I bought my 78 camaro on June 2nd. I knew it had a few issues but the price was right, so I couldn't pass it up. When I first got the car, I had to press the brake pedal almost to the floor before it would respond, and then it would only coast to a stop. If I was to put my foot on the brake just as I approached a stop sign, I'd be half way into the intersection before I stopped. I took it to a garage yesterday. The mechanic called later in the day to say he solved the problem by cleaning and adjusting the rear brakes, and fixing some engine vacuum leaks. When I went to pick it up I found the brakes in the very same condition they'd been in when I dropped it off! I took it back and he tinkered with it awhile, then told me he'd done all that could be done. The brake still has to be pushed almost to the floor but at least it isn't coasting to a stop any more.
Pumping on the brake will firm it up, and the firmness will hold until it's released. Next time I push on the pedal, it has to go almost to the floor again before there's a response. Though the mechanic claims this is as good as it's going to get, I don't buy it.

 

when was the last brake job done? do u have anti lock brakes? could be the abs or air in the lines or brake mstr cylinder.

 

Your mechanic is a moron, find a new one.
You have either: air in the system (bleed the entire braking system), a bad master cylinder, a leaking brake caliper (disc brakes), or a leaking wheel cylinder (drum brakes).
Do you have disc brakes in front and drum brakes in back? If so, could also be your rear brake shoes are out of adjustment, too far away from the drums, and giving you too much brake pedal travel to compensate.
Any mechanic worth a crap should know what to look for. I assume he was at least genius enough to check the brake fluid level in your master cylinder?

 

It does have anti lock brakes.
Lord only knows when the last brake job was done. I wouldn't be surprised if the mechanic didn't check the fluid, so I just went out and did that and it's at the right level and looks clean.

I told someone today about my experience with this mechanic and they told me their mother-in-law took her car there and was totally ripped off. This 72 year old lady knows nothing at all about cars, (even less than me. That's sad!) She took it in for maintenance but came out with a bill for almost $400. Apparently the mechanic told her when he was driving her car into the garage it died in the door way. Upon examining it he supposedly discovered it was a major break down. He claimed The ONLY way to get it in or out of the doorway was to repair it where it sat, so he had no choice but to go ahead with the repair. This poor old lady didn't know, if a car dies you can put it in neutral and push it out of the way if it's blocking something.