Greetings, Everyone,
a week or so ago I asked about replacing the stock Girling Master Cylinder
(MC) with a Tilton unit. I got no replies, (or maybe ya'll were just
ignoring me) so I set out on my own to see if it was possible.
I found some dimensional specs for both the Girlings and the Tiltons, and
the Tilton MC was a tad longer AND the line attached at the end of the
cylinder rather than on top of the MC body. Given the already tight
location of the brake and clutch MCs in the TR4 installation, I figured
the tilton unit was out unless you wanted to replace the entire pedal
assembly. (In fact, many racers do just that.)
While poking around on the www.summitracing.com website, however, I did
find something very interesting. It was a Wilwood unit that was clearly a
knockoff of the Girling unit.
You can search for it by part number on the summitracing.com website by
part number WIL-260-1304.
It lists for $45.95 and cost an additional $8.50 for S&H.
I checked the dimensions from the Wilwood website and they were a spot on
match for the Girling MC.
I received it today and it is IDENTICAL to the Girling unit for all
practical purposes. In fact, the only outward difference was 'Wilwood'
set into the casting instead of 'Girling'. That and the Wilwood casting
was a bit smoother. It is 42 years newer.
Wilwood, by the way, is a big aftermarket brake and hydraulic
manufacturer somewhat like Brembo.
I swapped out the actuating rod from the Girling unit to the Wilwood as
the Wilwood came with a threaded rod and then bolted the MC in.
The mechanism works perfectly.
The MC is available in several bore sizes. The part number I mentioned and
ordered is .75". The stock .70" size is available as well.
As far as originality is concerned....one could argue the part is not
original because it's not Girling. BUT, there are LOTS of parts you can't
get from the original vendors (Lockheed, Lucas, AE, AC, etc.) so if a
judge would look over a non-original manufacturer fuel pump, I don't see
why they would mind the Wilwood MC. The original Girling resivoir cap even
fits.
Finally, it costs about 50% of the Girling unit. Perhaps the Girling unit
is expensive because of the actuating rod unique to the TR, though I'm not
sure it comes with it.
In any event, I find it both fun and comforting that with a tiny bit of
web legwork, you do have options outside the usual British car parts
vendors.
So there you have it, folks, enjoy.
-jeffrey
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