Our hillclimb Rabbit has a braking system without a booster, as it was removed some years ago to accomodate the linkage for a custom pedestal gearshift arrangement. At that time a 17mm master cylinder from a very early Rabbit (unboosted as stock, I believe-?) was installed. This provided adequate braking, but with a very mushy feel. (Soft pedals in Rabbits appeared to be more usual than not when I was racing a GTI in ITB some years ago.) We just finished the installation of a new 21mm master cylinder to try to get a firmer pedal. That goal has been resoundingly met, but I can no longer lock the brakes, which is not acceptable. My question to the forum is: are there master cylinders of, say, 18-19mm available for or adaptable to Rabbits? We have rear disc brakes from a later model; they are fed through individual lines with a master cylinder mounted VW proportioning valve for each line. The cylinder has an outlet hole for each wheel.

My calculations indicate that the 21mm has about 60% of the mechanical advanatage of the 17mm. My guess is that halving that reduction to c. 80% could result in a good stopping, firm pedalled car.


6 X 13 (or 6.5 X 13) wheels, with stock offset. I'm told that VW did not make them. Did anyone? We're in the market, particularly used.

Thanks-

Don Peaslee