junk yard disc brake conversion?
 

I have a '69 GTO in mid restoration that I'm planning on changing to front and possibly rear discs. What are the options as far as pulling a setup from a junkyard and adapting it to the GTO? I'm on a budget so the aftermarket kits are out of my pricerange at this point. TIA -Bill

Check out Scarebird's custom brackets that allow you to use common, inexpensive components to convert to disc brakes.

http://www.scarebird.com

In my opinon, avoid the junkyard route. I bought a complete '72 Monte cheap and took the complete disc setup off and thought I'd just bolt it on my '65. By the time I cleaned everything up, I decided to exchange the calipers for rebuilt, then I realized I needed a new front-to-rear line, and ended up getting new front lines as well, add in new pads, then got the rotors cut, then the Monte booster didn't clear the inner fender, bought new booster and master which didn't fit my brakelines, bought 3rd booster/master that does fit....hope you get my point. I now have more than two entire changeovers and I have spent probably twice what a brand new setup would have cost. I say just buy a complete, new changeover and save yourself the headaches. The Right Stuff Detailing was very helpful and has a nice selection and good prices. I'd give them a call.

thanks for the info guys!

I'd be looking for a late '70's Cadillac Seville if rear discs were important to you. (They're not to me, I want functional park brakes. Most of the early rear calipers are known for park brake problems) Rear discs will drive the price up, I'm thinking.

You'd have tall spindle front discs, and more-or-less bolt-on rear discs. You'll need special lower ball joints and a ton of shims to align the front end, or hyper-expensive control arms. Guess which way I went?! There's some other issues, too, and you need to assure that your wheels will fit the bolt pattern of the new rotors, AND clear the calipers.

I used a '75 Nova as a donor car for my front discs. No worry about wheel issues. I used everything including the brake hoses. Lots of stuff had to be "massaged" to fit. The worst was the booster pushrod to the brake pedal. H-O Racing was my supplier for the ball joints, springs, sway bars, etc.

As long as you have the front control arms off, you might as well jam in some new poly bushings at the same time.

disc brake change over
 

I used the front spindles, rotors, and backing plates from a 1969 chevelle, put new callipers and pads on, turned the rotors. Used a master cylinder from a 1970 corvette, a distribution block from a 1974? Nova. It all went together pretty easy using the original brake booster from my 1968 Lemans power drums. Stops great now.

Should be easy enough. Just find a 68-72 a-body with discs and swap the spindle assemblies out. For example, a friend and I swapped a front disc setup from a 71 Skylark to his 69 Cutlass.

68-74 nova and early 67-69 camaro stuff will work too, you just need to use your original steering arms.

The front brake lines are different where they go into the distribution block, but if you are in a pinch, you can adapt them to the new one.

I am not a fan of the Master Power stuff, and I would be weary of these new style proportioning valves. I have a friend that does many cars for the Falcon players, and many other street rods, he has had nothing but problems with those valves.

Junkyards are also becoming increasingly difficult to find old car stuff. That might be another reason to have to buy new stuff.

Good luck

Bryan

Also, I just remembered that 70-72 Monte Carlo can be used too, as well as the oddball Nova clones through 74: Olds Omega, Buick Apollo and Pontiac Ventura.

Remember the disc brake spindles are different from your drum brake spindles, so get the complete assemblies with spindles.

I checked that out last night. Buying those brackets and then the parts needed to complete the setup is less than $250!! Looks like Im gonna go that way on my Ventura. Have to have some machine work done on the spindles but its not much. I figure for around $300 I can have discs.