It's best to overhaul the brakes.
New Corvette owner
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
New Corvette owner
Hello folks , new to this site and my first post as I am a one week owner of my new 1980 Corvette. It is gonna be a bit of a fixer as there are a few small things that need attention, but for now my main focus is the brakes. According to the person I bought it from it has been sitting for nearly 20 years in a garage and apparently someone has been doing some tinkering with it by the evidence I now posess. when I got it home the right front brake caliper was leaking and it had very little brakes, barely enough to stop it at idle. I replaced the caliper and pads from autozone, and as soon as I attempted to bleed the brakes the left rear started to leak. So I am thinking after talking to a mechanic friend of mine and after looking around on here it might be best to do a total brake job all the way around. I took the rear one off and the rotor is bad and the pads are shot. What do you guys recommend, rebuilt oem calipers from NAPA or Autozone or should I step up and get a set of o-ring calipers from one of the vendors here. I'm gonna need new lines , 4 new calipers , 4 new rotors , 4 sets of pads. I was looking at some on here and the package deals are priced well. My car will most likely not see a huge amount of miles and from what I have read the o-ring ones seem to be better if it sits for a while. I am just trying to be proactive as I really don't want to rebuild the whole brake system in 2 years from not driving much , or over winter storage. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 822
Likes: 82
From: Columbus OH
First off, welcome! Sounds like you are about to have your hands covered in dirt and grime. Ain't it great?
I am sure you will get plenty of responses from other 1980 owners on what they think will be best for you and your situation. Since you have already taken the wheels off to get at the calipers, were the rotors still riveted onto the car? Or have they already been drilled out?
Good luck on your adventure, and share some pictures with us!
I am sure you will get plenty of responses from other 1980 owners on what they think will be best for you and your situation. Since you have already taken the wheels off to get at the calipers, were the rotors still riveted onto the car? Or have they already been drilled out?
Good luck on your adventure, and share some pictures with us!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I would suggest to you that NOW is the time to do a complete refurb of the braking system in your new car. That doesn't mean that you have to throw a lot of money at it; it means you have to rebuild/refurb or validate all of the components in the system...properly...to be certain that the brake system is safe and viable for many years ahead.
IMO, this means that you should remove and rebuild all 4 of the calipers. You can have them stainless-steel sleeved (if they are not already); or, if the car will be regularly used, just polish up the bores (if in good condition) and reseal the pistons. In addition, you should rebuild the master cylinder, which is really a rather simple task using a readily available rebuild kit for the seals/gaskets in the M/C. Be sure to 'bench bleed' the M/C before installing back into the car.
All 4 of the flex hoses that connect the metal lines with the calipers need to be replaced if you do not have evidence of that being done in the last 10 years. Old hoses can lead to serious brake failures and even fires, if they are not kept in good condition; and the damage is on the inside of the hose where you can't see it!
Flush out all the old brake fluid COMPLETELY with the same type of fluid it presently has {hopefully, that is DOT 3, but check to be sure}. Doing this insures that old fluid, which may have contaminants and absorbed water in it, is replaced with all new fluid.
Select good quality brake pads that perform as you need them to. If you use it as a sports car frequently, you likely want some semi-metallic pads for better stopping and temp dissipation abilities. If you have a "cruiser", you may want ceramic pads which will stop just fine but not generate a lot of black, nasty brake dust all over the wheels.
When all of that system is refreshed, bleed the brakes (closest wheel to farthest wheel...2 bleeders on rear brakes). Then drive the car for a few days and bleed them again to rid it of any trapped air that was dislodged during driving activities.
Good luck with your project. Again, you do NOT have to replace many parts in the C3 system to get it back in good shape. Only replace those that really need it.
IMO, this means that you should remove and rebuild all 4 of the calipers. You can have them stainless-steel sleeved (if they are not already); or, if the car will be regularly used, just polish up the bores (if in good condition) and reseal the pistons. In addition, you should rebuild the master cylinder, which is really a rather simple task using a readily available rebuild kit for the seals/gaskets in the M/C. Be sure to 'bench bleed' the M/C before installing back into the car.
All 4 of the flex hoses that connect the metal lines with the calipers need to be replaced if you do not have evidence of that being done in the last 10 years. Old hoses can lead to serious brake failures and even fires, if they are not kept in good condition; and the damage is on the inside of the hose where you can't see it!
Flush out all the old brake fluid COMPLETELY with the same type of fluid it presently has {hopefully, that is DOT 3, but check to be sure}. Doing this insures that old fluid, which may have contaminants and absorbed water in it, is replaced with all new fluid.
Select good quality brake pads that perform as you need them to. If you use it as a sports car frequently, you likely want some semi-metallic pads for better stopping and temp dissipation abilities. If you have a "cruiser", you may want ceramic pads which will stop just fine but not generate a lot of black, nasty brake dust all over the wheels.
When all of that system is refreshed, bleed the brakes (closest wheel to farthest wheel...2 bleeders on rear brakes). Then drive the car for a few days and bleed them again to rid it of any trapped air that was dislodged during driving activities.
Good luck with your project. Again, you do NOT have to replace many parts in the C3 system to get it back in good shape. Only replace those that really need it.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Aug 1, 2013 at 09:20 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
I would suggest to you that NOW is the time to do a complete refurb of the braking system in your new car. That doesn't mean that you have to throw a lot of money at it; it means you have to rebuild/refurb or validate all of the components in the system...properly...to be certain that the brake system is safe and viable for many years ahead.
IMO, this means that you should remove and rebuild all 4 of the calipers. You can have them stainless-steel sleeved (if they are not already); or, if the car will be regularly used, just polish up the bores (if in good condition) and reseal the pistons. In addition, you should rebuild the master cylinder, which is really a rather simple task using a readily available rebuild kit for the seals/gaskets in the M/C. Be sure to 'bench bleed' the M/C before installing back into the car.
All 4 of the flex hoses that connect the metal lines with the calipers need to be replaced if you do not have evidence of that being done in the last 10 years. Old hoses can lead to serious brake failures and even fires, if they are not kept in good condition; and the damage is on the inside of the hose where you can't see it!
Flush out all the old brake fluid COMPLETELY with the same type of fluid it presently has {hopefully, that is DOT 3, but check to be sure}. Doing this insures that old fluid, which may have contaminants and absorbed water in it, is replaced with all new fluid.
Select good quality brake pads that perform as you need them to. If you use it as a sports car frequently, you likely want some semi-metallic pads for better stopping and temp dissipation abilities. If you have a "cruiser", you may want ceramic pads which will stop just fine but not generate a lot of black, nasty brake dust all over the wheels.
When all of that system is refreshed, bleed the brakes (closest wheel to farthest wheel...2 bleeders on rear brakes). Then drive the car for a few days and bleed them again to rid it of any trapped air that was dislodged during driving activities.
Good luck with your project. Again, you do NOT have to replace many parts in the C3 system to get it back in good shape. Only replace those that really need it.
IMO, this means that you should remove and rebuild all 4 of the calipers. You can have them stainless-steel sleeved (if they are not already); or, if the car will be regularly used, just polish up the bores (if in good condition) and reseal the pistons. In addition, you should rebuild the master cylinder, which is really a rather simple task using a readily available rebuild kit for the seals/gaskets in the M/C. Be sure to 'bench bleed' the M/C before installing back into the car.
All 4 of the flex hoses that connect the metal lines with the calipers need to be replaced if you do not have evidence of that being done in the last 10 years. Old hoses can lead to serious brake failures and even fires, if they are not kept in good condition; and the damage is on the inside of the hose where you can't see it!
Flush out all the old brake fluid COMPLETELY with the same type of fluid it presently has {hopefully, that is DOT 3, but check to be sure}. Doing this insures that old fluid, which may have contaminants and absorbed water in it, is replaced with all new fluid.
Select good quality brake pads that perform as you need them to. If you use it as a sports car frequently, you likely want some semi-metallic pads for better stopping and temp dissipation abilities. If you have a "cruiser", you may want ceramic pads which will stop just fine but not generate a lot of black, nasty brake dust all over the wheels.
When all of that system is refreshed, bleed the brakes (closest wheel to farthest wheel...2 bleeders on rear brakes). Then drive the car for a few days and bleed them again to rid it of any trapped air that was dislodged during driving activities.
Good luck with your project. Again, you do NOT have to replace many parts in the C3 system to get it back in good shape. Only replace those that really need it.
thorough and complete
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
No need to drill the rivets out, if they are in good condition (thick enough and no gouged surface damage. Just leave them alone. Those stock rotors are 'head & shoulders' above the aftermarket parts in material, quality, and durability. Keep them as long as they are viable.
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