[lumen8]

So I did some work on someones 99 AU Fairlane recently, september 99 build series 1.

Owner wanted to upgrade to AU2 master cylinder and booster and eventually the 322mm/328mm deal.

Did the MC and booster first, series 2 stuff... bolted in a series 2 pedal box and redrilled firewall using the 4 pedal box holes as a guide. The pedal boxes are the same except the series 2 box has the 4 holes versus the 2 for series 1, and none of the holes are in the same place...so I figure its easier to bolt the series 2 pedal box in and then drilling the holes in the correct place is much easier.

I was able to drill all 4 of them from the interior side after punching the centre using the series 2 pedal box holes as a guide.

I had read that Ford changed the shape of the firewall where it meets the cowl panel slightly on series 2, and series 2 stuff didnt sit flat on a series 1 firewall due to interference where the firewall meets the cowl panel (join was lower on series 1s and hits the series 2 booster) , and some minor panel beating could rectify that.

then someone somewhere said a Feb 2000 series 1 had the updated shape and the booster went straight in no probs.

Well on this september 99 car same thing, just drilled the 4 holes the series 2 booster needed and no interference, its sitting flat and vertical on the firewall.

So i bled the brakes with the series 2 master and booster and the car stops much better even with the series 1 front brakes still on it. (rears are the same caliper piston between 1 and 2 essentially, discs just thinner on the 1)

So this is the other way around to what some have done where they install series 2 brakes and leave the series 1 booster and master cylinder.

The series 1 booster is plastic and ive found it to flex a great deal, not very good.

This car will get the bigger brakes eventually but i found it interesting that the series 2 stuff with its steel booster that doesnt flex and the bigger bore MC resulted in greatly improved braking.

Im not sure there is much talk of fitting the series 2 booster and MC in this thread without needing wedge plates and the like, and doing this with the series 1 brakes still in place, hence my post and bump here for improving these old rides without too many dramas lol.