Unknown hydro boost. Question update!?!

[joshua]

New Question….
So im ditching this system featured below the old news. New route is, Guy is parting out a 1997 Astro van. I’ve tried searching but I can’t seem to come up with a list of what I should pull off this van. If anyone knows of a specific thread or can type a list up that would get me closer to putting this 20yr paperweight back on the road.
Thanks


Old news….
I bought this off a member shipped to my door for under a 100 bucks almost year ago. Catch is he didn’t know anything about it or what it was off. But it was hooked to an eb bracket so I figured it would work. Cheap to gamble.

Fast forward to the present and I’m finally trying to put this truck together before the thaw, so I’m digging through my hoard trying to figure what I’m gonna use.

Is this a good unit? Well not my specific one, but this model. And more importantly am I missing anything? On hydro systems it seems there’s a little cylinder always protruding out the front or side. And most importantly what is it off so can get parts and info on it.

Thanks!

 

[bmc69]

I've done a lot of different hboost conversions and I do not recognize that unit. You are correct...I've always seen the (usually yellow) aluminum accumulator sticking out one side. That model must have one built internally...?

 

[Broncobowsher]

With no solid evidence, I think that is from the 70's. When they were first used.

 

[big blue]

It looks like a homemade mounting bracket on it made that way so the push rod would work. I haven seen
one like that.

 

[ba123]

With no solid evidence, I think that is from the 70's. When they were first used.

And some sort of GM guessing from that number on the master cylinder. I did a search and the number I can’t see might be a 3 (that’s all that comes up).

I can’t read the numbers on the Hydroboost but a search might come up with something if you can.

 

[joshua]

This is all I can find. It appears to be this but I can’t click on anything to get more information

 

[joshua]

I think I bought junk

 

[rocknhorse76]

I’m guessing a 1970’s GM truck. Definitely early model since it lacks an accumulator. It’ll work fine but you won’t have power assist at all if the engine stalls. The later models with the accumulator allow a press or two with assist.

 

[thegreatjustino]

As others have said, 70s GM unit. I've pulled at least two of these at the local junkyard over the years. One was from a Pontiac Parisienne station wagon. I can't recall what the other was off of.

The MC on yours is also a GM style.

I've always been advised to avoid using the units without the reservoir for safety reasons - the reservoir allows a couple of uses of the brake pedal if you lose power steering.

The guys who bought the two I had wanted them for clearance issues without the reservoir. You may have bought one that I pulled years ago from another user her who bought it from me. Wouldn't that be a crazy coincidence?

 

[toddz69]

That's a unit with an internal accumulator. We used to use those back in the day before we figured out that we could use the units with the external accumulator by just rotating the units for the proper clearance.

I used one in my first conversion back around the turn of the century. GM/Cadillac started using them in 1980 and they were referred to as "Hydroboost II". The accumulator/power piston are combined into a concentric unit. I think we used to pull them from Cadillac Eldorados with diesel engines.

Many years ago when I was working with Paul from Hydratech on a project, he mentioned that he had talked with the inventor of these units with the internal accumulator and he admitted to Paul that they weren't a great idea.

I'd look for a more modern booster myself.

Todd Z.

 

[dmoses42]

Even if you don't want to use that hydroboost, I think you came out ok. You have the angle bracket, and a Saginaw pump with what appears to be the bracket for it.

 

[joshua]

Ya I’ll try and find another unit. Might just get a vacuum booster And if anyone knows what year Astro van is the smoothest swap lmk. And I searched, which I really must suck at. But I can’t find a tech article on the Astro install. I’m sure there’s a detailed one but I can’t find it.

Also I pulled apart a 2006 f250 And saved the hydroboost until. Is that swap a nightmare?

 

[catfan]

Ya I’ll try and find another unit. Might just get a vacuum booster And if anyone knows what year Astro van is the smoothest swap lmk. And I searched, which I really must suck at. But I can’t find a tech article on the Astro install. I’m sure there’s a detailed one but I can’t find it.

Also I pulled apart a 2006 f250 And saved the hydroboost until. Is that swap a nightmare?

Be hard to use on the angle bracket unless you shorten the push rod , bolted to the firewall the push rod will
hook up I believe.

 

[joshua]

Changed direction as follows at the top of post one. Just didn’t want to muck up the search process any more than I already have over the years for people.

 

[toddz69]

New Question….
So im ditching this system featured below the old news. New route is, Guy is parting out a 1997 Astro van. I’ve tried searching but I can’t seem to come up with a list of what I should pull off this van. If anyone knows of a specific thread or can type a list up that would get me closer to putting this 20yr paperweight back on the road.
Thanks

If you're still looking to use an Astro hydroboost on an angled bracket, you'll want a '95-older unit with the shorter pushrod. Tons of info in this old thread:

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/hydroboost-101.131746/

Todd Z.

 

[joshua]

If you're still looking to use an Astro hydroboost on an angled bracket, you'll want a '95-older unit with the shorter pushrod. Tons of info in this old thread:

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/hydroboost-101.131746/

Todd Z.

Perfect! Trying to decide on what to do and this helps. I found a 97 for 30 bucks. But might just keep looking if the earlier ones are a smoother install

Thanks!

 

[bronco italiano]

Looks exactly as the one I swear I bought from BCB when they were in Hesperia. Same H-boost/master.

 

[catfan]

Perfect! Trying to decide on what to do and this helps. I found a 97 for 30 bucks. But might just keep looking if the earlier ones are a smoother install

Thanks!

Does that one have the angled mounting plate on it?

 

[bronco italiano]

No, mine had a 1/4" steel flat plate to mount right to the firewall. I have to grind more off the make it angle slightly more. Seems to be best for carb as I am doing EFI.

 

[joshua]

Does that one have the angled mounting plate on it?

The bronco vacuum booster angle plate or the hydroboost unit on the 97 Astro? I’m keeping the bronco angle plate if that’s what you’re getting at.

I have not seen what the Astros booster looks like. Just an ad saying he’s parting it out