Disc brake swap problem

ForceFed70 · Oct 16, 2006

OK.. not really a problem, but a bit of a snag.

My 70 Grande came from the factory with power front disc brakes. I've always felt that with performance pads/shoes and proper maintenance the braking on this car is plenty for what I use it for. I rarely race the car and when I do it's 1/4 mile at a time.

So last year I threw a set of chrome 18" bullits on the car.. the wheels look great but now everyone can see those drums in the rear. I want to upgrade the rear drums to disc brakes... mostly for the looks but the added performance is a bonus and I don't think I would do the swap without the increase in performance.

So here's my problem: Once I upgrade the rears to disc... won't the front brakes look a little funny? Am I going to end up needing to uprade the front discs as well? And is it worth it?

bnickel · Oct 16, 2006

as long as the rear brakes aren't larger than the fronts i don't think it will look funny at all. better brakes are always good but i agree that the stock 69/70 discs work pretty damn good as is. you could always do the PBR caliper swap to the stock front brakes, all it takes to do it is to make one little L-shaped bracket, that way you would have newer looking front brakes to go with wahtever rear discs you decide one. if you could find a versailles rear the versailles calipers actually match the stock front calipers pretty well. lot's of options and most all of it is based on personal preference.

i would seriously consider looking into the PBR front caliper setup though, i plan on possibly doing it myself if we can't convince Degins to build a dropped spindle, of course that will be for the 69 cougar though, it's going to need a front disc brake swap anyway since it has manual drums. i'm sure going to miss the mustang but i've always liked cougars too, i just hope i can get the stang finished and sold before my buddy changes his mind and decides not to sell me the cougar.

blue65coupe · Oct 16, 2006

bottlefed70, just check the size. I'm with bnickel

ForceFed70 · Oct 16, 2006

bnickel said:
as long as the rear brakes aren't larger than the fronts i don't think it will look funny at all. better brakes are always good but i agree that the stock 69/70 discs work pretty damn good as is. you could always do the PBR caliper swap to the stock front brakes, all it takes to do it is to make one little L-shaped bracket, that way you would have newer looking front brakes to go with wahtever rear discs you decide one. if you could find a versailles rear the versailles calipers actually match the stock front calipers pretty well. lot's of options and most all of it is based on personal preference.

i would seriously consider looking into the PBR front caliper setup though, i plan on possibly doing it myself if we can't convince Degins to build a dropped spindle, of course that will be for the 69 cougar though, it's going to need a front disc brake swap anyway since it has manual drums. i'm sure going to miss the mustang but i've always liked cougars too, i just hope i can get the stang finished and sold before my buddy changes his mind and decides not to sell me the cougar.

What is the "PBR caliper swap" you speak of? Sounds like it's exactly what I'm looking for.

bnickel · Oct 16, 2006

BottleFed70 said:
What is the "PBR caliper swap" you speak of? Sounds like it's exactly what I'm looking for.

this right here

http://www.woodyg.com/fairlane/finfo/discs66.html

LMan · Oct 17, 2006

PBR fronts + the Ultrastang rear disc option is what you need

bnickel · Oct 17, 2006

LMan said:
PBR fronts + the Ultrastang rear disc option is what you need

yeah that would work very well. if ultra still makes the mk vii caliper brackets those would match the stock 70 front calipers pretty well too.

ultrastang · Oct 17, 2006

bnickel said:
yeah that would work very well. if ultra still makes the mk vii caliper brackets those would match the stock 70 front calipers pretty well too.

I have three flavors of rear disc conversion adapter brackets to choose from:

1. '84-'90 Lincoln Mk VII 11.250" ventilated rear discs (for small & large bearing 8- & 9-inch housings);
http://www.ultrastang.com/Ultrainfo.asp?Page_ID=11

2. '94-'04 SN-95 Mustang V6/GT 10.5" solid rear discs (for small bearing 8- & 9-inch housings);
http://www.ultrastang.com/Ultrainfo.asp?Page_ID=17

3. '94-'04 SN-95 Cobra 11.65" ventilated rear discs (for small bearing 8- & 9-inch housings);
http://www.ultrastang.com/Ultrainfo.asp?Page_ID=18

www.ultrastang.com

ForceFed70 · Oct 17, 2006

Excellent info, thanks guys!

Does anyone know the diameter of the stock front rotors on my '70? I'm too lazy to pull the wheel off and measure for myself.

ultrastang · Oct 17, 2006

BottleFed70 said:
Excellent info, thanks guys!

Does anyone know the diameter of the stock front rotors on my '70? I'm too lazy to pull the wheel off and measure for myself.

Should be 11".

bnickel · Oct 18, 2006

ultrastang said:
Should be 11".

i think it's just a little bit bigger, like 11 1/4", like i said only slightly. it probably doesn't make much of a difference, but it might come in handy to know in case he needs to fab something.

ultrastang · Oct 18, 2006

bnickel said:
i think it's just a little bit bigger, like 11 1/4", like i said only slightly. it probably doesn't make much of a difference, but it might come in handy to know in case he needs to fab something.

bnickel wins the happy meal. I forgot that I had a brand new pair of '70 model Mustang rotors in the shop that I had robbed the hubs from. They are 11¼" in diameter. Additionally, minimum rotor surface thickness is .875".

bnickel · Oct 18, 2006

ultrastang said:
bnickel wins the happy meal. I forgot that I had a brand new pair of '70 model Mustang rotors in the shop that I had robbed the hubs from. They are 11¼" in diameter. Additionally, minimum rotor surface thickness is .875".

good i'm hungry....LOL

Disc brake swap problem

ForceFed70

That's why they call it "dope"

bnickel

blue65coupe

New Member

ForceFed70

That's why they call it "dope"

bnickel

LMan

bnickel

ultrastang

ForceFed70

That's why they call it "dope"

ultrastang

bnickel

ultrastang

bnickel

Similar threads

Disc brake swap problem

That's why they call it "dope"

New Member

That's why they call it "dope"

That's why they call it "dope"

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency