ddonaca351 said:
I just cant believe that nobody on here with a 70 has ever upgraded their discs to GOOD discs.....
Damn, I hate to have to fab something from scratch, without even an idea what it should be like... (I mean a set of headers or an air box or something, ok ...no prob. BUT suspension parts... man I dont know)
Come on fellas, at this point I'd even settle for a "well my buddy said that he put one of these with one of those once"
Dave-
Dave, folks have definitely upgraded to GOOD discs, from places like Baer, SSBC, Wilwood, etc... All of those places offer brake kits capable of meeting or exceeding your Cobra R brakes. They're just expensive is all. Performance is expensive.
However, the original '70 brakes aren't all that bad with 11" vented rotors (bigger than most current production cars) and large piston calipers. When first tested (was it Car&Driver?), a stock Boss302 with discs was able to pull down from 60mph in 112ft. That's damn respectable. That said, I agree there is room for improvement in the original system. I haven't yet spent the kind of time researching this as I'd like, but here are some thoughts...
1) There are slotted rotors available as exact replacements for the original rotors. I've seen them on Ebay and advertised by parts suppliers. I can't speak about their effectiveness, but slotted rotors are rumored to be good for reducing fade and improving performance by allowing the gases released by the pads to be vented.
2) There are number of companies making excellent high performance pads. I can't think of any off the top of my head, but visit a place like
www.corner-carvers.com and see which companies the hardcore road racers are buying from. Those companies will also have high performance street pads.
3) Your suspension setup can have a significant effect on braking performance. Doing mods to reduce front end dive under braking will allow the entire system to work, reducing the likelyhood of rear brake lockup. Combined with a good tire, this can make a big difference.
4) The braking system requires tuning like all the other systems of the car. Unfortunately there is very little that can be done with the stock system. Consider adding an adjustable proportioning valve on the rears, then you'll be able to tune the brakes a bit. Generally, best performance is created by setting it so that the fronts lock just before the rears.
5) While the rear drums are typcially very good performers, there are a couple of relatively inexpensive rear disc conversions that can help improve performance. I chose to go with the Ultrastang Lincoln Mark VII conversion... check it out at
www.ultrastang.com
The real thing to keep in mind is that it is a SYSTEM. Everything has to work together in order to get the best performance. Still, I don't believe you'll be able to get true hardcore "performance car" braking with the stock system. If that's what you want and you want a ready-made solution, then be prepared to pony up the cash for Baer or SSBC big brakes... Expect around $1300 for 12"-13". If that sounds pricey, then its time to break out the welder and start making your own like imshaggy2000
One last thing... you didn't mention what wheels you're running... just keep in mind, most of the big brake kits won't fit inside of wheels smaller than 17". This could be a problem if you've got a set of 15" magnums or the like.
I hope this helps...
There's at least a dozen or so members who'll sell em cheap.
).
