FAQ |
Members List |
Social Groups |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Disc brake upgrade big body
I have a 1966 Pontiac Star Chief executive and I'm wanting to upgrade to disc brakes in the front. I didn't know if there was a front spindle from a tempest GTO or firebird that would allow me to use disc brakes from those vehicles. I'm not worried about the bolt pattern changing because I'm buying different wheels for the car. If it's possible I would rather figure out a way to use just off the shelf stock parts from other vehicles instead of custom aftermarket stuff.
|
#2
|
||||
|
||||
scarbird https://scarebird.com/
makes kits for most cars |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I'd be looking for a '69--70 full-size Pontiac, perhaps any GM B- or C-body of those years, that has disc brakes in front.
The '67 and '68 discs would be the four-piston, fixed caliper version that's hard to get parts for. '69-newer would have the good ol' single-piston floating-caliper stuff that's cheap and abundant. The '66 would likely still be the hateful single-circuit master cylinder. You'd want to upgrade that to a two-circuit master with a combination valve to split the front brakes from the rears. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Schurkey For This Useful Post: | ||
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Stuart For This Useful Post: | ||
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
With Chevy B-body, the knuckles, calipers, hoses, rotors swap directly back to '65. The wheels need to be different because the disc-brake wheels have more caliper clearance than the drum-brake wheels. The master cylinder and booster should swap directly over. I don't know what control valving there is--might be separate pieces rather than a combo valve. The A-body needs "special" lower ball joints, but I don't think the B-body does. Mind you, I've never done a B-body disc swap. Maybe you shouldn't listen to me. |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
http://www.slyagent.com/67cat/dsc01.htm
Ben M. and I did this on a 67 Wagon a few years back. Is your car A US or Canadian model?
__________________
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ― Calvin Coolidge |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Full size Chevy's have a 4 3/4 bolt pattern, POB and Cadillac are 5".
__________________
|
The Following User Says Thank You to HoovDaddy For This Useful Post: | ||
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Yeah, I've got another donor I could suggest, but when someone that's back-halfing a car, and switching to a 454 with a blower balks at fabricated caliper brackets... well, they're just impossible to please.
So with that in mind, graft a Mustang II front clip onto it. You can get around the 4bolt wheel pattern by using rims from a one ton pickup, because 8bolt. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Pontiac suspensions were totally different than Chevys until 1971, when GM went with a more corporate chassis design for full size cars.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Stuart For This Useful Post: | ||
#13
|
|||
|
|||
I did a 4 wheel drum to disk, manual to power, conversion for a friend on his 66 Impala about 20 years ago. It was a complete kit. All went well, pedal and stopping power felt good , he drove it for all these years, never complained, just sold the car recently. I dont remember the company that made it though.
|
#14
|
||||
|
||||
It gets confusing learning what interchanges. A body, B body what year did this or that change and when may A or B body use the same.
I have a 61 Ventura (OK, call it a B body). I have C3 Corvette (that's like 68-82 years) brakes front and rear including dual MC. It uses a Corvette spindle (yes, the ball joint taper seems to be the same) with the Pontiac A arms. That spindle allows using the Corvette Moraine calipers. Although the brackets need to be modified to move the caliper behind the spindle not in front as Corvette did it. Rear is Corvette although the axels were redrilled to 5 on 4 3/4. Took some ingenuity to get the parking brakes to work. Can't say what the cost would be compared to a Scarebird system. Probably cost more and if I hadn't gotten this system when I bought the car, I would likely do a Scarebird system if it is available. But the nice thing about the Corvette system is that I expect parts will always be available and I know what they are. |
The Following User Says Thank You to pfilean For This Useful Post: | ||
#15
|
||||
|
||||
We may have a couple of sets we can make from extra components.
Rotor pattern is 5 on 5. If you wish otherwise you will need to redrill, spotface and trim pilot down from 3.06 to 2.780. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Scarebird For This Useful Post: | ||
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I'm not sure what you mean by spot face and trim pilot down from 3.06 to 2.708 |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
If you were willing to stick with 5x5, I would definitely go with the 69/70 front spindles. The rotors are a little tough to get but still out there if you beat the bushes. I dont believe the later year pontiac stuff with work as it is a question of front steer vs. rear steer so nothing will line up. Don't believe any chev stuff will work either. Maybe redrill the 69/70 rotors?
|
The Following User Says Thank You to rustyrelic For This Useful Post: | ||
#18
|
||||
|
||||
Disc Brakes
I have some knuckles I just pulled from a 69! I doubt rotors will make spec. Jim
|
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
But if you don't have knuckles that will work, it ain't happenin' |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
__________________
Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
Reply |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|