Front drum to disc swap help. (vintage GM)

Hanging out here too much, and tax refund money burning a hole in my pocket, I bought this...

It was just too cool to pass up. The guy built it and only run it once or twice and lost interest. I scooped it up "race ready" for $600.

Well our idea of race ready differ a little. A couple minor things I wanna do before I race it. The biggest issue is that it still has drum brakes on the front. The previous owner drilled holes in the backing plates for cooling. He says it is fine, but I've raced against this car before, I think the reason it was so slow was he had to get on the brakes way early and pray.

Anyway, my question is does anyone know of a cheap easy disc swap? Will the spindles and brakes from a 80s Camaro bolt in? Caprice? I realize I will also have to swap the master cylinder and proportioning valve as well, but what car should I be hunting for at the local pick and pull?

Nice score! So what is that, exactly? My best guess is a 65 or 66 Buick Skylark. If I'm right, front discs from any later (or even contemporary) GM intermediate should work, and I believe full-size will fit as well if you get the spindles too, as you noted. I dunno about Camaros. If you decide to go really crazy, Stainless Steel Brakes [ssbrakes dot com] can even sell you 4-piston REAR discs, but that might take next year's refund too.

Seventies Camaro, maybe. There is a Pontiac guy out there in cyberspace that has a page about updating GTO brakes...Was H-O enterprises, but the url I have is dead. There was an article in Hot Rod a number of years ago. I think the basics involved 2nd gen F body spindles switched side to side...

It's a GM A-body intermediate, so disk brakes from a newer A-body Chevy/Olds/Buick/Pontiac (I think 1968-1972) should be a bolt in. You need to change the spindles as well.

I know there are a number of aftermarket solutions as well - check out the ads in Car Craft or Hot Rod for more information.

Sorry. I guess I should of identified the car. It is a 65 Buick Skylark.

I planned on swapping the spindles as well. Firured that would be easiest, but was hoping to find something newer than 68-72. Just because newer would be easier to find in a junk yard.

The spindles are a direct swap from any A-body 64-72.

This may be helpful as well...

http://www.oldsmobility.com/old/discbrakes.htm

put up a post on the WAR board you'll find the info and likley someone with parts too. http://www.auto-ware.com/autoware-bin/tech.pl

Theres always http://scarebird.com/index.php?id=1 if you don't wish to do spindel swap.

Assuming that the car has a Buick V8: Make sure that you have a deep oil pan, baffled pickup and/or an Accusump....

Oil starvation is DEATH for these motors....(Ask me how I know)

Rog

yes, 70's Camaro/A body brakes can be put on that car pretty easily- get the whole spindle and swap it in.. i think you need to swap the lower balljoint and maybe the tie rod end.. google "GM A body tall spindle swap" for more info.. 77-96 Caprices also use a very similar spindle, with the HD cars (cop cars, wagons) and every one made after 1991 having the bigger 12" brakes and bigger 5X5 wheel bolt pattern.

with these spindles, you get the benefit of improved suspension geometry, but with a little loss of steering ratio and turning radius due to the longer steering arm and a little bit more bumpsteer due to the placement of the steering arm.. there are workarounds, tho..

if you were closer, i've got a set of bare spindles from a 74 Monte Carlo that i'd let go for cheap because i'll probably never use them..

you have another option if you want to keep the drum brake spindles you have- 98-02 Camaro rotors can be slid over the drum brake hub by just turning down the o.d. of the hub a little bit, then you just make make a simple bracket out of 1/4" steel with 4 holes in it and run the matching 98-02 Camaro caliper and bracket.. you might have $200 and a few hours of time into the whole swap..88-96 C4 Vette parts are also an easy swap, but a little more spendy.

The only true bolt ons are 68 - 74 Nova, 67 - 69 Camaro, or 67 - 72 Chevelle or their clones. The later F or A body spindles can work, but I don't know the details. They are an option for the early A bodies, but not for the F and X bodies because they're rear steer. I've heard of people using late G body parts, but I don't know the details. Chevelles.com is your friend. BTW they reproduce the disk brake spindles.

and i believe that speedway sells an adapter bracket to run metric calipers and some sorta rotors on it for cheap. or scarebird.

btp76 wrote: The only true bolt ons are 68 - 74 Nova, 67 - 69 Camaro, or 67 - 72 Chevelle or their clones. The later F or A body spindles can work, but I don't know the details. They are an option for the early A bodies, but not for the F and X bodies because they're rear steer. I've heard of people using late G body parts, but I don't know the details. Chevelles.com is your friend. BTW they reproduce the disk brake spindles.

the disk spindles are the same forging as the drum spindles, but they machine the upper boss about .6" lower to bolt the disc brake caliper bracket to it. a couple of minutes with a hacksaw or cutoff wheel makes a drum spindle into a disc spindle.. you can get the caliper bracket from www.piratejack.net for about $60 for the pair, and get everything else locally..

is that a circle track car? Regardless...it is awesome!