Hmm, thought I replied to this last night (late) but maybe I forgot to hit send before shutting down. Bummer.
I'm finally getting back to this project and after buying all the parts, was told that if I'm switching to a '77 DB setup, then I need to match the MC to that specified year.
Who told you that? Someone who obviously was just trying to be careful (as they should of course) with their customers and not wanting to think too much out of the box.
But you're already changing things so far from stock that some rules, while they may still apply, are not etched in stone.
And while they may have been technically correct in their "year" concept, the "model" was off. You could have used a '77 master, but from a manual brake model.
Now, the MC I received has ports on the passenger side (engine) and has a larger front reservoir when compared to the non-power assist MC ('68-75?).
They should at least have given you the manual brake version of the '76/'77 master. Yes, they were still offering power assist as an option, so there was such a thing as a manual master for those years with the correct port orientation.
The engine-facing ports are for use with the angled booster bracket.
Will this be a problem using a MC like this without the booster? Or were you recommending that style MC in the assumption that I'd be using stock MC brake lines?
Not a functional problem. Just more of a hassle with the lines. So yeah, I was thinking of keeping a stock manual style master so you did not have to mess with that.
You usually replace old lines after all these years anyway, so it's six of one, half a dozen of the other.
The books showed all the bore sizes the same throughout the years.
Correct. So no performance change that I'm aware of, using the different masters.
Second part of the question, since I'm replacing the rear 10" brakes and wheel cylinders, would it be best to upgrade those to the same size specified for '76/77 over the stock '71 WCs?
Yes and no.
Yes, because you get the biggest brakes offered for EB's at the time.
No, because you have to be sure to use a compatible backing plate AND axle shafts.
If you're changing to a big-bearing housing, and are going to upgrade your axles anyway, this is not a problem (other than maybe drilling some holes larger?). But if you were not budgeting for new axles (with the correct flange offset for proper brake drum spacing) then this can put a wrench in the works.
Finally, going back to the MC brake lines, is there anything in your catalog that will mount up to a non-power '76/77 MC and drop directly down into the proportioning valve WH sells?
Our #3199 could work, as they're flexible. But they're sized to fit the master that's angled more over by the bracket.
Probably the #3077 (my favorite anyway) because it's more flexible still, comes with multiple adapters (which may or may not fit all the ports, depending on which size the master has. But best of all is that you can request a special order size to your specifications.
If you put it all together than take some measurements and decide how you want the end fittings oriented, we can make you up just what you need.
Something else to think about though is that with your master's ports facing the engine, and the master coming straight out of the firewall, those hoses might be closer to the engine than would be best. Might be harder to route them cleanly, or they may even be closer to the exhaust than would be advisable.
Do you have headers? If not this may not be a problem.
I bought that but never got lines to mate up to it...but that's probably a good things given all my confusion
Here again, maybe you can exchange that, or go ahead and use it. I prefer the manually adjustable prop valves myself. You lose the dash mounted brake warning light, but you gain potentially a better balance.
You also get rid of the potential leak area that is the delay-valve in the other style of prop valve. That's the little rubber boot thingy covering the spring loaded other thingy.
Then again... All of that extra work is because someone thought you should use a power brake master in a manual configuration.
Not the best way to go in my opinion.
If it was one of our guys, sorry about the mis-information. They were correct in their basic thinking. But in the real world those things run into road blocks as often as not.
It's the same snowball effect as every other thing we do on these things. Might not cost as much as some, but you still jump through all the hoops.
Paul