ref772

Has anyone successfully put ABS on a C3? I have a 'stand alone' ABS control unit off a Nissan that will work for 4 wheel ABS, but I have not figured out where I can mount the sensor rings or pickups. I do have the electronic circuitry built. The car is a track only autocross car - not street legal. I can run equal or better times than most of the 'average' C4 & C5 cars, but the faster guys all have ABS and can eat my lunch. I may just have to learn to feather the brake pedal to keep from locking them up. But, it sure would be nice to be able to just be able to cram on the brakes without flat spotting the tires.

neuroclast

I don't have any info but I'd love to see this :]

ref772

Yes, it would be nice. I've had a bunch of guys wanting me to get it finished.

82Vette'ster

What class are you running in?

Seems like you would have to mount them on the back of the rotors. Not much room there. What size are the rings?

70 LS1

You might be able to mount a wheel speed sensor pickup so that it counts the vanes in the rotor. As long as the Nissan uses the same number of teeth front and rear, then it shouldn't matter how many teeth there are and you should be able to use the rotor vanes.

And to answer your first quesiton, I looked into it several years back using C5 parts and eventually abandoned the idea due to complexity. But that was more based on the Active Handling than the ABS.

ABS is relatively straight forward. Pretty much just monitors individual wheel speeds and adjusts accordingly. Does the Nissan control unit include the pump, distribution valves and computer all in one?

WESCH

Hi

If you ever figure this out, make sure to post details.
This would be a great aftermarket product for a company like VB&P.

Rgds. Günther

69427

I would think an early 90's Chevy pickup rear wheel ABS unit could be retrofitted to a Corvette without a lot of headache. (I'm doing that on my street rod.) IMO, four wheel ABS just gets complicated and heavy.

However, at the risk of hurting anybody's feelings, it doesn't take any driving talent to just "cram" on the brakes.

ref772

You're correct, any idiot can cram on the brakes, but those are the guys that are winning. I run Group 3 RP in NCCC events. It's almost impossible to compete with the new technology, but it feels good when you can run better times in a 40 year old dinosaur than the newer cars. The Nissan unit contains the pump, controller, computer. All I needed to build was the the little board for the on-off switch and a test switch & light - just a transistor and a few resistors, etc. Not necessary, but cool. The rings can be off of anything. The tooth count does not matter, just so all 4 are the same. I haven't picked them out yet. I don't have emerg. brakes on it, so I can mount the rears there. The fronts are a problem. I thought of cutting notches on the OD of the rotor as a last resort. Counting the fins was too irregular for the sensor. I haven't explored the C4 or C5 ABS approach yet. I don't know if they are a stand alone system or are linked to any of the other computers. Stand alone systems are much simpler. I was just hoping someone else had already done all the hard work.

Duke94

I've worked on the Hydraulic part of ABS for years (big brake Supplier) and you are correct, simple stuff. Pump, motor, a few solenoids a low pressure accumulator and you have ABS. The hard part of a retro-fit is the sensors and the tuning of the electronic controller. The GM rear wheel system uses the electronic speedo to input wheel speed and on 4 wheel systems (at least some of ours) the front sensors were integrated into the hub (bearing pack sensor) The ABS needs a good clean sensor signal or it may do something stupid like dump the brakes when the wheels are no where near lockup. You may be able to find someones bearing pack sensor that will bolt on the a C3 spindle. Still don't know how to deal with the tuning of the module. A complete C4 unit and wheel speed sensors may be the best solution.

Fun project, good luck,

Gary

ZBRA

Give up on the late C4 and C5 ABS units.

On my 94 track car, the ABS computer is tied into the body control computer, engine management computer, and ASR system. I wasn't able to get it to function as a stand alone when I stripped all of that crap out of the car. I admit, I didn't try very hard.

If you want to use a Corvette ABS system, look into the mid 80s C4 systems. Of the 'Vette ABS systems, those are the most likely to be transplanted or used stand alone.

I have an early C4 ABS pump and harness somewhere that I bought and never used. I also have a GM ABS repair manual somewhere. If you are interested in those, I'll dig around for them. I'll be happy to get any info of of them and take pics if it will help you.

TheSkunkWorks

I doubt that Nissan ABS system is any better than, if as good as, an M series bimmer's, and in my experience one can learn to out-brake even that one.

Also, I never really cared for the ABS or the ASR on my former C4/LT1 6-speed either (far too conservative IMHO), and doubt you'd come out ahead using it in any sort of competition, even if it were an easy install.

So, I'm afraid I'm with 69427 on this one, and suggest you'll come out ahead in the long run by concentrating on becoming an accomplished braker and making sure the rest of the system is up to snuff. Besides, trouncing a gentleman racer type under braking is one of life's little pleasures.

My $.02

gkull

Our shop retrofitted C-6 suspension/brakes on to a clients 69 road racing Camero. The ABS pickup ring is just part of the spindles. They figured out what part of the computer and other things they needed to run fully funtional ABS with modern big disk brakes on what externally appears like an old Trans-am race car. It is going to be raced in Europe where the rules are different on historic race cars.

pd63

Did you ever get this figured out? I have a 63 that I am cramming a 2004 GTO inside of. I would like to keep the ABS function but have yet to find a solution for monitoring front wheel speed.
I plan on adding tone rings to the differential to handle the rear similar to the GTO mounting. I hope you have found some success.

jim2527

http://www.bosch-motorsport.de/media...Brochure_e.pdf

Expensive.

pd63

Thanks but I have the equivalent of the hardware included in that kit. Sensors but nothing to since up front. I am surprised there is not a modern wheel hub/spindle assembly with a tone ring available as an upgrade. for the front end. I will keep searching. Thanks again.