Nearly there + brake servo question..

[djb222]

An afternoon removing the brake servo, about 10 mins and then a couple of hours removing both master cylinders....an easy enough job in itself but removing the nuts was very fiddly especially solo....... and the hand brake mechanism..

How many run without a servo?? If no do you use a twin circuit master cylinder?

https://youtu.be/AcijrLiDOaE

[1owner69Elan]

I specifically ordered my 69 car without the servo. At the time, 49 years ago, and perhaps unfairly, I likened the servo to the power brakes on American cars and didn't want the indirect feel. Also, none of the Elans I test drove prior to purchase had the servo and the brakes seemed just fine.

As a Federal car it came with a tandem brake master cylinder with dual circuits. Original tandem M/C's, at least in the US with connections on the right side, are difficult to find. Also, you would need to replumb for the two circuits.

[MarkDa]

UK car so an easy change to no servo.
However as you seem to have an original Girling unit - hang on to it, they're like gold dust now at that diameter.
I chucked mine away 35 years ago when it failed and replaced it with bigger diameter same gain from a scrap yard.
If only we knew then what we know now about the value of originality!
New brake master cylindersv are easy enough got, but hang onto your push rod and you'll be quids in by buying generic rather specialist.
Personally I'd take it apart and whether it's good enough for a repair kit. If it's been kept 'wet' it probably will be.

[denicholls2]

Most know this, but without the servo you likely want a smaller piston diameter (not a larger diameter). This decreases pedal effort at the cost of increasing pedal stroke a bit.

Increasing pedal effort also puts more stress on the pedal box support, which has proven for some to be an issue on Europas.

[Grizzly]

Frankly apart from a more spongy feel to the pedal the servo on a 2 seater doesn't do a whole lot. If i could go back and redo my brakes i'd fit a split system / get rid of the servo, i'm not a fan of single circuit brakes so the extra safety outweighs the advantage of the Servo but if you do remove it make sure you have the correct brake pads.