Disk Brakes for 67 GTO

[cutiger]

My first post on this subject got way off course for some reason, so I'll try again.
I am considering replacing the old drum brakes on my 67 GOAT with one of the disk brake conversion kits. I don't want to go the junkyard route cause I ain't that patient or smart. Does anyone have experience with the kits that are on the market? I have found that Stainless Steel makes one and there is one in the OPG catalog. (Sorry, I couldn't find a kit in the PY catalog.) I'm sure there are others on the market as well. Comments and experience stories are appreciated.

[cutiger]

My first post on this subject got way off course for some reason, so I'll try again.
I am considering replacing the old drum brakes on my 67 GOAT with one of the disk brake conversion kits. I don't want to go the junkyard route cause I ain't that patient or smart. Does anyone have experience with the kits that are on the market? I have found that Stainless Steel makes one and there is one in the OPG catalog. (Sorry, I couldn't find a kit in the PY catalog.) I'm sure there are others on the market as well. Comments and experience stories are appreciated.

[6567GTO]

I used the Stainless Steel kit and liked it overall. Pretty good quality. What would you like to know about it?

[Jim Doran]

I am at almost at the same crossroads. One of the surprising aspects that mpbrakes.com indicated, is that their kit requires 15" wheels. ssbrakes.com seemed to indicate theirs would fit within 14" wheels. 6567, what wheels did you use ?

JD

[This message has been edited by jrdoran (edited 12-21-2001).]

[6567GTO]

I used 15" Torque Thrust II's. I have a set of 14" Rally II's that I can try out over the next few days if you want. Are you in a hurry to order? It's a little busy right now with Christmas but I'm off next week and could try it then. I know the St. Steel kit is really a 69 Camaro caliper set.
Phil

[Jim Doran]

No rush. Next week is fine.
I currently have 14" rally I's. I'd definitely be interested if they fit. Was the kit from ssbrakes.com essentially a bolt in ? Did the kit include all h/w necessary including lines?

Thanks, Jim

[1-GTO]

My friend put 4 wheel disc brakes on his '67 GTO from Baer Racing.He went with over-sized rotors and had to go to a 16 inch wheel.So be sure to find out what will fit stock rims if you go that route! http://www.baerracing.com

------------------
GTO.....Gran Turismo Omologato,True Pontiac Excitement!

[6567GTO]

Yes and no. The kit pretty much included everything but I had to buy some reducer fittings for attaching the proportioning valve to the master cyl. and a plug for the rear brake feed on the distribution block. The disribution block had to be relocated from the side of the frame to on top because I used headers. Come to think of it, the master cylinder feed lines weren't correct and had to be rebent and cut to fit my application. I sent them back to St. Steel Brake Corp. with mock ups that I made out of coat hanger wires. They were quickly bent and sent back. The people at SSBC were very helpful with this problem. If you don't have headers you may not have any problems. The proportioning valve was only used on the rear brake line. It consists of a valve with a black adustment knob that you adjust until there is a balance between the front and rear brakes. I still ended up cutting what I told them to do because I installed everything prior to putting the motor in. Once I saw the problems with the close proximity of the headers to the distribution block I had to move it which required a change on the rear feed line.
I ended up buying 1 cheap bake flaring tool kit which was worthless on stainless steel brake line and a more expensive flaring kit which still struggled to do the job. Let's just say the line kit wasn't a bolt on dream. It required some extra work.

Phil

[cutiger]

6567 , Thanks for all the good information. I too have 14" stock Rally II's and would like to keep them. Let me know if you get the chance to bolt the 14" up to your set-up. I guess I never thought that the kits may not work with stock wheels.

[6567GTO]

OK guys - Good news! I finally had a chance to try out my 14" Rally II wheel and it fit. Order away!

['ol Pinion head]

Phil,
Which code 14" rally II wheel?

[ December 31, 2001: Message edited by: 1 ]</p>

[6567GTO]

I honestly don't know where to look for the code. I tried. Is it inside the tire area or is it on the backspace side?

[Chiefpontiac]

Look on the outside near the valve stem.

[6567GTO]

Thanks Chief- There are two J's side by side, back to back and one is upside down. What year are they from? What does the code mean?

[ January 01, 2002: Message edited by: 6567GTO ]</p>

[Alex]

Has anyone contacted MPBRAKES or SSBRAKES to find out why they recommend 15' wheels
Just curious as to their reasons. :confused:
I know a '68 rally II code "JC" won't fit it was for drum brake cars

[6567GTO]

.

[ January 04, 2002: Message edited by: 6567GTO ]</p>

['ol Pinion head]

Alex,
Your notation of ck'ing the '67-68 JC (drum brake) wheel & it wouldn't fit, is a good indicator of questions these companies will have to answer for each division of GM cars. Unfortunately, the order takers & their tech support don't have the hands on experience to ID many of these wheels propperly or make a recommendation...just easier to make a blanket statement (only 15" wheels will fit) to cover their #ss.

As the majority of these "bigboy" kits are '69+ single piston caliper changeover's utilizing stock calipers, caliper brackets & disc brake spindles, they will work with later GM 14" wheels.

Note...Even Rally II drum brake equipped Pontiac A-bodies in '69 came with JA wheels ('67-69 disc brake Rally II wheel). All '69+ 14" Rally II's will fit on factory single piston caliper set-ups. Steel wheel wise, there were drum brake wheels & disc brake wheels early on. Not sure on all 14" steel wheels after '69, will ck.

[Jim Doran]

OPH, great info as always. Where do the Rally I wheels fit in this discussion. Are there multiple styles as w/the rally II's or is it the situation that all 14" Rally I's are incompatible w/disc brakes ?

Thanks, Jim

['ol Pinion head]

Phil,
I have never seen a J (upside down J) stamped 14" Rally II wheel. The wheel may be mistamped.

JJ & JK will often follow the wheel size stamped on the spine of the wheel. This 2 letter designation is the ASAE designation for the wheel lip (bead area) design. Started buying certain code Rally II's in '83 & have culled & sold tons of them since. Rally II wheels from start of '67 production through May of '68 had no external dates, would only be stamped with the two letter code:

JA (disc brake A-body & disc brake '67 F-body)
JB ('67(?)-68 Big car- 5 on 5 bolt pattern)
JC (drum brake A-body, '67 drum F-body & '68 disc brake Firebird!)

JJ...Hmmm... Believe there was a JJ (15x6) big car rally II wheel used in '69.

For all, I am going out to warehouse & will measure the inside diameter of 14x6" JA wheel & JC wheel & will post.

['ol Pinion head]

Jim,
There was a rare '67-68 disc brake version of the Rally One wheel produced. I have been told over the years, by naysayers, this version didn't exist, but layed my hands on an NOS set (1985) that the late Dr Phil Baughman (Classic GTO newsletter publisher) owned. At the time, he showed me the difference as compared to regular RallyI.

[6567GTO]

Thanks OPH.

jrdoran - I see that you live in CT. If you would like to bring a wheel and try it on my car send me an email and I'll give you directions etc...

Phil

[6567GTO]

Update on my rims - I checked another rim in the same set and found it stamped as a JC. The first rim I checked didn't have a fully stamped C. It wasn't a backwards, upside down J! LOL

['ol Pinion head]

Phil,
That is interesting to hear, sounds like you have the original drum brake rims off the '67. If you want to stay with 14x6 Rally II's, might watch around for some HL or HN, 73+ 14x6 Rally II's. They will work with single piston disc brake set-up, & are affordable cores.

When wheel core shopping, shy away from '78-79 KM's, they are 14" as well, but have strange offset & take weird (ugly) trim ring. :eek:

[6567GTO]

Talk about luck! LOL!

[6567GTO]

Well - jrdoran stopped by (nice meeting you Jim)and we tried his Rally I's and they fit!! Also every Rally II that I tried worked also. I tried a JC, a JA and one that had several stampings around the valve stem. It had "M5" and a "sideways 8" to the left of the valve stem and "18" and a small "s" to the right. Anyway they all fit. The calipers are 67-69 Camaro single piston from Stainless Steel Brake Corp.

Phil