I think you're right to say that you would have better feel with non-assisted brakes and if it is the only vehicle you drove that would be fine. Trouble is we have all become used to applying very light brake pressure in modern cars and swapping between them is tricky. Added to which the standard pedal positions are not ideal either. At least if you are able to lock the brakes you know you are getting everything there is. Some non-assisted set-ups that can be virtually impossible to do.


Residual pressure valves are required on the drums to stop the cylinder retracting. Callipers shouldn't need them unless they have mechanical retraction or the master cylinder is mounted too low and causing flow back. In that case they'd need a residual pressure valve to prevent it. Too great and you'd get drag.

 

If you keep master cylinder under floor I would recommeng using a remote fill resivoir mounted on firewall. I didn't on mine and wish I would have. P.i.t.a. to check level.

 

On my setup with F250 brakes I used a 1995 F250 master cylinder and it has the residual pressure valve built in. I added a **** adjustable rear proportioning valve which I probably do not need but was having some scary braking issues in the rain when braking for 50mph+

 

One consideration is whether or not you'll tow anything. Those little parking brake shoes inside the rotor setups are a bit weak. The GM rear calipers with integral parking brakes can be prone to poor self-adjusting, leaving you without much of a parking brake. Properly working drum brakes are fine, until it rains. That's when discs are really handy. Power brakes are pretty much required with disc brakes on vehicles heavier than a Pinto. Power brakes are also nice on vehicles with automatic transmissions , not as much pedal pressure required while sitting at long traffic lights. Residual pressure valves reduce fluid returning to master cylinder reservoir thereby increasing/maintaining pedal height - 10 lbs. for drums, 2 lbs. for discs. Proportioning valves adjust balance between front and rear (especially with disc/drum where discs require so much more pressure to be effective than self-energizing drum brakes.) They keep the rear from sliding the tires and the vehicle spinning around tail-first. Funny, nobody has mentioned the use of metering valves. When disc/drum setups are used a metering valve allows slight pressure to build at the drums first in order to prevent nose dive. Also a good idea is a pressure differential switch that indicates if there is a pressure loss in either front or rear circuits.