Installing front disc brakes ranks among the most popular upgrades for vintage Mustangs. We've covered the subject several times over the years and with good reason. From a pure safety standpoint, converting to front disc brakes is just about the single best improvement option.
This time we're looking in on a Master Power system as it's installed on a '67 Mustang. However, we're going beyond the installation of front disc brakes; we're detailing the conversion to power brakes as well. By adding Master Power's booster system, which includes the brake booster, a dual-reservoir master cylinder, and a power-brake pedal, we'll have better braking as well as a better feel.
While doing the whole setup at once is a great way to go, keep in mind that there are several options. If your '67-'73 Mustang already has manual front-disc brakes, you can convert to power brakes. Conversely, if you have manual drum brakes and want to do the power-brake conversion first, that's also possible. However, we recommend doing the disc brakes first and the power brakes later should you need to budget out the project over time. The power booster will work equally well with drum brakes or front discs. Master Power also offers complete power-disc kits for '65-'66s that came with manual drum, power drum, or manual disc.
We turned to our friends at Mustang Country International who supplied the installation know-how as well as the '67 Mustang subject car.
1 At first we were just going...
1 At first we were just going to install a power booster, but after speaking with Master Power, we decided to upgrade to both a front disc-brake package and the power-brake conversion. The brakes are relatively easy to install, and while the booster does take more effort, the results are worth it.
2 The Master Power front...
2 The Master Power front disc-brake package is an ideal choice for a regularly-driven early Mustang. The main bits include four-piston calipers, rotors, caliper-mounting brackets, brake lines, and wheel bearings. All related installation hardware is also included. The '65-'73 Mustang kits are similar to the '67 version with slight variations depending on the year of the car.
3 The only good thing about...
3 The only good thing about crusty, old drum brakes is how easy they are to remove. Each side only takes about 10 minutes. Begin by removing the dust cover, cotter pin, washer, and wheel bearing to allow removal of the brake drum.
4 Once the brake drum is...
4 Once the brake drum is off, remove the backing plate by taking out the four nuts that hold it in place on the spindle. Access the nuts by reaching around to the backside of the plate. The plate, brake shoes, and all other related bits come off together. There's no need to disassemble the drum brakes prior to removing them.
5 Next, unbolt the brake...
5 Next, unbolt the brake line from the drum-brake hose using a line wrench to ensure the nut on the line isn't rounded off. The line and the nut stay with the car and are reused with the new rubber hoses included with the Master Power brakes.
6 Remove the clip that holds...
6 Remove the clip that holds the drum-brake hose in place ...
7 ... to allow removal of...
7 ... to allow removal of the drum-brake backing plate. Then say goodbye to crummy drum brakes forever.
8 Clean the old wheel-bearing...
8 Clean the old wheel-bearing grease from the spindle so that it looks like this. Then install the caliper-mounting bracket onto the spindle as shown. The two threaded holes should be mounted inward toward the front of the car.
9 After the caliper-mounting...
9 After the caliper-mounting bracket is installed, thoroughly coat the spindle with wheel-bearing grease. Next, grease the bearings, and install them into the brake rotors. Then install the brake rotors onto the spindles, and secure them in place with the new inner-wheel bearing along with the washer, castle nut, and cotter pin from the drum brake.