[oldbirds]

Need some help with 4 piston caliper lines on my 67 Firebird. It had factory disc brakes, but they were inoperable when I got the car - some lines were cut, but the original calipers and one original rotor was there. I disassembled the car over a year ago, and am slowly getting it back together.

Problem is apparent (I hope) in the first picture - something in the caliper/hard line/bracket assembly is incorrect. Calipers are remans with the right casting part numbers - 5455008 and 5455946. I did not have mine rebuilt (could be mistake) and the originals were sent back as cores. The bracket to hold the hardline at the caliper was missing - hard line was there but no brackets. The repro hard lines and brackets are from Inline Tube, who in my experience have been very accurate in their repro brake and fuel line parts. These are sold as "67-68 F-body" parts - no separate Camaro/Firebird versions.

The bracket is essentially impossible to mount - has clearance/fit/angle issues at every possible mounting point. Seems like it must be either the caliper casting or the bracket, but it could be something else I suppose. There is a threaded hole in the caliper mounting bracket that is a great place to mount a hose bracket, but the bracket I have will not fit and would interfere with the hard line if it did.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I have found pics on the web that show different brackets, but no definitive info on what is needed or where to get a different bracket - any I have found for sale for 67 Birds is what I've got already.

[oldbirds]

Spent some more time fiddling with the parts...if I try mounting the bracket on the steering arm instead of elsewhere, it looks like if I flip the hard line and then tweak it a little, and then get longer rubber brake hoses this bracket could be the right one. It will be really tight clearance wise (bracket to caliper and hard line to caliper), but Is that how this should be mounted? Is it just my insistence that it mount where I was trying in my original pictures that was wrong?

See dummy picture below with yellow for bracket and white for hard line. Thanks again for any help.

[ho428]

I'm missing that bracket altogether, if no one here knows you might try the FGF forums.

[JLMounce]

Although different, the single piston calipers which are more common do not have a hard mount provision. The soft line simply attaches to the caliper via a banjo fitting.

The reason I point this out is because you don't absolutely need that hard mount there. If you're doing a 100% factory correct restoration, I understand, but you can forgo that mount and connect the soft line directly to the caliper, or in your case you can also connect it directly to the hard line off of the caliper. Just make sure during steering articulation you aren't hitting anything.

[oldbirds]

For what its worth, the Pontiac Master Parts catalog shows something quite different from what I have, and it uses a 5/16-18 bolt which just happens to be what the caliper mounting bracket is drilled/tapped for - see pic on original post.

Relevant parts from the illustration "67-68 Firebird Front Disc Brake System" and relevant part numbers attached. I believe what I have can work, but is likely not what Pontiac used, or at least not what they intended to use according to this illustration.

[Hammered]

I have detailed info on your brakes here: http://1967firebird.atwebpages.com/f...ton_brakes.php

You have the camaro bracket which is different from the Firebird bracket and will not work with the Firebird calipers.

[oldbirds]

Originally Posted by Hammered

I have detailed info on your brakes here: http://1967firebird.atwebpages.com/f...ton_brakes.php

You have the camaro bracket which is different from the Firebird bracket and will not work with the Firebird calipers.

Thanks - great information and pictures.

Doesn't appear that anyone makes the right parts for the Firebird. May have to fabricate a set.

[gtobird]

I have several sets of dual piston calipers for my 68 Bird. I wanted my car to be correct, but had drum brakes to begin with. I went on a mission to gather up the correct parts a couple of years ago and found out that much of the information out there is flat out wrong for Firebirds. First off, the casting numbers are the same for most 67-68 Camaros and Firebirds, GTOs, etc. The problem is that the entire assembly received a different part number and that is what GM went by in the parts books. Those numbers are not printed on the calipers anywhere that I could find. Therefore, you need to identify them by the size of the piston and the fitting size that threads into them. You likely can still use them if they have different size pistons and fitting threads than your car came with, but you will have to match the fitting size. Your car may have more or less stopping power if you change piston size. I'm not a brake guru, and safety is involved, so I am NOT your braking consultant.

As for the brackets, this is the bracket that works on most calipers. http://www.ebay.com/itm/68-GTO-Front...9R2yS4&vxp=mtr
It's for an A-Body technically and notice the D-Shaped cutout for the hose. From what I understand , that is correct for a 67 / 68 Firebird. I bought the correct hoses online. It was O-Reilly, or maybe Autozone or another (can't remember). Duralast brand part number 70113 is on the bag along with H71302. Bot ends have the D shaped fitting on the end that exactly matches the bracket I mentioned. They are plated in nickel color rather than the brass type finish.

I have not yet installed all of this on my car permanently, but a trial run on the bench makes it look like this will all work.

OJ

As for the frame brackets, the correct ones are NOT reproduced for Firebirds that I have found. I talked with one of the folks at a leading brake line supplier (who will remain nameless) regarding all of the brackets and hoses for a 68 dual piston Firebird and explained to him that their listings were likely incorrect for a Firebird.. The reply I heard back is that it would cost too much to make all of it for a Firebird since there aren't that many out there, so they call out Camaro or other A-Body parts. You found out what I did, which is they don't always work or even fit. I know someone with a CNC plasma cutter, so I'm going to have some brake hose frame brackets cut out of steel and will bend them so they are close to the originals. I don't have an original set, but do have some pictures, so I'm hoping I can get them pretty close.

Regards,
OJ

[RA1John]

Are 67-68 Firebird Caliper casting numbers the same?

I thought A-body and Camaro Calipers had different casting numbers.

Inboard #?
Outboard #?

R/L?


Thanks!

[gtobird]

I thought the casting numbesr were all the same with the finished part number being different, but it would make sense that they are different if the brackets that mount on them aren't the same. I have a core set of 68 Firebird calipers, a set of GTO (A-Body) and 67 Camaro (maybe 68 calipers). If no-one can validate the casting number question, I will dig them all out later in the week and compare. I have to warn that I took peoples word for it as to what they came off of, so that won't be 100% proof either. If they are different, it would prove that at least some of them are different.. The 68 bird calipers have the best odds of being correct as I was with the guy when he took them off of the bird.

OJ

[oldbirds]

I don't have an original set (frame brackets), but do have some pictures, so I'm hoping I can get them pretty close.

Regards,
OJ[/QUOTE]

Thanks a lot for all the detailed information. I think you may have saved the day...those caliper brackets look right and will be tried later this week. Just saved two of my buddies a lot of work as they were going to fabricate a pair. They definitely have the skills and the equipment, but it would have been quite a bit of work.

If you want/need more pictures of the frame brackets with measurements, I can easily provide some as there is no sheet metal back on the front of my car yet and I am highly confident (but not 100% - probably 99%) that they are original. .

Ray

[gtobird]

Ray,

It would be superb if you could give me detailed pictures of each side with dimensions. The left and right side frame brake hose brackets are different from each other. Also, the drum and disc brake setups use different frame brackets. I'm hoping you have the correct disc brake brackets. The camaros use different brackets and hoses on the frame for disc brake setup. I'll PM you with my email address if it's easier for you to email the pictures to me.

Regards,
OJ (Old Joe)

[FASTASSBIRD]

I have some originals in a box in my tool box if you need pics


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gtobird]

Originally Posted by FASTASSBIRD

I have some originals in a box in my tool box if you need pics


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That would be superb. Again, Just to make sure we are on the same page, they need to be frame brackets from a 67 or 68 Firebird that originally had disc brakes. Drum brake cars had different frame brackets. I think 69 brackets were also different,, but not sure. I'll PM you with my email address. One of the issues I have is these brackets have a hole in them for the brake hose and the hole has a flat in it, so the hole is shaped like a "D". If you could also give me a photo showing the orientation of the "D" from the top down on each one, that would really help. If by chance you have enough time to provide dimensions with a ruler in the photos, even better. I truly appreciate your offer to help with photos.

Regards,
OJ (Old Joe)

[oldbirds]

Thanks to all the experts who helped sort out my issues with the 1967 factory disc brakes parts. If it wasn't for you I'd still be sitting on floor in my garage, scratching my head and likely throwing things. It looks like I now have the right parts (they all fit together) that are almost certainly correct for 67 factory disc brakes. The enclosed pictures have annotations about what works.

My car had factory disc brakes that were missing the caliper line brackets, had aftermarket hoses, and one new 1 piece rotor, one original style 2 piece. I now have rebuilt 4 piston calipers, repro 1968 GTO/67-68 Firebird caliper line brackets, repro 67-68 Camaro/Firebird caliper hard lines, repro brake lines and the brake line brackets that were on my car - they all fit together and are claimed to be and appear to be correct.

Some catalogs list 67-68 Camaro/Firebird caliper line brackets. If so, keep looking and find the 68 GTO/67 Firebird version. The correct Firebird version bolts to the caliper mounting bracket in the 5/16-18 hole drilled for that purpose. The Camaro version bolts up with the caliper mounting bolt and will NOT fit on Firebird calipers. (There might be a time consuming reason that I know this).

However, the lines listed for both Camaro and Firebird are correct. Like all lines they still need some minor tweaking (see pictures) but are correct.

Two points still open to debate/not finally installed: the hose bracket on the frame is what came on my car and is clearly not a 1967 drum brake bracket (see pictures from another 67 convertible that I owned). Everything is very happy hooking up using that frame bracket. However, it has a round hole and there is some debate that it should have a D shaped hole. I am fairly confident that mine are original, and they physically work so do not intend to change them. I also have not found/purchased brake hoses that are the right length/configuration but assume that they exist. The aftermarket ones I was sold are too short, haven't started looking for the right ones yet.

Thanks again for all the help!

Oops - saw that I created a new thread on the first picture. Should be 5/16-18

[Hammered]

Ray - glad to help. Those frame brackets and caliper bracket look correct, although it looks like someone may filed the "D" into and "O".

[Hammered]

This pic is for Joe. Hopefully it will help to see how the "D" is oriented.

[Hammered]

Another one for Joe

[gtobird]

Originally Posted by Hammered

Ray - glad to help. Those frame brackets and caliper bracket look correct, although it looks like someone may filed the "D" into and "O".

Hammered,

Either I'm looking at the wrong photos, or ?????? Look at OldBirds photo #3 of the drivers side frame bracket and then compare it to the one you posted of your driver side frame bracket. they look nothing alike. What am I'm looking at incorrectly?

OJ

[ho428]

Looks like an incorrect rotor, but supposedly someone did make one like you show that fits.
These are available, but pricey.