[GT182]

I've started my front disc brake/dual master cylinder conversion today. Got both drum backing plates off. That was the easy part. Now to get the disc bracket on I need 2 bolts that are longer so I can get the nuts on for the steering arms. The front bolts aren't long enough to get the nut on as the bracket is thicker than the drum backing plate. The rear bolts for each side are fine. Question is.... where did you find them?

They don't have them in the Ames catalog. Only the disc brake spindle bolt. I'm thinking grade 8 bolts from Lowes' Specialty bin would work just as well. Maybe for the spindle bolt too. I'm not worried about originality. Thoughts?

['ol Pinion head]

Over the years have pieced together & sold a TON of factory disc spindle based disc brake changeovers. A-body disc spindle & steering arms do require longer bolts through the steering arm. Early F-body & '68-74 Nova have a steering arm that's really thick on one side & take an even longer bolt on that one side of the steering arm. What are you working on? will be out after dinner & can ck bolt length.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

What are you working on? will be out after dinner & can ck bolt length.

My 66 GTO. The steering arm bolts I have are 2.5 inches from the shoulder to the end of the treads. Overall length is 3 inches. I need 2 that are 3.5 inches long overall... 3inches shoulder to thread end.

For the spindle nut, 1.5 to 1.75 inches shoulder to thread end will do, as the 2 3/8ths shoulder to thread end is too long and bottoms out. I'd like to keep the thicker bolt head, like the original, over the thinker one in the catalog..... it looks thinner in the catalog photo on Page 276. There's room between the stock spindle and caliper bracket for the original bolt head. I could probably cut the bolt and chase the threads with a die, but I don't really want to mess up an original bolt just for that.

All of the parts from the drum brakes will go on sale in one lump sum if all goes well. A set of new brake shoes will go with the drums.

[64speed]

Nothing wrong with a grade 8 bolt from Lowes. Back in the Stone Age ( about 1995 ) before disc brake setups were everywhere I bought a kit for my 58 Chevy that came with nothing more than the brackets and hoses and instructions on where to get everything else (NAPA) I got bolts out of the bolts bin. Still running strong today. Same on my 59 Impala.

[GT182]

64, I'm heading to Fastenal and Lowes Monday morning. I heard from a friend that he got the longer steering arm bolt from there. If I have to I'll get the spindle bolt at Lowes. If I had the bolts I need the rotors and brake calipers would be on the car now. This isn't a real hard job to do if you can get things apart. Putting it all together is easy from what I see so far... other than having the replacement bolts you need.

Ames doesn't have the steering arm bolts at all, and the spindle bolts won't be back in stock until after Memorial Day.

I got finally got the brake lines disconnected at the bracket on the frame this afternoon. The steel lines are the originals. It took a lot of heat to break them loose from the rubber noes. Even after soaking them with Gibbs Penetrant for 3 days. The distribution block is next and looks to be just as bad. it's been sprayed with Gibbs 4 times so far.

So far I can't get the pedal rod free from the single master cylinder. I'll probably disconnect it from the pedal and pull it out like that. The new pedal rod is exactly the same as the original.

[GT182]

I got the 2 Grade 8 3" bolts I needed for the steering arms at Fastenal this morning. Plus 2 Grade 8 spindle nut bolts that are shorter than the originals. The disc bracket and steering arms now bolt up.... finally

I called Ames for the spindle gaskets and they have them.... just came in but are still need to be invintoried so they can be sent out. Not sure if anyone has used them but it looks like they're needed for the conversion .... well they should be on the way anyhow.

I did mention to them that seeing they have the steering arm nuts and the steering arms they should get the bolts too. Especially the 3 inch if they can get them just for the drum to disc conversion. Originals as I've said are too short for the front of the steering arm.

I'm hoping to get this all together so I can get it out to a show this coming Saturday.

[Old Goat 67]

Better not push it, you're working on brakes!

[GT182]

Like I told you on the phone Charles... there's no way I can rush it. Parts are needed that won't be here until Friday.

I did get the Grade 8 bolts and the washers I needed at Fastenal this morning. 15.00 dollars worth, but I figure it was a great deal. The caliper brackets are in place but not tightened down yet. The biggest job will be getting the lines loose from the distribution bloc on the frame. The new proportioning valve will be hung, on the outside bolt that holds the master cylinder to the firewall. It'll be up out of the crap kicked up by the front tire, not down on the frame rail. For the test fit it looked pretty good. Yeah I know... it's not original. Seeing the car is modified even more with this conversion I don't give a damn if it's not original. It'll stop more better and easier too.

Oh btw, one of the clips that held the brake hose to the frame rail was rotted out, and the other was barely good enough to use again. So on the way to the eye doctor I stopped at NAPA. They had them for a whopping price of 98 cents for the pair.

[GT182]

Well, the master cylinder and proportioning valve won't work on my car. Set it up this morning and the proportioning valve hits the inner fender. Ames' kit will not work with manual brakes because of this. I'm not about to modify the inner fender to get it to work but.....

I have found the correct way to go for you guys with 64-66 A-bodies that want a dual master cylinder.

Here's the link at Pirate Jack's: http://piratejack.net/mck111dbm-univ...tioning-valve/

[GT182]

Side note... The above link shows a Disc/Disc setup. I'm sure you can get the same setup for Disc/Drum.... if you ask nicely.

I'll find out more tomorrow.

[64speed]

Sorry you are having so much trouble. Just an FYI master power brakes is supposed to be an awesome kit so I ordered it when I did the front end of my Tempest. Pardon my French but that kit was $h!t. It was obviously cheap offshore parts and nothing wanted to bolt up right. Had a hell of a time returning it. They basically told me I was stupid on the phone and I had to get my credit card company involved. Second time around I ordered the CPP kit but I ordered it thru summit in case I had to return it. I know some people don’t like CPP but that kit just fell on. Everything was perfect. After I ordered it before they shipped it out CPP even called me and asked me if I knew the build date of my car because their was a midway change that required bigger holes in the steering arms. I didn’t have the right steering arms so they sold them to me direct at a discount. It may be Chinese junk like the other kits but at least it’s better Chinese junk LOL. When I do my front end here soon basically all that will be left of the kit is the master cylinder and the booster because I am putting wilwood rotors and calipers on the front

[GT182]

Thanks, but it's not really trouble in the worst sense of the word. You never know how good a kit or separate parts are going to be. Someone makes these kits up and they're usually generic. They have one set they figure will work on most all cars and no idea which ones they won't work on. That goes for probably about half or less of the kit makers out there. As for trouble with mine I have a mix of parts and the master cylinder kit. So far the mix is fine but the master cylinder kit only has the one flaw .... the location of the proportioning valve. Hopefully where I got if from will get things right, or hopefully I can get the bracket and 2 lines I need from Pirate Jack's website. I know their parts will fix my problem. And at least I know he has them, but will he sell just them. I'll find out tomorrow.... hopefully.

[GT182]

I called Pirate Jack.net this morning. They guy I talked to knew what the problem was as soon as I started to explain it. The underside bracket and 2 U shaped lines are on the way. $43.00 with shipping included. Should be here by Friday. Life is grand. LOL

[GT182]

Here's a photo if you haven't checked out the link above. It's perfect for our A-bodies. Price is right too.

[64speed]

That’s what comes with the CPP kit only the prop valve rides the side of the master instead of under it

[GT182]

The proportioning valve hanging on the side wouldn't work on my GTO. It hit the inner fender, so having it hang under the master cylinder it will work. Besides, I didn't want it down on the frame rail like the distribution block so it would catch all the crap kicked up from the road. With it hanging as in the photo above, I still have plenty of room so the clutch linkage doesn't hit it.

My original distribution block is such a mess that that the brake lines won't come off it. I've got to heat them up to get it all apart. If I have to change anything in the future I don't want to go thru that BS again. And putting Never Seize on the fittings could cause a problem if it gets in the brake fluid... so I won't even try.

[GT182]

I tried test fitting a rotor and caliper to the spindle and bracket this afternoon to see how things fit. Rotor is for a 69 GTO and didn't fit at all. Uses the same bearing as the drum but I could only get the nut on as far as bout 3 threads of the spindle. Not gonna work.... the bub part of the rotor is too wide.

So for anyone that's changed from drum to disc on a 66 A-body using the drum spindles, what disc/rotor did you use? I'd like to not have to change the spindles if I can help it. A2
and A6 are the bearings for the spindle.

[Slider]

If the front brackets are the same as what Scarebird sells (he's on this forum and you can message him) then here is his instruction sheet. I think there is a bearing spacer you have to use.

[64speed]

Just return all that crap and buy the CPP kit. That’s a huge headache for something that should be a two hour Saturday afternoon conversion

[GT182]

I watched a video on YouTube that explained the problems I'm having. I'm going to reinstall the drums and save for the kit. Disc spindles too. It's too much of a PITA to keep going the way I am for now.

I should be set in a couple of weeks after I get thru with my cataract surgery. Thanks guys.