1959 Brake Pedal Height Adjustment

[PaulB]

I read online that the average or standard brake pedal height for a 59 TBird is about 5 1/2 inches. My brake pedal height is about 3 3/4 inches. Is there a way to increase my brake pedal height because my pedal travel is 3 1/2 inches (which is within specifications) leaving me only 1/2 an inch from the floorboard? I do not feel confident that if I needed to apply the brakes hard and quick that I wouldn't bottom out before I could stop.

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[Pink T-Bird]

I read online that the average or standard brake pedal height for a 59 TBird is about 5 1/2 inches. My brake pedal height is about 3 3/4 inches. Is there a way to increase my brake pedal height because my pedal travel is 3 1/2 inches (which is within specifications) leaving me only 1/2 an inch from the floorboard? I do not feel confident that if I needed to apply the brakes hard and quick that I wouldn't bottom out before I could stop.

Not sure if the T-bird is like this, but other Ford vehicles of the era have an eccentric bolt in the pedal linkage.

It would be at the top of the arm the pedal mounts to. It is set that way to account for manufacturing tolerances in firewall and dash stampings. Likely whoever last replaced the master cylinder didn’t reset it to where the factory had it. if you get a shop manual it will give you precise instructions.

 

[PaulB]

Not sure if the T-bird is like this, but other Ford vehicles of the era have an eccentric bolt in the pedal linkage.

It would be at the top of the arm the pedal mounts to. It is set that way to account for manufacturing tolerances in firewall and dash stampings. Likely whoever last replaced the master cylinder didn’t reset it to where the factory had it. if you get a shop manual it will give you precise instructions.

Thank you. I have a shop manual and I have scoured it cover to cover and I cannot find brake pedal specifications anywhere.

 

[Pink T-Bird]

Thank you. I have a shop manual and I have scoured it cover to cover and I cannot find brake pedal specifications anywhere.

For a Ford specific manual that's odd. For a Chilton's, Motors, etc. not too surprising. It's on page 6-14 of my '57 Ford manual for manual brakes and page 6-15 for power brakes showing the location of the eccentric.
But, up under the dash there should be an eccentric bolt in the brake pedal linkage you can loosen and rotate to adjust the pedal height.