69/70 disc brakes on a 58?
- Thread starter 3deuces
- Start date
1958 through 1970 upper and lower ball joints are the same and the lowers point in the same direction, so yes, it should work. However I differ with you on one issue. There are a few of us around that will sell you quality aftermarket disc brake kits (brand new) for less than you can buy USED 69/70 ones for. Unless you have availability to some for free. We're not all greedy! Oh I forgot one issue, I think 69/70 rotors may be obsolete but I will check on that.
Just what I thought, my wholsale sources list those rotors as obsolete, no longer avail. There may be some aftermarket clones available but they will be costly.
Can't help on what fit's what but can offer something that might help track down those parts.
1970 Caprices ALL had front disc brakes standard. So if you know where there might be one of those sitting, check it. I'm not sure about the 69 Caprices but worth a look to see.
Bob
1970 Caprices ALL had front disc brakes standard. So if you know where there might be one of those sitting, check it. I'm not sure about the 69 Caprices but worth a look to see.
Bob
if your doing your own here are three options
The formula is as follows:
58-64 power brake set-up.
Rotors, bearings and seals from any of these cars:
69-74 Nova
70-72 Monte Carlo
67-72 Chevelle
69-72 Grand prix
69-72 GTO
69-72 Skylark
69-72 Apollo
69-72 Grand Sport
Calipers from these cars:
75-76 Nova
73-76 Monte
73-76 Chevelle
73-76 Grand Prix
73-76 GTO
73-76 Tempest
Complete power brake/master cylinder set-up:
Any 11 inch 68-78 GM
Using stock booster
Power brake booster:
must use original 61-64
Master cylinder:
71-72 Impala deep cup part number bendix 10-1496
Combination valve:
71-80 GM
brake hoses:
73 Chevelle
Brackets: to mount the calipers
available in Super Chevy magazine, Late Great Chevy, Hubbart's Impala parts, etc….
Or use this
1965 - 1982 Corvette spindles are a direct fit in place of '59-64 full size car spindles. Use the Vette bearings, rotors, calipers and hoses. The Vette steering arm is configured wrong so drill out the two mounting holes on your 58/64 arms to match the Vette bolts.
Third
Buy a kit that has all of the needed items. That's the simple way IF you get a good kit like I and others have. When doing your own you also need to add the hours in on chasing down parts, modifying parts etc etc. Not trying to steer you away from doing it yourself BUT think about safety as well.
God knows I am tighter than a ducks a$$ when it comes to $$ but I would like to stay out of the gaurd rails.
The formula is as follows:
58-64 power brake set-up.
Rotors, bearings and seals from any of these cars:
69-74 Nova
70-72 Monte Carlo
67-72 Chevelle
69-72 Grand prix
69-72 GTO
69-72 Skylark
69-72 Apollo
69-72 Grand Sport
Calipers from these cars:
75-76 Nova
73-76 Monte
73-76 Chevelle
73-76 Grand Prix
73-76 GTO
73-76 Tempest
Complete power brake/master cylinder set-up:
Any 11 inch 68-78 GM
Using stock booster
Power brake booster:
must use original 61-64
Master cylinder:
71-72 Impala deep cup part number bendix 10-1496
Combination valve:
71-80 GM
brake hoses:
73 Chevelle
Brackets: to mount the calipers
available in Super Chevy magazine, Late Great Chevy, Hubbart's Impala parts, etc….
Or use this
1965 - 1982 Corvette spindles are a direct fit in place of '59-64 full size car spindles. Use the Vette bearings, rotors, calipers and hoses. The Vette steering arm is configured wrong so drill out the two mounting holes on your 58/64 arms to match the Vette bolts.
Third
Buy a kit that has all of the needed items. That's the simple way IF you get a good kit like I and others have. When doing your own you also need to add the hours in on chasing down parts, modifying parts etc etc. Not trying to steer you away from doing it yourself BUT think about safety as well.
God knows I am tighter than a ducks a$$ when it comes to $$ but I would like to stay out of the gaurd rails.
58 disc brake swap..need help also
Hi,
I have also heard that the 69-70 Chevy Full size car is a direct swap. I have a
parts car located but it has no wheels. Now for the next question. will my 58 OEM
wheels fit? If this is not the case what backspace is required? I just may change over to the old school chrome reverse. If the swap is not possible, will the new disc conversions work with my OEM Wheels? Thanks Lil Doc
Hi,
I have also heard that the 69-70 Chevy Full size car is a direct swap. I have a
parts car located but it has no wheels. Now for the next question. will my 58 OEM
wheels fit? If this is not the case what backspace is required? I just may change over to the old school chrome reverse. If the swap is not possible, will the new disc conversions work with my OEM Wheels? Thanks Lil Doc
1958 steel factory wheels will not clear disc brakes. It's not about back space or diameter, the rim will rub the top edge and corners of the caliper. Often you can grind a little off the caliper for factory rim clearance. Or you can buy repop steel 58 rims from Wheel Vintiques that will have the correct hubcap nubs on them and will clear the disc brakes. Not expensixe either, I believe around $69ea retail.
I may be wrong but didn't 69/70 disc brake cars have 15 inch wheels?
Don't know about 69/70 wheel size (don't really care about those cars either.) But it's not the diameter that causes the interference, it's the lack of clearance at the edge of the caliper that rubs. Example: 1955-56 Chevy Bel Air steel rims are 15", they will rub the upper outer-upper edge of the calipers in a disc conversion, just as 14's will. The diameter of a 14" is sufficient to clear a max 11" rotor/caliper combo, just needs frontal clearance to do so.
That 68/70 disc brake swap will bolt in. You just will not be able to buy new rotors if ever needed.
list of parts to use
Also 1969 Camaro Nova 14" wheels clear disc calipers.
These computer-designed and laser cut cold-rolled steel caliper brackets will mount 10-1/2" disc brakes on your 1959-66 Chevy's existing drum spindle. They use the following components:
1978 Monte Carlo rotors (keeps you offset stock, unlike other rotors)
1983-92 S10 4WD calipers
1979-90 Caprice (12") or 1979-81 Camaro (15") front hoses
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chev...9QQihZ012QQcategoryZ33564QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Also 1969 Camaro Nova 14" wheels clear disc calipers.
These computer-designed and laser cut cold-rolled steel caliper brackets will mount 10-1/2" disc brakes on your 1959-66 Chevy's existing drum spindle. They use the following components:
1978 Monte Carlo rotors (keeps you offset stock, unlike other rotors)
1983-92 S10 4WD calipers
1979-90 Caprice (12") or 1979-81 Camaro (15") front hoses
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chev...9QQihZ012QQcategoryZ33564QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
That's awfully expensive ($125) for just brackets. Plus the difference in wheel offset is about 3/8" between the 11" rotor and the 1978 Monte rotor. I own a 1958 and 1961 Impala. Unlike some other cars(Tri-Five) I have no trouble mounting just about any size tire up front with room to spare so I've never had an issue with the extra 3/8" outboard offset. Plus you get 11" brakes instead of 10.5". The norm for brackets only is around $65. Additionally $14 for shipping a pair of brackets (6lbs) is also high.
The ones I've seen do. Such as 14X6 rally wheels will clear the 11" rotor disc brake. This is what came stock on Camaros, Chevelles and Novas. Most had 14" wheels. 1959-1964 hubcaps will fit 14X6 rallys. For 1958 you'll need the hubcap "nubs".
That's where Wheel Vintiques repop rim w/disc clearance is needed.
By the way I'm refering to full cover hubcaps, not the small ones.
One rim that won't clear is the early Camaro 14X7 (I believe)rally that came on drum brake cars, it too will rub.
Most any 14" aftermarket Mag rim clears with the exception of some very early (1960's)ones.
The Ebay bracket noted up above would be a good thing for Tri-5's, as they have much smaller front wheel tubs and outboard wheel clearance is more of an issue than with full size Impalas etc.
Disks
OK... Correct me if I am wrong, but arent 69 and 70 impalas/caprices, rear steer, meaning the steering box and drag link and tierods on the back side of the crossmember, so that would mean that the "arms" on the spindles point towards the rear of the car. Compared to an early 60s impala where the steering in in front of the crossmember, and the arms on the spindle point foward???? Also I could be wrong but I seem to remember the 69 and 70 impala having the lowere ball joint pointing up, not down like on our 60s impalas. Now I can see the corvette mod working, I have often wondered if they were the same (sure look like it) I was going to do this until I realised that corvette spindles were made from "unobtainium" and were too pricy for me! Also I find it hard to belive that you cannot find a replacement rotor for a 70 Impala. Maybe not through GM, but have you ever heard of NAPA or Car Quest??? I deal with these guys every day and have yet been denied a replace ment rotor for any application.
OK... Correct me if I am wrong, but arent 69 and 70 impalas/caprices, rear steer, meaning the steering box and drag link and tierods on the back side of the crossmember, so that would mean that the "arms" on the spindles point towards the rear of the car. Compared to an early 60s impala where the steering in in front of the crossmember, and the arms on the spindle point foward???? Also I could be wrong but I seem to remember the 69 and 70 impala having the lowere ball joint pointing up, not down like on our 60s impalas. Now I can see the corvette mod working, I have often wondered if they were the same (sure look like it) I was going to do this until I realised that corvette spindles were made from "unobtainium" and were too pricy for me! Also I find it hard to belive that you cannot find a replacement rotor for a 70 Impala. Maybe not through GM, but have you ever heard of NAPA or Car Quest??? I deal with these guys every day and have yet been denied a replace ment rotor for any application.
No mater what you have to buy the brackets to mount the hardware on. Then you can use the list to pick up parts here and there.
55 through 70 lower balljoints all point in the same direction. 58 through 70 are interchangable. I don't know if they're rear steer or front steer but it's a moot point, the steering arms unbolt and you would use the 58-64 arms bolted to the later model spindles. The more important fact is that 68-70 rotors are no longer available but for some repopped, over priced ones. CPP lists those for about $130 each!
I bought a conversion kit locally for my '61, and the rotor 'hat' is too tall for my lowered car. It pushes the wheels outboard too far. I think that they are just GM intermediate rotors.
Is there a rotor that has a shorter hat height? My overall rotor height is about 3.5 inches.
The car is lowered and has 18's up front.
Any help would be most appreciated!!!!!
Is there a rotor that has a shorter hat height? My overall rotor height is about 3.5 inches.
The car is lowered and has 18's up front.
Any help would be most appreciated!!!!!
The rotor that fits the stock spindle is a 5514. It does move the wheel out 3/8". The '59-64 Impala's have tons of room in their wheel tubs, front and rear. You must be trying to run a wheel with very little back space.
1958 delivery,
I am very greatful for your knowledge. I will check and see what the exact backspacing is for the 18 inch wheels and post another reply.
Off hand, do you know what the 'hat' height is from the back of the rotor to the top? My rotors are 3.5 inches tall overall. The disc area measures 1 inch thick.
The car is pretty slammed on the ground. It runs a 245/40/18 tire, and the top of the fender is about level with the top of the rim.
I am very greatful for your knowledge. I will check and see what the exact backspacing is for the 18 inch wheels and post another reply.
Off hand, do you know what the 'hat' height is from the back of the rotor to the top? My rotors are 3.5 inches tall overall. The disc area measures 1 inch thick.
The car is pretty slammed on the ground. It runs a 245/40/18 tire, and the top of the fender is about level with the top of the rim.