Looking around the Hot Rod stuff on the web I ran a cross this Universal Remote Power Booster.

Universal Remote Power Booster

(scroll down to see pic of the unit)

Although the unit is pretty big it'll fit any where in the front trunk but, take up some space.

Not cheap @ $695.00 plus all the brake lines you have to modify and other bits and peices you need. But can you imagine having power brakes on your 914?

What do you think?

Ralph

74 2.0

unnecessary, i'd think...

that connects to the brake pedal how, exactly ?

Sorry for double post, computer screwed up.

Ralph

You keep brake petal and master cylinder right where they are. You run the brake lines from the master cylinder to the booster then run lines from booster to your orignal brake lines.

Would'nt want it on track 914 but would love it on a street 914.

Ralph

74 2.0

It does not connect to the pedal, it boosts the hydraulic pressure in the line. These remote designs were used on a number of cars in the 60's. Jags used them, and the design sold for hotrods was made by Midland - I forget what car they came on. They were single circuit systems, hence the need for two units bolted together for front and rear.

IMHO, not needed, just like in most of the hot rods that use them.

I use to build hot rods with manual brakes (and properly sized master cylinders). Guys would wonder why the brakes felt so nice - it was because they were not overboosted and terribly oversensitive like many systems.

It's much easier to modulate brakes that are a little heavy than those are are way too light.

Jags, Alfas, Minis, used 'em commonly for several years. In '69, two-circuit brakes were required in the US, and Alfa had floor-mounted pedals, so they used two complete remote servo cans for that year only. They switched to hanging pedals and a conventional servo setup for '71 (there was no '70 model in the US). I've seen at least one old Volvo with one of these, too. Always seemed to me to be a great way to reduce brake system reliability. Now you had two master cylinders to go bad, not just one, and both had to work to have that circuit work. The Mini system was only used on the Coopers early on.

i've never really wanted my brake pedal effort to be decreased. Fun project perhaps, just to see if you can do it. That kind of money seems like it would go a long way for a 914.

I have seen it done. Took up a lot of space in the trunk. I can't see how it is needed.

If one could add this & ABS, I'd be all over it.

If it just boosts hydraulic pressure, then wouldn't a bigger master cylinder do the same thing, for a lot less money and effort?

Nope, a bigger master cylinder reduces hydraulic pressure.

The trade off is that with a smaller master cylinder, you get less pedal effort, but you have to push the pedal farther. You can only go so small before you have to press the pedal against the stop to get any pressure at the calipers at all. Beyond a certain limit, the brakes start to feel squishy like they need bleeding. A servo, however, gives better power with less pedal effort and the same (or even less) pedal travel. I'd argue the point that a servo really reduces feel, or that they're a complete negative. Lighter pedal effort (up to a point), promotes better control. Too much or too little effort reduce feedback.

I'd argue back that in a 914 you are so close to optimal feel that any available power boosters would put you over the top and be too sensitive.

I have cars with great power brake set-ups, but adding this unit to a near stock 914 will not result in better control.

I wonder if you could do it with Porsche parts.

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