valve. The thread in the master cylinder ports are metric and the ports in the proportioning valve are in inches, so I had Classic Tube in Buffalo, NY make a special set for me, cost about $95. Everything fits and it works.

[eric5oh]

Nice. I'm in the process of fitting all of it into a Capri. I haven't gotten to the lines yet. I'll keep this thread in mind.

[Ltngdrvr]

Where in the hell is that smilie?

"THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!!"

[ncontt]

Where in the hell is that smilie?

"THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!!"

I was thinking the same thing....

[FuturaGuy]

I was thinking the same thing....

Hey, guys, lighten up a little. I didn't even have a digital camera when I did all the work on the brake booster and I'm not taking it apart just to take pictures now.

Rereading my post, I realized I left out something. The hole in the firewall has to be cut larger and on a different centerline than the existing hole. The pedal assembly needs to be trimmed too. Using the mounting plate, I made a pattern out of cardboard (cereal boxes and pizza boxes are great mock-up materials) to locate the hole and then used that to make another pattern out of 1/4" Masonite with the hole larger by the diameter of the plasma cutter. Bolted the Masonite pattern to the firewall using the existing bolt holes and cut the hole to size.

If you really want them that badly, I'll scan the drawings of the modified mounting plate and the socket wrench and post them here. Or you can send me a PM and I'll send you copies.

[ncontt]

I was just playing...I know what a PITA it is to try and take detailed pics of everything while you're working on it.....makes it take 4 times as long. No harm no foul.

[LTDScott]

I saw this done on an 84 GT. Looked like quite a job.

[heffer1]

also a thought for guys who r a fan of bolt in upgrades, a company called hydra-tech makes a bolt in setup for foxes. For w/e reason, they dont post a price for it, but a guy on the mod-fox forum said his was somewhere around $700-$800. http://www.hydratechbraking.com/

[Jim Allen]

what is your address, i will mail you a digital camera

[heffer1]

go to www.modularfox.com, the have a few tech article's on doing the swap. you have to elongate and/or reposition a couple holes, and either modify your factory pedal setup, or adapt in a '96+ mustang pedal box. realistically (unless you have a setup already from a donor car) i would suggest going with the hydratech unit. it is a direct bolt in setup. and it's only around $700-$800 you'll have just as much, if not more $$$ into buying a new one. and probably almost that from getting one from a wrecking yard. If/When ig swap in a mod-motor into my Zephyr, thats the way i'm going. But thats just my humble opinion.

[Jim Allen]

I am going to use 1006 GT stuff only because I have a whole car to pull it from, only paid 300 dollars for the car minus the engine

[Jim Allen]

1996

[FuturaGuy]

I finally got a digital camera and a picture of the Hydro-boost installation. It was done with all Ford parts, with the exception of one hydraulic line from the power steering pump. That came from the local auto parts store and while the fitting on the line had metric threads to match the pump, the hex was in inches.

[FuturaGuy]

I was finally able to figure out the combination document center/copier/fax/espresso maker/slot machine at work and got the drawings into a format the could be read on this board. The drawings are the wrench you need to take the Hydro-boost off the backing plate, and the mods to make the mounting plate fit on an early Fox.

The mounting plate is show as viewed looking toward the firewall. The two bolts on the right match exactly with the holes in the firewall and the pedal assembly. The other two holes need to be plugged and redrilled. I realize now I didn't put the locating dimension of one of the new holes but it's easy to locate. Just make a cardboard template of the existing master cylinder bracket and lay it over the Hydro-boost mounting plate.

The Hydro-boost is held to the mounting plate with a 1 7/8" square nut that sits in the depression stamped in the plate. No way are you going to get a regular socket wrench or an adjustable wrench on it, especially with the bolts in the way. The deep socket in the sketch grabs the nut and clears the actuator rod to the master cylinder. All you need is a 1 1/2" open end or adjustable wrench to turn it. I had the socket made at a machine shop but if you have your own Bridgeport miller (lucky you) it's easy to make.

[nelzfoxes]

This is an old thread but I saw an article on this YEARS ago and they got the booster out of an 80's lincoln.. I think maybe continental. the only problem was the original mustang rod had an off-set and new hydro-boost rod was straight so you had to shim mounting bolts for booster to angle it a little.