Disc brakes

[RSZ28]

I'm currently working on a 65 Belvedere. I have access to a 71 Scamp parts car with factory power disc brakes. Can I use this setup for the Belvedere? Also, the 65 has a factory sway bar. Can the Scamp's spindles be reversed so I can mount caliper to rear? Thanks

 

[bearman]

There was a post about that awhile back trying to find it. I believe it was centerline that did it to a 64 polara. But I hope someone else will jump in and confirm my statement.

 

[rarefish]

No, you do not want to used the 71 Scamp front end brake parts. They were the KH 4 piston calipers and small bolt pattern spindles.
What you need is the 1973 and up A body or E body spindles and caliper adapter mounting brackets. They will mount correctly to your upper and lower control arms. Rotors and calipers will then be common over the counter part store items.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

No, you do not want to used the 71 Scamp front end brake parts. They were the KH 4 piston calipers and small bolt pattern spindles.
What you need is the 1973 and up A body or E body spindles and caliper adapter mounting brackets. They will mount correctly to your upper and lower control arms. Rotors and calipers will then be common over the counter part store items.

Yep, I did that swap to my Roadrunner YEARS ago so I could get 1-piece rotors & it bolted right up and has worked just fine.

 

[Centerline]

Rarefish is correct. Use the mid '70s "A" body parts or "E" body stuff. The earlier parts just won't work. Not to say it can't be done but you won't like the outcome.

 

[andyf]

Sell the '71 brakes to someone who wants small bolt pattern stuff. There are lots of guys who have small bolt pattern cars who want disc brakes so you can make a quick $150. Then call up Doctor Diff and order a front disc brake kit for your car using all factory stuff. Basically what you need is late A body knuckles, late B body rotors, 11.75 caliper adapters, FMJ calipers, Camaro brake hoses and 15 inch rims. That will give you a very nice factory looking setup that will fit and work on your car.

 

[RSZ28]

Do the 73-76 A body cars have rear mount calipers? If not, can I reverse the spindles so I can mount to rear to clear factory front sway bar? Thanks

 

[rarefish]

The A-bodies were all front mount calipers. Some people have reversed the spindles to clear the sway bar.
I'm running 74 e-body brakes on my 64 Belvedere wagon and I once had a factory sway bar also installed. It's a tight fit as I had to turn around the brackets that attach the bar to the strut rods to gain some clearance, but it did work.

 

[Centerline]

Do the 73-76 A body cars have rear mount calipers? If not, can I reverse the spindles so I can mount to rear to clear factory front sway bar? Thanks

They are all front mount however you can swap the spindles side to side to mount them on the rear to clear the early sway bars if you have them. Later sway bars don't need to have the spindles swapped.

Here is a pic of the spindles swapped to clear the sway bar. Nothing to it.

 

[coloradodave]

Mid 70s A body components. Rear mounted calipers and Firm Feel sway bar.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

All I will say is.....if I'm upgrading,I want to up grade! Not just a 50 year old design that was better that drums

 

[Centerline]

All I will say is.....if I'm upgrading,I want to up grade! Not just a 50 year old design that was better that drums

Nothing wrong with that if you have the $$$ to throw at it. However, even mid '70s disks are a big upgrade when compared to the brakes these cars came with from the factory. I think I have all of $250 invested in my "A" body setup. Will they stop as well as a set of 6 piston large diameter disks? Nope.... but they will stop a hell of a lot better than the drums that came on it.

 

[bearman]

That's what makes this forum great. You have choices. If you want to upgrade we get a lot of choices from cheaper to high end so depending on your budget. You can still upgrade or turn more of your budget to something that is really going to cost.but you still get a upgrade the reason I went with the centerline way is I can go get all my parts from my local parts house and don't have to wait for the parts to come in.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Your upgrade also depends on the intended use.Will you be stopping from 80 MPH or 160 MPH??

 

[rarefish]

This link will tell you everything that you need to know...
https://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/brakes/disc-main.html

 

[coloradodave]

All I will say is.....if I'm upgrading,I want to up grade! Not just a 50 year old design that was better that drums

Unless you're roadracing, the fact that I can lock up all four wheels when I want to is good enough for me. Are 4 or 6 piston calipers going to lock them up HARDER...? Note that all the other front end components on my car are upgraded. Different strokes for different folks...