How driveable are cars with manual brakes (not power assist)? Got a 67 Cutlass Im putting together and it doesnt have assist. Can a car be stopped in an emergency situation with manual brakes? How much pedal effort is it?

 

Isn't that kinda like asking if a hydraulic clutch is easier to operate? The amount of leg strength a person has makes a big difference here. Some folks will have no problems but your 90 year old grandam may not have the same opinion.

 

I've had cars with manual drums, and manual discs, power drums, and power discs. My advise is go with power brakes, whether you keep the drums or upgrade to discs. My Malibu had manual drums when I bought it, and it felt borderline unsafe even after a complete rebuild. A switch to Wilwood front discs sure helped, but pedal effort was still too high for my taste. The addition of an 8" dual diaphragm booster made all the difference in the world. Do yourself a favor and put power brakes on your Cutlass.

 

Manual brakes work fine, just takes a bit more effort with your leg.

 

My W-30s have factory manual brakes. I've never found that to be a problem in stopping, and I'm an aggressive driver. My 62 F-85 also has factory manual drum brakes, and again, not an issue. I'll add that when I drove on Power Tour last year, the leg along VA-58 was very hilly and winding, and those brakes got quite a workout. I will say that when I converted the 62 over to a dual circuit master cylinder, I went from the stock 1" bore to a 7/8" bore. That made a BIG difference as far as reducing pedal force needed. It's like power brakes now.

There's nothing magic about manual vs power. It's just where the leverage comes from - your foot, mechanical advantage, hydraulic advantage, or power assist. You can get exactly the same pedal force requirement with manual brakes as with power if you choose the correct pedal ratio and hydraulic ratio. Personally I prefer the extra feel you get from un-assisted brakes.

 

Hi,

I have several 65 GM A-bodies and a few have PB and a few don't, all have drums. Manual brakes take a bit more effort as mentioned, but are fine as long as you drive the car like it doesn't have modern disc and ABS, any older car was designed to be a safe daily driver, you just have to realize the way your car performs vs, a newer car.

One thing to note, I usually drive my manual brake car and first few times driving one with PB I about put myself through the windshield until I get the feel of it.

Regards,