[stu72]

I have been wanting to change out my booster for a smaller one some time now to help clear the valve covers and to clean up the the fire wall. I was originally was going to change everything with the booster. But since money is so tight I am now thinking about just going with a 9 inch booster and using my master cylinder and brackets. I'm not sure if I can do this with my old brake lines with just the booster change or not. Has anyone gone this cheap rout or should I go a different way with this. I should have done all this when the engine was out but now I guess I will try to work around all of it. Here is a pic of the engine bay please criticize. I need to get off my a** and clean this thing up.
Thanks Stu

[Ollie]

In the photo you posted. It appears by all the discoloration on the booster, the master cyl. is leaking. If the master cyl. is not leaking then go ahead and replace the booster with the 9 inch or even a 7 inch duel diaphragm. The lines are flexible enough to allow moving the master cyl. enough to install the booster.
Looking at the photo it appears as though the dip stick is on the left front of the engine. I have never seen a Pontiac engine with the dip stick there, what's with that?

[stu72]

The rust is from the old master cylinder that was leaking. The one on there is new. I'm not sure what you are seeing in the photo but the dip stick is on the passenger side.

[Ollie]

I have my glasses on this time. next to the alternator, at the end of the cyl. head. It is a loop in the wire harness and yellow/tan wire harness going down, looks like a dip stick handle.

[stu72]

Thats ok you will have that.

[HWYSTR455]

It's a fuse holder Ollie, had to look twice myself!

Yup, dual diaphram 9" would work, and there should be enough slack in the lines to do the swap without cracking the system open. Check out Pirate Jack, great prices.

The cheapo route would be to go to a later model booster, like a 79 WS6 car, or maybe an early G-body, like '81-'83. Noth sure if you have to swap the master, but if so, you would probably have to change the line ends to metric ones. You can search here, or over at pro-touring.com to see what fits.

.

[Ollie]

Yes, Pirate Jacks reasonable prices and great service. I bought the brackets for the Hydorboost conversion on my 79TA from there. That's another thought, Hydroboost. Have you looked into that. Do a search in this forum there was quite a discussion awhile back. Runs on power steering oil pressure not vacuum.

[stu72]

Thanks guys I will look into the Hydroboost or a dual diaphram 9 inch booster. I will have to call Pirate Jacks and see what they have. They are not showing much for my X body car.

[67cruiser]

Spoke to the Nunz one day with the same problem, his words are dump that big booster and put a 80 firebird small booster and you will not notice anything. Well i did just that, was a bolt on and did not notice any differance at all. Best thing i ever did!! Bought fine line,s proportioning valve set up, bolted right to the side of thebooster, super nice set-up and easy to install.