[1965 Pontiac Parisienne]

Just got this email ..perhaps very interesting for other 8 lug user ...
but now i think more about braking if it`s really neccesary..
but for sure a good adress that keeps the old rare brakes staying alive!

John from Arrowhead Components gave your contact info to me. I am from Z&L Machining. We reline the Pontiac 8-lug drums along with other services for them. We also sell a Disc Brake Kit for the front of the full size Pontiac from 1960- 1968. This kit allows you to use 8- lug drums, as with other kits you have to stick with standard steel drums and rims. This kit is available for $1500.00. You would need to use 15" 8- lug wheels which are also being reproduced. We have recently purchased The New reproduction 8- Lug drum business from John. We will continue to make and sell the same great Drum has been selling for the past few years. The cost for a pair of new front 8- lug drums is $ 1040.00. This includes new races installed, bearings, new studs ( 8 ) in each drum with the final cut to 11.00 inches so they are ready to install along with shipping to anywhere in the USA. Another option would be to reline a pair of used drums at a cost of $ 720.00 for the pair. This will include using my cores, installing new cast iron liners, new races and bearings and again a final cut to 11.00 inches and includes shipping. They do come with studs.
Thanks Larry

[Stuart]

Did they provide contact information or an address? I found this website: http://zlmachfab.com/index.html Is it the same place?

[1965 Pontiac Parisienne]

That`s what i got from Z&L Machining

good luck!

[estokes-bonnie66]

Let me get this straight.

8-lug based disk brakes = $1500

8-lug standard drum brakes = $1040

I supply the 15" min 8-lug rims. So for an extra $460 you get disk brakes.

Ed S

[61 389-348]

This Larry is the guy I talked to for quite a while at POCI in Dayton. He's making me a set of relined rears right now. Seems to be a straight up kind of guy.

[ho421]

Good info guys. Just sent Larry an email. thx

[8LUG]

Don't forget the price of the Arrowhead drums period. Larry's include turning, .pressing in new races,bearings,and studs, shipping also. Prices of products have gone up the last few years. The last order of studs I had made went up 17% alone. Just my 2cents John ( A D A R K $ I D E R)

[Deadhead]

Anybody have any recent info on any of this stuff?

Has anyone used the reproduction 8 lugs from Larry?

Are the Disc versions still available?

Scott, have your re-lined drums worked out?

I have to make some tire and wheel choices soon for 2 cars, and I am interested to know what options still exist? I have worked out cost on a number of different options. I have to convert to a 15" wheel no matter what.

I have pretty well decided that I am doing discs and Torque thrusts on my 2 door project but not certain about the rest. Probably do a second with 15" rims and original 8 lugs. Up in the air on the last. 14" tires are just too expensive to be worth it I think given the limited choices.

A ton of $ if you pay $1400 to have a set relined and then have to buy the BOP rims on top of that. $2200 minimum before you get to tires. A Scarebird disc brake conversion and some nice 15" rims and you get the tires for free with $ leftover compared to that?

[tharkun8]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

A ton of $ if you pay $1400 to have a set relined and then have to buy the BOP rims on top of that. $2200 minimum before you get to tires. A Scarebird disc brake conversion and some nice 15" rims and you get the tires for free with $ leftover compared to that?

Thats the math I went through.. I like 8 lug wheels.. but not enough to pay
that much for drums or that much more for the disc conversion..

I went with a set of 15" steelies and will be getting Scarebirds disc
brake setups. Im going to buy a dog dish cap to see if they fit
on my wheels which came off of a 1978 Olds 98 Regency.. looks
like they might.. if not .. 15" hubcaps from somewhere.

John

[Deadhead]

…And, I really do not trust the design of the disc 8 lug thing. I would not feel comfortable driving the way I do where I do with those on my car. If I saw some track testing with conditions more rigorous than mine, I would go for it, but until then, there is no way.

Many GM truck 15s will fit AND take the center caps. I have thought about that with discs too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tom s]

JMO,if you WANT 8 lugs NOTHING else will do or matters!Tom

[Deadhead]

Originally Posted by tom s

JMO,if you WANT 8 lugs NOTHING else will do or matters!Tom

That IS true. I just don't know if I want MULTIPLE sets of them to deal with.

[barrierblue66]

Since I don't have the $$ for actual, I'm waiting for an 8 lug wheel cover Till then I'll be diggin' my Rally IIs

[8LUG]

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ug+disc+brakes

[63gpman]

I asked around about how Larry was doing on the 8-lug deal. Sounds like he is still trying to get everything figured out for the reproduction part, but is selling the 8 lug disc brake conversion (using old cores) along with doing relining still.

I am working on doing 8-lug disc brakes for my 65. I think part of the key is to make sure they are supported by the hub and not just the lugs. That is one thing that Larry is doing with his conversion. It's not just a disc brake setup with bolted on drums. there is a machined hub to fit the center of the 8 lug to provide support along with a spacer. Nice product.

As mentioned, the big issue is the additional cost of the 15" 8 lug wheels. Not that bad of cost, but when you put that on top of the disc brake parts and the drums, it certainly adds up. I have some cores cut down already and am working on the hub spacer and centering ring, but am using 1970 disc brakes on mine. I decided that this will be the last thing that I do to the car though as I needed to focus on other parts and will just run rallys till I get the additional funds to get the wheels.

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

Anybody have any recent info on any of this stuff?

Has anyone used the reproduction 8 lugs from Larry?

Are the Disc versions still available?

Scott, have your re-lined drums worked out?

I have to make some tire and wheel choices soon for 2 cars, and I am interested to know what options still exist? I have worked out cost on a number of different options. I have to convert to a 15" wheel no matter what.

I have pretty well decided that I am doing discs and Torque thrusts on my 2 door project but not certain about the rest. Probably do a second with 15" rims and original 8 lugs. Up in the air on the last. 14" tires are just too expensive to be worth it I think given the limited choices.

A ton of $ if you pay $1400 to have a set relined and then have to buy the BOP rims on top of that. $2200 minimum before you get to tires. A Scarebird disc brake conversion and some nice 15" rims and you get the tires for free with $ leftover compared to that?

"Scott, have your re-lined drums worked out?"

I have the Arrowhead repops on the front and the J&L relines on the back. Plus the BOP 16x7" wheels. Everything is fine now. Biggest issues turned out to be that the brake shop had the rear adjusters left and right side reversed. Who was it who said "check the easy/free things first"? No matter how stupid at first glance the mistake might appear to be .... that no one would do something like that !!!!

Edit: Because there's so little available in 15" tires I went with 235/60x16 Michelin Primacy in a reline done by Diamondback Classics. The tires are creamy, velvet smooth and quiet plus hang on for dear life at the limit. Only downside is that these aren't especially precise just off center .... neither is our stock steering. I'm finally going to get around to doing fast ratio / fixed ratio box next spring.

For anyone who hasn't seen my numerous pics I've posted of the combination. A little blinging, but not donk or a rolling whore house either.

[barrierblue66]

I spent much time admiring your GP at Norwalk. Man does that thing pop. I love red lines and add so much to the 8 lugs and the cars color. Beautiful and my favorite year big car. Too bad we didn't get to meet.

[Ben M.]

That is one beautiful GP...

This disc brake conversion for 8-lugs has made me reconsider having an 8-lug car in the last few years (I love the look but hate drum brakes). I don't see anything particularly wrong with how they've done the setup, I'd be a little concerned about going through the twists heavy on a drum 8-lug car anyways ;-)

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by barrierblue66

I spent much time admiring your GP at Norwalk. Man does that thing pop. I love red lines and add so much to the 8 lugs and the cars color. Beautiful and my favorite year big car. Too bad we didn't get to meet.

Thanks. Yeah, we had a big rain interuption for about 5 hours Saturday when I couldn't much get out to meet anyone.

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

That is one beautiful GP...

This disc brake conversion for 8-lugs has made me reconsider having an 8-lug car in the last few years (I love the look but hate drum brakes). I don't see anything particularly wrong with how they've done the setup, I'd be a little concerned about going through the twists heavy on a drum 8-lug car anyways ;-)

Thanks.

One of the concerns I have with the 8 lugs are how much in the way of lateral forces they can tolerate given the big sway bars, good shocks, HD springs and far stickier modern tires.

Once it takes a set on freeway ramps it corners at the pretty much the same speeds as my Gee Whiz and measures only slightly less at .85g versus .90 on the Gee Whiz. That's compared to what was likely about .63g way back when on the oem 63 tires. I don't know what the 8 lugs are capable of with regards to lateral loadings and don't want to find out. You go off the road at 70 on a freeway ramp marked 30, you're in a whole big heap of trouble, and I likely wouldn't be posting anymore.

As far as stopping capabilities on the 8 lugs, it will stop as quickly as the Gee Whiz on the RE-11s, but I probably couldn't do it 6 or 7 times. But for normal driving with normal emergencies requiring a full-on max-G stop one or maybe even a couple of times, they're fine.

No way I'm going disks.