Brake conversion

I've just bought a 1982 golf gti and the brakes are awful. I'm looking to do a brake conversion. What's the best way for me to go?

Before you start changing things does the car have a current MOT? if so the MOT station thought they was road worthy when it passed.
The brakes are not going to feel anything like a modern car with ABS and a huge servo.
A couple of questions for you
1.  Can you lock the front wheels with the brakes you have?
2. How old is the brake fluid?
3. What to the brake hoses look like, old rubber for braided hoses?
4. Which calipers and brake pads do you have fitted, the small square pads or the bigger style pads.
5. What are the rear brake shoes like and how many clicks for the hand brake to be on.
6. If you really want to upgrade how much money do you want to spend?

Some simple adjustments and servicing can make alot of differance to the feel of the pedal.

If you are increasing the BHP then of course you must upgrade the brakes.

You cant lock the front wheels and that is with stamping on the brakes. I know they aren't going to feel like a modern car as my daily is classic mini. The hose are old rubber ones and the car has been sitting in a garage since 06 I believe so not sure about the brake fluid. the car uses the bigger style pads but the rear drums seem to be alright as the hand brake is good. Not sure on price just want to get good brakes.

I'm with Mark on this one, a good service on the brake components can make the world of difference. I know mine  did.
Andy

When stopped with the engine running try pressing the brake pedal and hold it down hard and see if the pedal starts to sink to the floor, if it does then the master servo is shot and fluid is getting past the seals, a new master cylinder is about £25 from GSF or euro car parts.
You should be able to lock the wheels so it does sound that something is wrong or faulty. Braided hoses do help with the feel of the pedal as it makes it feel a little bit harder but maybe the first job to do is change the brake fluid and bleed the brake system starting at the rear wheel cylinder furtherest from the brake servo and while down there check for any brake fluid leaks around the drum then work your way around the car so all the brake pipes have new fluid in them. Might be a good idea to give the bleed nipples a spray of penetrating oil the day before you start so it soaks in and be careful undoing them.
The fluid should be changed every 3 years at least and dot 4 is the stuff you need.
I use my golf as a daily drive and used to own and drive a classic mini before I bought the golf and the golf brakes are a lot better than the mini but my mini was a 1976 with drum brakes all round and no servo!

I've sat there and pressed the brakes and they are rock solid so that was why I thought it would have to be a conversion. I shall give the brakes a good services and add some new parts and see what happens then. Cheers Mark

Another thing to try which does not cost anything (all ways like a free fix!) is the automatic brake shoe adjuster in the rear drums. It does not always work very well as the spring gets old if you google a picture of the rear shoes fitted to a car you will see the adjuster wedge so it's easier to find it through a wheel bolt hole using a torch to see the way.

I've just copied this from an old thread but you get the idea.

Jack up both sides of the back so you can spin both wheels to feel how the brakes are working, check the adjustment on the handbrake cable in the car that the cable is set at the same lenghs inside the car.With the wheels off find the automatic adjuster through the wheel bolt hole and get something pointed (small screw driver) and push the adjuster wedge up first then pull it back down with some one pressing the brake pedal as hard as they can, put the wheel on (only need a couple of wheel bolts) and press the pedal hard a couple of times. then check if the wheels spin freely, pull handbrake up one click and check each side for and signs of a handbrake then 2 clicks on the lever and feel each wheel then 3 clicks which should lock the wheels.There has been a couple of threads on here about finding and adjusting the wedge through the wheel bolt hole.