Brake conversion Question
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Hartselle Al
C5 brake upgrade
You would need a whole C5 kit including calipers, rotors, and adaptor brackets. Most people here believe you will also require 18” front wheels to clear the calipers. 17" wheels may not make the cut.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 2
From: Thomson Georgia
The 89-90 9.5/11" wheels will clear the C5 brakes.
The 9.5/11" A-Molds will clear the C5 brakes.
The 8.5" A-Molds have less spoke clearance than the 89-90 wheels, but they do.
Sawblades will NOT clear the C5 brakes without a spacer.
The 17 spare will fit the C5 brakes with minor grinding on welds and @ least a 0.030 washer or spacer on the studs.
This is from personal experience.
The 9.5/11" A-Molds will clear the C5 brakes.
The 8.5" A-Molds have less spoke clearance than the 89-90 wheels, but they do.
Sawblades will NOT clear the C5 brakes without a spacer.
The 17 spare will fit the C5 brakes with minor grinding on welds and @ least a 0.030 washer or spacer on the studs.
This is from personal experience.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Punta Gorda Florida
i have 17x9.5/11 a-molds.
Ok guess this leads up to the next question.
IF i get the calipers... and buy rotors (for a 97-04?)... how much is there left to do and what would the cost be for those parts? and what would be needed to be done to the stock setup (88 convert. if that makes any difference)
Ok guess this leads up to the next question.
IF i get the calipers... and buy rotors (for a 97-04?)... how much is there left to do and what would the cost be for those parts? and what would be needed to be done to the stock setup (88 convert. if that makes any difference)
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Hartselle Al
Originally Posted by Vetster88
Bummer... I found a set of really cheap (IMO) C5 calipers and was hoping they'd work on an '88 without hassle... oh well, anyone know If they would fit an '80 el camino? 
it would fit the el, with big wheels and corvette spindles or an equivalent, but wouldn’t you just send your mower into the front of the bed?!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Punta Gorda Florida
Originally Posted by Jack_leg
Yeah, it would fit the el, with big wheels and corvette spindles or an equivalent, but wouldn’t you just send your mower into the front of the bed?!
it would fit the el, with big wheels and corvette spindles or an equivalent, but wouldn’t you just send your mower into the front of the bed?!
mower 
The el camino is my 1/4 mile racer
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Punta Gorda Florida
I've decided to go monday and see if the guy still has them. Just the thought of a mower hitting the front of the bed is worth the effort
. I'll piece this upgrade together with time it appears....
Thanks for all the input, and the laugh
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Hartselle Al
Hey, don’t take me wrong, I like el-Caminos. I worked on a 80 for years, it was my best friends and it was the first car I help break by rounding off the bolts on the water neck. He thanked me by letting me by an extractor set and a new water neck after I broke that too by prying it off with a screwdriver. I learned a lot that day…
Like using WD-40,
The correct wrench,
The correct direction,
Aluminum isn’t as strong as steel,
Gaskets suck to remove,
And friends should work on their own damn
cars!
PS I wasn’t but a child with my father’s tools then, so forgive me for being, A JACK-LEG!
Like using WD-40,
The correct wrench,
The correct direction,
Aluminum isn’t as strong as steel,
Gaskets suck to remove,
And friends should work on their own damn
cars! PS I wasn’t but a child with my father’s tools then, so forgive me for being, A JACK-LEG!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Punta Gorda Florida
The el camino was my graduation gift from my family... I love sbc with a big 4bbl, and they took me to get it... (267 )sbc 4bbl, w/shift kit... needed some serious body work. "will never be a show car"
So i spent ALL my free time working on it and did it up good enough to be painted like one, except for the left 1/4 got mad at it and primed "good enough!" I spent a week on that panel and just got tired of it and since flat black doesnt show imprefections to well that's the way it'll stay, until I can do it with up right.
Then my dad got into a whole "if your going to race you should have a driver and a racer so you dont tear up your good car..." good idea dad So that's the story behind my el camino
. It's taught me a lot also... And will teach me a lot more. especially, about nitrous, before I swap motors... I figure IF I'm gunna blow a motor sky high with nitrous it might as well be the old one 
I'm a newbie to nitrous
Excepting a mid 10 run out of her when I'm done with the performance... It'll be a show car for sure when It's done
And your forgivin
)sbc 4bbl, w/shift kit... needed some serious body work. "will never be a show car"So i spent ALL my free time working on it and did it up good enough to be painted like one, except for the left 1/4 got mad at it and primed "good enough!" I spent a week on that panel and just got tired of it and since flat black doesnt show imprefections to well that's the way it'll stay, until I can do it with up right.
Then my dad got into a whole "if your going to race you should have a driver and a racer so you dont tear up your good car..." good idea dad
So that's the story behind my el camino . It's taught me a lot also... And will teach me a lot more. especially, about nitrous, before I swap motors... I figure IF I'm gunna blow a motor sky high with nitrous it might as well be the old one I'm a newbie to nitrous Excepting a mid 10 run out of her when I'm done with the performance... It'll be a show car for sure when It's done
And your forgivin
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: Germany
Btw, here is a CAD drawing of the bracket for using C5 brakes on 88-96 Vettes: http://www.corvetteforum.de/userfile...6_c5-brake.pdf
