At the end of 2022, I fitted a set of Vick Autosport Prima front brakes to my mildly worked 1.5 litre Series 1 Fiat X1/9.
I was fortunate, having picked them up at a very, very reasonable price, brand new but surplus to the needs of a fellow X1/9 Australia member who had imported them from the US.
The kit included:
- New single pot callipers,
- new vented rotors (standard X1/9 front rotors are smaller, non-vented items),
- DOT approved stainless steel brake hoses, and
- all the necessary mounting hardware.
They are a value proposition, being particularly well priced compared to other manufacturers’ packages - even at RRP - with everyone I’ve spoken to saying they’re made to a high standard, too.
Here's a link to a piece that I wrote about them at that time, including some costings:
Initial Assessment:
I was a little underwhelmed by the brakes' performance, finding that although they had a tiny bit more bite and could clearly withstand much more punishment, they didn't seem to be worth the hassle involved - especially at full market price, plus freight.
With the car on a hoist, it was found that when the brakes were applied with sufficient force to stop the front wheels rotating by hand, the rear anchors had very little effect, with the back wheels spinning easily and with what sounded like minimal pad-on-rotor contact.
The rear brakes had been functioning well up until the fronts were upgraded.
The lines, pads and callipers were checked, with all being found to be operating properly, then the system was re-bled but this did nothing to alleviate its lacklustre performance.
You don’t need to be Sheldon Cooper to conclude that the Prima front callipers, being more powerful than the standard X1/9 items, would seem to have rendered the rears comparatively ineffectual.
 |
| “It’s axiomatically so.” |
To be fair, this is probably going to be the case with any upgraded front brakes; it's just that I haven’t found the Primas to be what you might call “plug 'n' play”, as I’ll explain below.
"Solution" # 1:
Research suggested that rather than installing a brake bias valve, an easier fix was to fit Fiat 125 / 132 / Lancia Delta rear callipers, which are identical to the X1/9 versions, other than having 38mm pistons instead of the latter's 34mm pots.
However, there was a caveat: I was warned that doing so might increase the amount of brake pedal travel.
A set of reconditioned 132 rear callipers and new braided hoses were sourced and fitted, unfortunately resulting in the predicted additional pedal travel.
This extra travel was a lot, with the pedal stopping 20mm or so from the floor - hardly confidence inspiring or conducive to heel and toe down-shifting, either!
Solution # 2:
Midwest Bayless produce a larger capacity X1/9 / Lancia Scorpion brake master cylinder, designed for use with upgraded braking systems.
One was ordered, duly dispatched and fitted, restoring the pedal to its correct height.
What Did It All Cost? (AU$)
1 x Prima brake kit: $500*
Fitting $100
2 x reconditioned 132 rear callipers $735
2 x stainless steel rear brake hoses $120
Fitting $265
1 x Midwest Bayliss upgraded master cylinder $235
Freight $255**
Fitting (new clutch master @ same time) $325***
Total $2,535!****
* Original purchaser paid $750.
** Other items shipped with this order.
*** The brake master was weeping and needed to be replaced, reducing the real extra cost to AU$145, which is the difference in price between the standard and upgraded units.
**** I really, really regret adding this up!
So, Was It Worth It?
In my opinion, no.
As a stand-alone option, the Primas did not cut the mustard on my car.
However, the Prima / 132 / MW-B combo is definitely more effective than a standard X1/9 system, providing noticeably increased stopping power and being more resistant to overheating and brake fade.
That said, standard X1/9 brakes are adequate in most situations, although I had cooked mine a couple of times in the past (hence the upgrade).
Several people on the X1/9 Australia forum have since written that they run upgraded pads in standard X1/9 brakes and don't have any issues on-road or in track situations, which I have no reason to doubt.
Of course, it's possible that other people have had more positive experiences with their Prima upgrades, although I suspect that simple physics dictate that a front / rear imbalance is likely, necessitating a commensurate upgrade to the rear callipers and the resultant need for a higher capacity master cylinder.
Perhaps the weeping master cylinder had some effect on the overall performance of the rear brakes but the smaller 34mm units were working before the upgrade to 38mm versions.
There wasn’t ever enough fluid loss to have required frequent top-ups at the reservoir, though.
I think it’s just a volume thing when it's all said and done.
If you’ve had your own experience with Prima front brakes - negative or otherwise - please describe it in the comments section to help build a fuller picture of whether it’s a worthwhile upgrade or not, or maybe to offer a different perspective or solution to the one described here.
Thanks,
U M P H
(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)
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