wheelman Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I just completed upgrading my brakes from the Toyo 4x4 fronts with stock rotors and rear drums to disks all around, vented rotors front with the smaller Toyo 4x4 calipers and Maxima calipers on the rear. The "smaller" Toyo 4x4 front calipers are the ones that have the same piston size as those that work with the stock solid rotor (I believe they are S12+8 from an 86 Truck, not the S12W) but have the wider slot for use with the vented rotor. Anyway, the brake master cylinder is now just a bit too small so I want to upgrade to a 15/16" or 1". I've looked around for one from a 79-81 280ZX but they are becoming rare and I haven't been able to find one for less than $190.00, which is rebuilt and doesn't include the reservoirs. I read through the brake upgrade sticky and saw a reference to 1" master cylinders and the 280ZX units, where can I find a 1" unit that will work with the stock booster or a reasonably priced 280ZX unit? Just so nobody wastes their time the $190.00 price is from Silvermine Auto so don't tell me to go look there. If it's the cheapest source I'll buy one from him but the price is more than I want to pay, especially considering I can go to a dual master setup for not much more. Heres an example of a Wilwood setup from Speedway Motors for $190.99 plus shipping. Wilwood dual master Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 A 1"" bore is too large. You want the 79-81 280ZX MC. Have you tried Motor Sports Auto (MSA) or Black Dragon (BD)? BD sells the 280ZX MC for $139.95. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 A 1"" bore is too large. You want the 79-81 280ZX MC. Have you tried Motor Sports Auto (MSA) or Black Dragon (BD)? BD sells the 280ZX MC for $139.95. Thanks for the suggestions but MSA lists it as not available and BD shows it as back ordered. I attempted to order one through RockAuto yesterday, they initially accepted the order but canceled it today saying the part is NLA. Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexter72 Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Not saying that you want to go with this store or there brand. Autozone can get a rebuilt one for $35.00 Bucks. 83 280zx brake mastercylinder. May have to wait a few days for it to be ordered though. I just looked it up online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Z Car Source of Arizona, Pep Boys, JC Whitney have the MC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getoffmyinternet Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 https://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?InventoryId=139447 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padam07 Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I agree on getting one from auto zone. Best price around. You can use the resevoirers off of your 7/8 mc. I posted a wtb thread here and another member sold me one for $50 shipped. He even had the resevoirer caps replated. It was in beautiful shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RisingSun Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) I just got one recently from Blackdragon. It was on B/O when I ordered it too, and it took about 4 weeks. They must only get them in small quantities. The brand was Nabco from Japan. Works great! Honestly, I've never had good luck with "rebuilt" units from any of the automotive stores...they all malfunctioned after a short amount of time. If you can wait on it, that's the way I would go. Edited April 23, 2011 by RisingSun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 I checked with AutoZone, O'Reilly's and Napa Auto, none have one, nearest Pepboys is 163 miles away. Everyone of them has told me to call back in a couple weeks, maybe they'll get one in at the warehouse. Hadn't considered JCWhitney, they're site listed one for $136.00 but I'm skeptical they actually have it. NothernAuto also shows they have one but again I'm skeptical. I found the Z source of AZ before the original post, $251.00 is more than I want to pay, even for a "new" one. I ran across another recent thread on this topic, the poster found a 1" unit from Walbro that works, other than requiring a little more pressure on the pedal is there another reason these are "too big"? The price is $131.00 for a brand new unit and the car is pretty much auto-cross only so requiring more pressure on the pedal is not a bad thing at all, what do you guys think? Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getoffmyinternet Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) What's there to be skeptical about? It cost me like $40 and arrived within a week. I have the silvermine kit and there's already less travel than the original system. I would think that you'd rather be able to tease the brakes some instead of it just be all or nothing like an on/off switch. Range of motion is good, you just don't want it to bottom out or feel really squishy of course. For autocross I suppose the truly ideal setup would be whatever matched the range of the throttle, but that's what aftermarket pedals are for. Edited April 23, 2011 by getoffmyinternet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rheckz Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 How does the 1982-1983 master cylinder differ from the 1980-1981 ??? I just installed the toyota 4 piston units on stock rotors and they work fine but there is more pedal travel. Since the 81-81 master cylinders are hard to find I was wondering why the 82-83 units wont work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280ztracked Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I think the main difference in the 79-81 MC is that they have front and rear reservoirs. I think the 82-83 MC has only one reservoir. I don't see why the later models wouldn't work the piston inside is the same size (15/16"). Physics would be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplyedmind Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 How does the 1982-1983 master cylinder differ from the 1980-1981 ??? I just installed the toyota 4 piston units on stock rotors and they work fine but there is more pedal travel. Since the 81-81 master cylinders are hard to find I was wondering why the 82-83 units wont work. 82-83 units bolt up differently than the early models do . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 RockAuto" http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=309611 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplyedmind Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I have a spare rebuilt also if needed by anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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