what does it take to convert drum brakes to discs on early c2s? :confused:


[Modified by garagedweller2, 3:24 AM 1/10/2002]

 

Popular Hot Rodding and Hot Rod magazines have been running a lot of articles on drum to disk conversions, which have photo layouts that explain the process.

There are kits available to convert just about any car - including C1 and early C2 Corvettes. To convert an early C2, you can alternatively use GM parts from a late C2 or a C3.

If you intend the car to be a drag racer (only), remeber that drum brakes can be adjusted to create NO drag on the wheels, but disk brakes can not - they drag all the time. On the highway, I prefer disk brakes.

PS: I got my first license in New York state at the age of 16 and was grateful that I didn't live in New York City, where my license was void.


[Modified by magicv8, 5:44 PM 1/9/2002]

 

For front disk brakes, there are kits offered by these vendors, among others:
http://www.mpbrakes.com/db1787p.htm
http://www.vettebrakes.com/

If you want 4-wheel disks, it gets more complicated, as there are also differences in the trailing arms and emergency brakes, as well as brake tubes.

 

Wrong forum! Besides, early C3s already have four-wheel disk brakes.

 

Hey Duke, a little too much of the "Official Corvette Juice"? He asked about C2's, not C3's! I'm on the 3rd bottle of the "OCJ" myself (great not having to go to work - except the lack of money).

At any rate, MagicV8 and Waynec said it all. Early C2's can converted either aftermarket or GM parts. Your choice.

 

He originally said "C3", but went back and changed it. Note the edit time stamped about 10 hours after my post. Pretty sneaky, eh?

I used the "quote original post" function to show the original post if you want to go back and double check the original post before the edit.

Hey, no big deal, I'm just trying to keep the record straight and let everybody know that I'm not on the sauce. ;)

Duke


[Modified by SWCDuke, 10:50 PM 1/9/2002]

 

I have a pair of 69 spindles, hubs, bearings, seals, bolts and caliper mounts that would do the job for the front sitting on my shelf getting in the way if your intersted.

-Greg

 

You may want to check the archives on the NCRS board. It seems to me there was a discussion recently on this topic. If I remember correctly, this was not an inexpensive undertaking and required a number of changes.

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

:D :D :D

 

Just looked at one of the links. The kit ran $1,200. If you can do the intallation mechanically, seems pretty cheap. In my case, I have been avoiding ads for '63 & '64 because disk brakes are so much better in repeated stops - now maybe I can consider them and adjust the purchase price down accordingly :smash:

 

I don't know, I have the original drums in my '63 and although I don't track it, I would not consider them "terrible"..not comparable to my 911, but I never feel like I can't stop...accordingly, I would not pass over these cars solely for that reason.....

 

A63:

I agree completley. I have no problem stopping with my non-power assisted drum brakes on dry roads. Wet roads requires a little more caution. However 99.99% of the time my car never sees rain. I would not go to the expense of swapping out the drums unless you are doing performance driving. If I was doing that I would buy a C5.

For the guy considering looking at 63s & 64s and adjusting the price downward for a drum brake conversion, good luck. Check the price guides. Except for perhaps a SWC, prices of 63s and 64s are typically less than comparable cars made in 65 to 67. The reason is because the 65 to 67s are generally considered more desirable for several reasons, one being the brakes. The discount is already baked into the price.

 

If the car is discounted correctly compared to a '65 or '66 ('67 being another animal altogether) that's fine, but you can always use an extra bargaining chip :)

I live in a major metropolitan area, and the goal would be to drive it say on a Friday to work.......41 mi each way in sometimes stop and go traffic, and I would be worried about the drum heat disapation problem.

 

Drum brakes in stop and go traffic is not a problem, it's cresting Wolf Creek Pass and having to use the brakes for longer periods. Just do as the truckers do and the signs say, use a lower gear.

 

If you have power assist on your drum brakes, then they work even better. A properly functioning drum brake system should work just as well as discs, except when it comes to repeated hard stops and that's when discs are better than drums.

However, I still prefer disc brakes. I purchased a front brake conversion from ZIP. I mentioned the high price and the salesman dropped the price by $100 immediately. I doubt if I could get the same response from someone selling a 64 though!!! My response to someone telling me that my 64 doesn't have 4 wheel discs would be, "No sh** sherlock, you just fell off the turnip truck didn't you?!?!!?" followed by: "If you want 4 wheel discs, then what the *&*& are you doing looking at 64s?" and: "If you want discounts, Wal-Mart is down the road!" :jester

 

My 63 stops just fine with Drum brakes. My concern is the fact that it has a suicide - single master cylinder. Was told that they make conversion kits for this as well but I can not find a conversion kit for a 1963? And I don't believe you can just take a 65 master cylinder and drop it in. Then I was told that if I was going to go through the trouble of converting the master cylinder over to a dual that I might as well convert it to disk brakes due to the cost of conversion?

Can anyone shed any light on this for me?
Thanks
Kevin

 

...nothing like keeping a controversy going, it's been 'kinda quiet around here anyway :D

...sorry i can't help with the advice on conversion to a dual reservoir system but i'd go back to the advice some have given in this thread about retaining the existing drum brakes...and i understand your concern about the single reservoir, base mc.........if you're fixed on total safety (as i tend to be), it doesn't matter how much a disk conversion costs, just buy it and forget about it.........however, there are bubbas who owned the car before you who probably "added value" to the brake system, for example, installing the brake shoes backwards, never bleeding the brakes, let alone changing the brake fluid completely every few years............

...you MAY want to first try doing a full brake system rebuild of what you now have, including rebuilding the mc (it doesn't matter whether you have a solid pedal right now or not)...upon disassembly/inspection of the mc, if there is any pitting, then i would go for the the dual reservoir system (plus the required new brake lines) or go for a sleeved replacement............if the mc bore is fine (far more the case than not), lightly hone the bore and throw in a mc piston rebuild kit.....there are those that express serious concern about honing mc's and their caution is correct if one acts like bubba but good judgement is all you need...


...give it a thought or pass it by and go for the disks :yesnod:


[Modified by Kid_Again, 7:45 AM 1/17/2002]

 

64-365:

I liked your post. My thoughts exactly. Even in this economy, I don't think there is much bargaining room for a properly priced mid year. Trying to negotiate the price down because the car lacked features it never came with in the first place is ludicrous. By this line of reasoning, I should be able to get the seller to knock a couple of grand off the price of a C1 that does not have air conditioning. This would be the cost for a Vintage Air system. I can just see trying to do that!

In fact if you were to go to a dealer, they would spin it somehow that the drum brakes made the car desirable since the majority of mid years had discs. I remember looking at a C1 that a dealer had at Carlisle one year. The car was beautiful but way overpriced for a base engine/3 speed car. I told him I thought the price was high for this drivetrain combination since it was not very popular and I really wanted a 4 speed. He proceeded to tell me the car was actually "rare" because so few were made with 3 speeds. I proceeded to argue there were so few 3 speeds because this was not the "hot" setup that people wanted back then. Needless to say he didn't budge from the price and I didn't but the car. Of course if I tried to sell this same car to the dealer, he would try to steal the car from me, arguing that nobody wanted this drivetrain.

For the cars that are overpriced, no need to bargain on nits, just tell the person what you will pay based on the condition of the car and bargain from there.

 

Kevin,

I can not find it in the ZIP on-line store but, there is a conversion kit (from single to dual) in their catalog. I have a '63 also and was thinking about converting over.

Gary

 

I disagree with you guys on this. If I am looking at a '64 vs. a '65 in equal condition at equal or close asking prices, the guy with the '64 better be ready to discount if he wants to sell it :yesnod: Same thing with the A/C

Now I have a better idea what that discount needs to be. There are thousands of mid-years available at all times, so this isn't exactly a sellers market. :smash: