Many classic vehicles, including Tri-Five Chevys and pre-1967 cars and trucks, came equipped with single-reservoir master cylinders. While these served well for decades, a failure in any brake hose, wheel cylinder, or line could evacuate the entire system, compromising safety. Upgrading to a dual-reservoir, power-brake setup not only adds redundancy but also reduces pedal effort—an especially welcome change for weekend cruisers and street rods alike.
Kit Components
The Classic Performance Products (CPP) Power Brake Kit (PN 6474BB2) is a complete, bolt-on solution for disc-front, drum-rear setups. It includes:
✅ A cadmium-plated brake booster (9-inch unit chosen here) with steel mounting brackets
✅ A dual-reservoir master cylinder pre-assembled but ready for bench bleeding
✅ Pre-bent hard lines and a bracket-mounted proportioning valve
✅ Pedal pushrod, clevis, and hardware for a direct fit to the factory firewall.
Installation Process
✅ Remove the old master cylinder and original single-inlet distribution block by unbolting the nuts on the firewall and disconnecting the brake line.
✅ Bench bleed the new master cylinder on a vise—fill with fluid and pump the piston slowly until all air bubbles clear from the tubing.
✅ Mount the booster and master cylinder to the firewall studs, torqueing the provided nuts.
✅ Install the proportioning valve assembly, which snaps into place with its pre-bent hard lines.
✅ Replace the chassis brake lines (in this case using a Summit Racing COP64H2 kit) and tighten fittings with a line wrench.
✅ Connect the vacuum line from the booster to the intake-manifold vacuum port using a 3/8-inch rubber hose and bleed the wheel cylinders, starting at the farthest corner from the master cylinder.).
Time
The entire conversion—including bench bleeding, booster and master-cylinder installation, line replacement, and final bleeding—takes only a few hours in the garage.
Benefits
✅ By upgrading to this CPP Power Brake Kit, you gain:
✅ Improved safety, thanks to dual-reservoir redundancy
✅ Reduced pedal effort via power assist
✅ Complete, direct-fit solution that avoids piecemeal parts sourcing
✅ Enhanced confidence behind the wheel of your classic ride.
