[66_Cat_Jon]

I'm new to your forum but I've had my 66 Catalina 2 door post for over 30 years and it's time I did something nice for the old girl. The original brakes are manual drums with the single channel master cylinder. I'd like to have power brakes with discs in front. Master Power Brakes has a kit they call Legend Series that looks pretty complete. Does anyone have any experience with a kit like this or with products from that supplier? Any common pitfalls to watch out for when replacing so many of these components? I'm grateful to be a part of your community and appreciate any wisdom you'd care to share.

[Stuart]

Welcome to the site. Converting to disk brakes is a pretty common topic here, you should be able to find previous discussions about the Master Power kit as well as other options with the Search function in the bar at the top of the page (click through to the advanced search function for better results.)

[PONTIAC LARRY]

i just did the swap over 4 videos on my channel on our 66 but I got my parts off a junked 70 Bonneville. As long as the rotors are good all the stuff off a 69-70 is a bolt on more less. the calipers are available reman and same as 71+ squarebody K5 K10 4x4 LOL
I used a 68-70 Corvette master it had the deep reach hole for pushrod on my original 66 power booster
https://www.youtube.com/@OneManGarage/featured

[RocktimusPryme]

I think you have a lot more options with a 66, than with a 62 like I have. What Larry is talking about is probably a good option using factory style parts. Master Pro generally makes people happy too, so if you are okay with paying a little more to have everything delivered to you all together that's a good way to go.

One thing that gets overlooked a lot is that nearly all disc brake setups move the wheel outward. So that may be a question to ask of any kits you are looking at. How much they move the wheel out because its often not reported unless you ask.

On ebay kit for my 62 seemed attractive until I found out that it move the wheels outward over 5/8ths of an inch.

[PONTIAC LARRY]

I dont think the oem setup moves it out at all

[RocktimusPryme]

Originally Posted by PONTIAC LARRY

I dont think the oem setup moves it out at all

Ill bet it does a little, but probably only like a .25-.375 of an inch. Thats why its usually a better option if its available.

Like most of Scarebirds kits are based on using factory parts like what you did. His kits mostly only moved the brakes out very slightly.


My right stuff kit for my 67, which is just 69 F/A/ body brakes moved mine out by I think 3/8th.

[66_Cat_Jon]

Good info guys. Mr. Larry thanks for the video link. My project differs a little from yours in that I would also have to source all the components to replace the manual stuff with power stuff. That's a big thing I'm hoping the complete kit helps with is the troublesome details like the appropriate push rod and the valves that I definitely don't have. Also the Master Power kit doesn't require changing spindles so I like that. Rocktimus I will have to see if I can find out about the wheel location, that's interesting. Just curious, if my front tire fitment is not especially close, what would be the consequence of spreading the track out 2 inches or less?

[RocktimusPryme]

yeah for sure! It might not be important to you at all, I just pointed it out because its something some people don't think about.

I didn't care at all about that 3/8 of an inch on my Firebird, but the 5/8th on the 62 was a no go because I want to airbag that car. I need all the wheel tuck I can get.

[lust4speed]

I went with the 13" rotor Master Power kit on the '65 Catalina wagon and very happy with the brakes and their customer service. The rotor and caliper kit was made by Baer, but don't know who makes their standard disk kits.

[kpbrown31]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

I went with the 13" rotor Master Power kit on the '65 Catalina wagon and very happy with the brakes and their customer service. The rotor and caliper kit was made by Baer, but don't know who makes their standard disk kits.

And did it move your wheels out about 5/8”?

[PONTIAC LARRY]

Once seeing the discussion of maybe a tad wider its is possible my use of oem parts may have done something but too late to measure , seems I may have a few more rubs in reverse turning backing out with a passenger. I am running 15x7 C10 wheels that offset out and big 235/75R15 tires... plus a Addco 1.125" front sway bar and a 79 Z28 gearbox and KYB gas a just shocks

[lust4speed]

Originally Posted by kpbrown31

And did it move your wheels out about 5/8”?

Funny you should mention 5/8". I ordered the same 5.05 backspacing on the Torque Thrust D's for front and rear and that placed the front rims too far inboard and I ended up using a 5/8" spacer to get the wheel away from the caliper and farther outboard in the wheelwell. Doing the math now, I would have been better off ordering out a rim with a backspace of 4.5" for the front (which would have been a zero offset wheel).

The 8x17 American Racing wheel (VN6157874) wasn't caliper friendly and I'm not sure that the spokes on the milder 4.50" backspace wheel won't still hit the caliper. Master Power gets the brake package from Baer and rebrands it so the spacing will be the same for a Baer brake package.

With the current combination of wheel and spacer the closest the tire comes to making contact is the inside tread of the wheel at the back near the frame, and it misses the frame by a 1/4" at full steering wheel crank. Tires are 235/55R17.

Because of the spacers we also installed long wheel studs with corresponding deep lug nuts. We've put over a thousand miles on the car and no surprises.

[kpbrown31]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

Funny you should mention 5/8". I ordered the same 5.05 backspacing on the Torque Thrust D's for front and rear and that placed the front rims too far inboard and I ended up using a 5/8" spacer to get the wheel away from the caliper and farther outboard in the wheelwell. Doing the math now, I would have been better off ordering out a rim with a backspace of 4.5" for the front (which would have been a zero offset wheel).

The 8x17 American Racing wheel (VN6157874) wasn't caliper friendly and I'm not sure that the spokes on the milder 4.50" backspace wheel won't still hit the caliper. Master Power gets the brake package from Baer and rebrands it so the spacing will be the same for a Baer brake package.

With the current combination of wheel and spacer the closest the tire comes to making contact is the inside tread of the wheel at the back near the frame, and it misses the frame by a 1/4" at full steering wheel crank. Tires are 235/55R17.

Because of the spacers we also installed long wheel studs with corresponding deep lug nuts. We've put over a thousand miles on the car and no surprises.

I'll have to go back and check my wheel part numbers to refresh my memory on what I have because I recall picking your brain over wheel/tire fitment and ended up ordering different back spacing on the front vs back wheels in the Cragers from American Racing.

Definitely wise putting longer studs on the back of the car. I learned the hard way, nearly had a wheel fall off on the first 500 miles in. Thank god for the fender shrouding the tire and that kept it on the studs while I could quickly get stopped...otherwise it would have been bad!

Good to know on the spacing though for when I swap.