I agree with my learned friend, Dimitrios. When a booster failed on me once, I could slow the car down quite significantly without the booster but could not bring it to a full stop. Ouch on the freeway. I get to drive a lot of cars, including a couple with mechanical brakes, such as a 1924 fire truck. All will stop if the set up is correct. I once drove a car fitted with power brakes whereas my own car of similar type did not. Both stopped well, However when the other car's booster failed, the car was involved in a nasty accident. My conclusion, if it's designed to have a booster, the brakes will not work if the booster fails. If it never had a booster in the first place the set up is different and the brakes work fine without help. Stopping a big brute like an Imperial would be quite a work out without a booster, hardly an appetizing aspect for a luxury car, so I am sure they were fitted as soon as they were available. Weren't boosted brakes a Chrysler development? Hugh ----- Original Message ----- From: <dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 2:05 PM Subject: Re: IML: Powerbrakes.... > It depends how much car you drive. Imperials were very large and heavy cars. > Power brakes and steering were beyond comfort, they were absolutely necessary. > Without them, the car cannot be driven. In a car of the size of a Toyota or a > Honda, these accesories can be optional. D^2 > > Quoting Jim Gathmann <jim_gathmann@xxxxxxxxx>: > > > Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of the > > booster? I thought the booster was made for brake > > assist, aka as a comfort/ease addition, and rather not > > a requirement.... > >