Gavin65

I would not let it deter me from buying it one bit.

Tampa Jerry

Call me ***** foot. I added power brakes to both my 66 and 68 L-79 cars. I like them. I also added power steering and A/C on both cars. Jerry

Tom/99

I've had my non power dis brake 65 coupe for 20 years. It stops just fine. I will not add power assist, it's not needed.

Jims66

I've had my '66 L79 4-speed since the summer of '88..... No PB and No PS. LOT's of FUN to drive. Stops on a dime. The pedal pressure required for the brakes doesn't compare to the pressure need on the clutch pedal, but I digress. Buy the car. Good Luck.

dplotkin

That's how I tend to roll in the evenings when I really should just go to bed. That post of mine was overwrought but I guess I made a point that resonates with others. Though disks don't have the "servo effect" of drums and therefore require more pedal effort, as pointed out above these are light weight cars and the lack of assist is hardly noticeable. Besides, what is it about a pie tin sized vacuum can on the firewall that doesn't bother anyone? I can't stand looking at that in an otherwise handsome C2 engine bay, kind of like having your water tank in the kitchen.

Dan

Frankie the Fink

You have a point, conversely - part of why I added the PB to the '63 was just how vacant that side of the firewall looked

Frankly, if I had known beforehand that they didn't make an exponential difference I might not have made the conversion... A '63 original power brake booster cost will make you do a double take...

But, to the OP's question. No, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a non-power brake car if everything else was what I desired...

66's did not have a tank sticker so I don't know if there is any other way to tell if you do an after-purchase conversion with original parts if the OP feels its needed...

Factoid

emdoller

Frankie the Fink

I agree. People that actually drive these car should make them as safe and comfortable as they deem necessary to enjoy....
If using the car becomes a scary or an arduous chore - they can become garage art and degrade pretty fast...

rayvaflav

No power four wheel disc brakes and no power steering ? Every trip becomes an adventure, it may be the closest that you can come to driving a Jaguar D-Type on the road.

Ray

Boyan

dr914

not at all, the important thing is he quality of the body and interior and if the car is original numbers matching. Usually we do not drive the cars that much, so the power accessories are not that important. The manual brakes work really well in my opinion, but if I had a druther it would be power steering! My car is a 66 300 hp four speed manual steering manual brakes, and is a bit hard to turn at very slow no speeds

bcwaller

I've driven both power and non-power assisted mid-years. My current car has manual brakes and it is as drivable and safe as any car out there. The only power feature that would make a difference for me would be steering. My first one was manual steering and power brakes, the current car has power steering and manual brakes. I like this combination much much better.

JLSmith

BB767

For those who have read Beltsville Shell: You Are What You Drive, you might remember Jeff Hughes statement from 1966 in chapter 20:

"Brakes are for sissies."

Thomas

1snake

Of the 15 Corvettes I've owned, only 2 had power brakes and that's only because they were bought new and power brakes came standard. I much prefer manual brakes.

BB767

Quite the contrary Dan, I don't think that post was overwrought at all. You made a clear, bold assessment that was spot on. The visual picture that it conjured up took a little thought........ but then that's not a bad thing!

Please keep up the good work.

Thomas

itsforfun

My '66 does not have PB, and I have never felt uncomfortable driving it. I have put 10,000 miles since restoration and have had 3 PANIC stop situations. The feel is great. That said, I absolutely love the PS!

JohnZ

I drove my manual-brake '67 for 12 years, and had no complaints about the brake system - we tend to get "spoiled" from our zero-effort power brakes on the new daily drivers and forget the days when we grew up without power assist. My '67 brakes were terrible when I bought the car, but that was the result of the previous owner using "race" brake pads with "race" friction coefficients; when I replaced them with $20.00/axle organic pads (as OEM), all returned to normal immediately.

Ron Miller

This is the camp I fit in . . . . . my experience as well, having owned and driven C2's since 1967, all without power brakes . . . . . . but I've added OE power steering to all I've owned since the late 1970's . . . . .