G Body El Camino Manual Brake Conversion: Success or Failure? 🤔

If you're wondering how well a manual conversion can work on a G body El Camino, I’m finally getting to the bottom of the issues I’ve been having with this one. There’s quite a few things that needed to be addressed and I found an issue that I found extremely surprising as to why this wasn’t working so well with the parts that I had. If you’ve been considering making the swap, here’s some things to know going into it and how to get past them!
I’m making a change from the ⅞” bore master cylinder to a 1” bore master cylinder. I’m using a Wilwood Master cylinder with a 1” bore, here’s a link to it jegs.ork2.net/ZQLkLz. I’ve been working with @BruceCoggins on this project, this master has been used successfully in other manual conversions using very similar parts in a front disc rear drum arrangement. The old master was not really generating the braking force to feel confident in the brakes.
After bleeding the Wilwood master and installing it, I turned my attention to the other ⅞” bore master. I set it up in the vise to see what happens and which brake circuit flows first. I was extremely surprised to see the disc brake port begin to flow fluid only after ⅜” of piston travel. No wonder I was experiencing such a long travel of the pedal before the car really wanted to slow down. By comparison, the Wilwood practically flowed through both ports at the same time. I’m suspecting there may have been an issue with this master and I’m only now catching it.
With the new Wilwood master mounted to the firewall, the brakes were bled using a custom tool I made for this purpose, and the El Camino was ready for its test drive, and it seems like things are moving in the right direction!
#GbodyElCamino #ManualBrakeConversion #snowfamilyracing #Wilwood
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[@MrZubor]

Great job!

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

Thanks!

[@1Coolbanana]

Hey man, great job. Would you still use the 1" master if you had discs all around?

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

I do not know. Given how quickly I heard back from Wilwood, I'd reach out to them and ask.

[@greezyzgurage]

I prefer the Wilwoods MC as well!

[@patcaro7072]

Do you have stock or upgraded brakes on the front? And your set up is manual correct? No assist

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

It's stock parts, stock calipers, stock rotors and a manual set up. I do have braided hoses from the frame to the caliper. The one change I would make is a 15/16" Wilwood Master. I've talked with them after I made the swap and they've suggested the 15/16" master to be the ideal for this set up.

[@stroomperformance]

Good luck next month

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

Thanks!

[@kevinarce6120]

My pedal feel is horrible I have to slam my pedal all the way to stop at how do I fix this

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

Sounds like the master may be issue like mine was.

[@welcome2cali946]

Mine starts to jerk when I'm almost to my stop 87 monte Carlo

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

@welcome2cali946 could be any number of things from warped rotors to sticky calipers or wheel cylinders.

[@onelowzuki]

What is your pedal ratio?

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

The factory manual brake hole puts it at 5.5:1. After this video, I've talked with Wilwood, and they recommended a 15/16 bore master cylinder as being more ideal and offering more clamping pressure than the 1" bore I currently have.

[@jimmy_olds]

⁠@@SnowFamilyRacingdid you change to the 15/16”?

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

Not yet, I've still got the 1". I do intend on changing to the 15/16" bore per Wilwood's recommendation.

[@jimmy_olds]

@@SnowFamilyRacingI have the same 7/8” bore MC like the one you replaced but haven’t plumbed it yet. Now I’m concerned! Lol
Did you retain the OE proportioning valve?

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

Yes, it would have been easier if I hadn't tried to plumb a line lock in. In one of the brake conversion videos, I show how the 7/8" master cylinder flowed. The one I had flowed the rear brakes long before the fronts started to flow. My 7/8" master may have had an issue, I don't know.
Keep an eye on how your ports flow when you bench bleed the master. That will tell you what you need to know.