front disc brake conversion
 

Hey guys,
I am new to this forum. I am currently restoring my grandfathers 68 firebird to be able to drive. nothing crazy jsut be able to drive it a coulpe times a month or so. im not doing an all out restoration however i want to make it a drivable car. i am doing this for my highschool senior project. This car has been sitting untouched for twenty years in a field so imagine what it looks like. under the hood it had a 350 lemans engine which my family threw in instead of its 6 cyl. Because i am in a hurry to do this project i think i am swaping the engine for another 350ci which i found on this site. but before i swap it and bring it to a shop, i also want to put disc brakes iconversion in the front. i was wondering if anyone has done this recently and how it went, what kit did you put in and so on and so fourth. i am aware this will probibly cost a little over a grand so please get back to me.
thanks,
Jordan

well if you can do it yourself, you can do it more much less than $1000

check this site out if you want stock brakes, looks like it comes with everything
http://www.rightstuffdetailing.com/about_us.htm

Some more
 

What about a kit from SSBC
http://www.stainlesssteelbrakes.com/...bird&year=1968

or
http://www.stainlesssteelbrakes.com/...bird&year=1968

do i want manual or power?

if you have never driven a car with manual brakes you probably want power assist
every new car today has them and, i would bet that 90% of pople here also use them

and looks like both the kits you listed would work
but i just want to know what you would spend an extra $300 over rightstuffdetailing.com for basicly the same kit (the ssbc doesnt come with the stock proportioning valve, but an adjustable one)

you car probably already has power assist, its an 11" round disc about 3" thick between the master cylinder and the firewall (top left corner of the pic for power brakes, that you linked to)


scarebird: im going to convert my friend's 69 bird to disc, but all i see is a price of $85, what is that for? obviosly not the whole package...

Sorry i happened to look at that website but my comture isnt working right so i wasnt able to see the adobe file but i went on my other one and saw it and it looked good. Does anyone have this kit already from the rightstuff

Yes I do, I am also a dealer for thir products-- (but not until I installed them on my own vehicle). I definately am satisfied with them. The only thing that I question these days, with any system is the lack of a residual valve in the rear outlet of the master cylinder if you're running rear drums. I've checked with many suppliers and they don't even know what I'm talking about let alone what they are there for. Right Stuff does handle an 'in-line' unit though - and they DO know what they're there for. Good Luck and enjoy-

85 covers the brackets only, and an instruction sheet/parts list. We are at the budget end of the spectrum, with the added capability to fit inside almost any 14" rim. We currently use 1990 Celebrity calipers and 82-87 Firebird rear rotors, but am looking at using 78 Monte Carlo rotors/ S10 4WD calipers to eliminate the need to machine/reuse the drum hubs.

Quite a few companies, Right Stuff included, sell the original style repop brackets, spindles, etc. This is not bad, but they do not fit inside all rims, and on some use chinese rotors. The difference is how well they match the MC and prop valve to your car.

Almost right on that scare----, we do have a system for all 14" wheels that incorporates a special cut 10 3/4" rotor and there's no need to replace spindles on this one which is a definate plus.

That would be a trick. Do you guys cut down a 69-72 rotor and use S10 or Celebrity calipers? The early Olds SS1 rims (66-67) are a real bear to fit inside, as are the Buick's of the same years.

Not at all, they are specially engineered and manufactured for this particular application from the drawing board.

Not a bad thing- unless you guys quit business! I am looking again at the 55-57 Pontiac front and doing the custom rotor route would solve quite a few problems, though volume would be a problem.

I have done a similar project on my 70 GTO after it sat for 15 years. I would recommend that you definitely change the brake lines all the way to the rear drums. Mine had deteriorated terribly and would have never lasted. Nearly every fitting twisted the line or broke on removal. I rebuilt the rear drums with all new hardware. I just wanted to get it running and on the road like you, but you gotta have good brakes. I personally put in a two inch drop spindle kit from Fatrodder on EBAY ~$400. Stainless lines from right stuff.

disc brake conversion
 

I did the conversion on my '68 Lemans. Picked up used spindles, rotors, and backing plates from a '69 Chevelle, a proportioning valve from a '70 something chevy, and a master cylinder from a '70 corvette. The whole setup cost less than $200. Most salvage yards that have some older cars will have something that will fit your bird. I went from power drum to power disc up front with the drums in back. Used my original brake booster. I cleaned up the front end parts, painted, new bearings and seals, turned the rotors, new pads, calipers and lines. It made a HUGE difference in the drivability of the car.