What are the pros and cons of each. I like the idea of using the stock location and keeping the firewall clean but see a lot of builds adding a firewall mounted booster/master cyl but I don't know the advantage of converting.

 

i would say the number one advantage is having a more comfortable feel of braking, and having it the same as your modern cars you drive daily. When you're used to lifting your foot just inches and swinging your toes to the left to brake, it is a totally different driving style to lift your foot a foot and push down on the pedal instead of forward.

Servicing is easier with the master on the firewall, but it does look cleaner under the hood without it. Aside from the function listed above, the rest is mostly aesthetics. My 2c.

 

Servicing the underfloor mount is a lot more difficult, especially if you use a booster. I agree with Wayne it's a totally different feel/motion than what most are now used to, you have much more fine muscle control pushing forwards like pushing your chair out from your desk than pushing down like stomping on a bug while seated. Muscle memory may also become a issue in the event of an emergency. There is not much foot resting room around the pedal arms, especially if you have large feet. It is also difficult to weather seal the pedal arm/floor penetrations as well as carpet/mat around them.
I am much more interested in the interior function and comfort when driving than sitting around with the hood up admiring a "clean" firewall.

 

You know I didn't even think about the movement. My first car was a 51 ****** CJ3A and had the swing pedals. If you pushed too hard on the brake you'd lift your butt off the seat because of pushing down instead of away

 

My vote is for the stock location. I have a No Limit Eng mount using the M2 master and booster. Had it for years and never had any issues with servicing or anything else. As far as pedal operation I have never taken notice of the different swing arcs vs. my newer cars or muscle cars. To me that floor configuration is part of these old trucks and I would never mount my brake assembly to the firewall of my truck, but your truck your choice.

 

Agree with Dave/Truckee. The arc of movement with properly adjusted brakes is not significant, and is downwards with both anyway. The problem with hanging pedals to me is that there's just not a lot of structure in either the firewall or the dash. One of my OT vehicles is known for cracking the firewall at the clutch/brake mounts, and it's a far more "designed" car.

 

Under the floor on my 53 and I like it fine. Don't care for the booster on the firewall.

 

I would imagine that "standing on the brakes" was invented with pedals in the location our trucks use.

This thread reminds me I need to research an upgrade to my master cylinder. I don't want to lose all brakes if(when?) it fails.

 

That is a good idea, imho. It's not just the m/c that can fail to have a catastrophic failure. Any part of the system is suspect. A simple wheel cylinder or hose leak can cause full brake loss on a single circuit system.

 

I had mine installed under the floor. You will need a squirt bottle with 180* bend in the spout to add brake fluid. But, the clean fire wall is worth it. g Jag

PS, because of the low mounting level, you will need check valves on the brake lines front and back. This is a negative because they are not cheap.

 

BTDT back when there was only single circuit MC. NOT fun!!!! Despite all the tales, shutting off the engine, downshifting, emergency brake will not stop it.

 

Yeah, but before that, they were mechanical. If you have never driven a 2 ton vehicle with mechanical brakes, you have never experienced real, butt squeezing, excitement!

 

From a hot rod show 1962.....



I like them under the floor...heck I run the single pot but I post this to show that this conversion has been done for decades. So if you are concerned about traditional/era modification the fire wall mounted cylinder with swing/dash pedals goes back as far as swing pedals themselves.

 

For ease of assembly..... It's a whole lot easier to mount them under the floor. There are plenty aftermarket adapters to add a double cylinder and double cylinder with a booster under the floor to the stock location.

Now putting on the fire wall requires thought and care. There's not much room under the dash and getting the angle and pedal location can be challenge. You'll have to fabricate or find pedal mounts that fit. If done wrong the pedal/cylinder can be in an odd place and it could look like something off of junkyard wars.

I had a 1st GMC Hyramatic 100 with the swing pedals and firewall master done so well I thought it was stock. If you do add a fire wall cylinder with swinging dash pedals....that's the look and function you should be going for.

 

Here's mine, super easy install.