Thanks for the detailed explanation, it helps guys like me understand what works and why. :thumbsup:

Are you bringing anything to USCA Portland?...you should!

:cheers:
Dan

No problem.. I wish I had more time & patience to sit here & write more detailed explantions.. But my OCD will not allow me to stay in one place for a long time.. :lol:

Karl has allowed me to run the Challenger this year @ three USCA events to see if I can squeeze my way into Optima with points.. Already did Laguna Seca! Next events will be Fontana & Portland with the Challenger..

Hey Chris, Always love seeing your updates Bro! No one can say that you are ever satisfied with your results as you are always pushing the envelope! Keep inspiring the rest of us :thumbsup:

Good luck in Fontana and I'll see you in Portland! Watching you run at Laguna was fun, seeing the smile on your face after a run was even better!

:thumbsup:
Dan

^^ looking forward to watching this and how it woks out! Cool stuff taking these cars to the next level

I tried running my cars with manual brakes since they are lighter and much easier to setup dual M/C's and much easier to package as well. I figured it would be fine since almost all race cars use manual brakes even the big heavy stock cars etc.

But, yeah, they sucked. Sucked for street driving and sucked for track driving. Very difficult to be smooth when you had to put so much muscle into the brakes. I ended up mounting a hydraboost with a bracket that uses dual M/C's, but the whole contraption is almost 16" long and quite heavy and would not package in almost anything but a specially built tube frame (like my car).

To be happy with manual brakes on a street car I think you need to be <2800 lbs. and like Chris said you still need a perfect mix of bore sizes and pad friction.

Okay - I seriously don't get putting power brakes on a car -- to me that's a bandaid for a poor braking system.


It takes no effort to stop the Mustang or tap the brake to set for turn in.... and this car has little tiny rotors and calipers (2 piston front and single piston Corvette style rears). The Mustang takes effort to DRIVE but doesn't take any leg effort to stop or slow down. Coming from a guy that used to be in the brake business -- I'm very surprised at this issue.

>It takes no effort to stop the Mustang or tap the brake to set for turn in

Well, yeah, but you are incredibly strong and powerful compared to normal men.

I don't get it either. I ran my car at 3500 lbs with me in it with manual brakes on the street and track (1500 total miles) for almost 2 years and loved it. Never will go back to power brakes.

I just hated the "mush" of the boosted brake cars I did drive.

Diff'rent strokes diff'rent folks I guess.

And yeah that Weld dude is POWERFUL. :lol:

I'll jump in on the f*ck power brakes bandwagon. When I owned the Chicane-LM Camaro (known now as BluBalz) it had manual everything- door locks, steering, brakes, & windows. I had not ever had a better braking or feeling car than that setup with the Alcon calipers; and it was not a heavy pedal press to get the vehicle stopping very fast.

Only one that came close to it was a 68 Camaro with a Hydratech boosted unit on it that Paul helped us setup. That thing was worlds better than any vacuum assisted car I've driven.

Ok. Back to lurk mode.

Tyler