No Significant Brake Pressure, Brake Experts Chime In Options

[Brad Roberts]

Erik,

do you know much about the car?

Tony was asking me about a custom component installed on the left front caliper line from the MC to the caliper line. I told him the "old school" racers used to increase the line length to the left front caliper to add more fluid to that caliper for better cooling. It sounds like you have some sort of cool can setup on there. Do you know anything about it?

This is an old racers trick. It keeps the hot fluid in that left front short brake line from feeding back into the MC and heating it up. It works awesome. Just trying to figure out of if you installed this setup?


B

[Midtowner]

Yes, I learned my lesson here and Tony has been very gracious about it too. I am now going with the pads that Tony recommends. And staying away from Ferodo's. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Midtowner]

Back in the 70's, my father installed what he thought was cool because, well, that's what you did back then. This explains the 19mm MC and the braided stainless lines as well as other stuff that I have not run into yet.

Regarding the left front proportioning valve, I will check his hand written notes and get back to you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Midtowner]

Reading from my father's copious handwritten notes, a "Safety Braker" was installed in the left front using a self-fabricated bracket on March 20, 1979 - Automotion Part #009716. Does this help? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Midtowner]

Turns out the Ferodo pads were the culprit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Got PBR's now. Lots of novice lessons learned.

Thanks for your help!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Brad Roberts]

OK. The piece installed cuts off the intial pressure sent to the calipers during hard braking. You wont be able to "lock them up" with that installed.

It sounds like your dad was "in the know" back then.

Tony used to work for the people who "wrote the book" on Porsche performance that we still follow to this day.

99% of what you see today for the 914 was developed by the group called "Garretson Enterprises". I mean EVERYTHING. They were running large bore long stroke custom engine combinations.. big brakes... They tested the GT stiff kits.. they were the ONLY people in the USA to run the 24hr of Daytona in a 914.

99% of everything you see for the 914 that Automotion sells/sold was developed by them and the guy who runs "Strasse". Automotion was in Sunnyvale not too far from the Garretson shop on Old Middlefield.

TonyH bought the property you go to now back in the early 80's when he worked down the street.

The history between him/Bruce Anderson/Jerry Woods/Bob Garretson/Dick Barbour/Bobby Rahal/Brian Redman.. is HUGE.

Some others who worked at Garretsons back in the day:

Jay from Precision machine (Santa Clara)
Tranny builder for Jeff Gamroth (Oregon)
Tony H (Heyer Perf)
Jerry Woods
Bruce and Clark Anderson

and many others I cant remember.

I love talking to Bruce and Bob about this stuff. I feel like I'm 10 years old when you hear them speak about the colorful past and all the development they did back in the day.


B

[Brad Roberts]

You are very lucky to have them all close by. They are one of many reasons why I regret moving to SD a little over a year ago.

TonyH opened the doors for me in the Pro racing world with the ALMS back in 2000. That later turned into several other teams asking me for help on Grand Am and ALMS teams later on with Porsche GT3RSR's.

Tony is one of the hardest working people I have ever met.


B

[Midtowner]

Interesting history. I used to visit Garretson back in the late seventies and had no idea of the big impact they had in the Porsche racing world. I do remember Automotion located on Kifer Road near Lawrence Expressway then moving to Commercial at Central. Tony fixed the brakes real nice! Thanks Tony! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)