Cabrio V8 Brakes

[smudge846]

Hi,

I am building a Mk 2 Cabrio and am shoe-horning a Rover V8 into it. The manual says I need to use a Metro brake servo and 'suitable' master cylinder. Can anyone gie me a part number or likely vehicle to get one off? The metro master cylinder doesn't look like the one in the pictures in the manual.

cheers in advance!

[Mike]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Smiffy

You can use the standard Metro master cylinder, or you can make an adaptor and fit the Ford Sierra master cylinder. The Metro only has two outlets - front and rear: whereas the ford will split the front as well.

[smudge846]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

thanks Mike

[djj_engineer]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Original cabrio used Sierra mster cylinder and a Cortina Servo.
Can supply address in Rochdale who got me a recond servo.

[mike woodley]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Hi Smiffy,Have built a Cabrio with a Rover V8, its been on the road for 5 years now with no problems.I used the discs/calipers from a XR4i, A reg, 2.8i Sierra. These discs are larger than the normal Sierra discs and the calipers are larger as well. To give the right pedal travel i had to use a P100 Master Cylinder FORD PART No. 6118 141. If there is anything you need to know i would be only to pleased to help.

[mike woodley]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Hi Smiffy, Forgot to mention the master cylinder is matched up to a Metro servo ROVER UNIPART No. GSM 147. The servo only just fits. The bonnet side piece top return had to be cut away slightly to accomodate the "round" of the servo vacuum tank. Regards Mike.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Hi Mike - can I hijack this thread - how have you done your exhaust?

[mike woodley]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Hi Cameron,
The basic manifold/exhaust system was supplied by Marlin, and modified slightly to make it sit tighter to the car and have the pipework exit evenly at the back. The offside manifold allows the steering shaft to run through it! If you are ever in Okehampton you are welcome to have a look, or i can send you a few pics.

[mike woodley]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Hi Cameron, Forgot the picture.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Thanks Mike - is ground clearance a problem. I would prefer a rear exit like yours (better sound I think) but dont want to have probelms with speed bumps.

[mike woodley]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Hi Cameron,Ground clearance isnt a problem. I keot my system as close to the floor as i could.Each side of the V8 has its own pipe run.Never had any problems with speed bumps. The only thing i did not do, was to put a balance link in across the two outlets. The lack of this link does make it sound a bit "motor cyclelish" at certain revs!
Hope this is of some use to you.
Cheers Mike

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

many thanks If you are at stoneleigh I will have a butchers!

[Mike]

Re: Cabrio V8 Brakes

Dave Kitson has just sent me some feedback on the installation of his Dual 7" servo kit into his V8 Cabrio which may be of interest to other V8 Cabrio owners. Unlike most of the first batch of owners fitting the Dual 7" servo, Dave's Cabrio was previously fitted with a Mk4 Cortina servo and master cylinder.

His comments below may encourage other similarly specified Cabrio owners to make use of this significant upgrade.

Quote

Hi Mike

I've finally got round to some of the jobs on the Cabrio................. AND new servo fitted!

It sailed thru MoT without so much as a remark from tester! On previous MoTs the brakes have been a bit marginal, but this time they were absolutely fine. On the road they are much better. I could lock up from 40 without excessive effort, and from 70 I pulled up really quickly without locking and in complete control. And they feel controllable and progressive in normal use - result!


Fitting was fairly straightforward. I had to elongate the holes to mount the servo (to the bulkhead) - 5 mins with a round file. I adjusted the clevis to match the one I took off, so the pedal stayed in the same place. The push rod had enough adjustment to set that in what looked like the same place as on the old servo, so no modification needed there. The master cylinder needed its mounting holes elongating too - 5 mins with a hacksaw. Extended the pipe from the reservoir and there it is! Well not quite!


While everything cleared the bonnet side, one of the pipes from the master cylinder fouled an air filter ( I have a V8 with 4 SUs and 4 K&N cone filters). Could not bend the pipe, so packed the top of the servo with a 6mm plate that dropped over the studs, to tilt it down. No issues with binding up when working in this plane. First test showed that the pedal had too much travel before the brakes came on, so the MC was removed and the push rod screwed out a fraction. Spot on this time! All fairly easy and the machined plate wasn't needed.


For reference, my original set up was Cortina mk4 servo and a Girling MC (3 hole). Anyone with a V8 with twin SUs or a Holley would probably not have a problem fouling the air filter, so I'd say it was an easy installation. Once again, thanks for sourcing the servo and collating all the info.
Regards - Dave Kitson

Unquote

So, it appears this significant upgrade is a relatively easy one for the V8 owners group too, and for a very modest outlay. If anyone would like more information, please contact me :
Mike - 07968 835101.