# best power disc brake conversion for a 67 lemans



## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

I'm looking for a complete power brake kit for my lemans, either all 4, or the front with capability of doing rears later. if possible with new spindles or 2" drop spindles I have 17 inch wheels
I've heard of problems with the SSBC kit. would like some testemonials from those that have converted and what kit you bought

thanks
Phil


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I did a front disc conversion on a '65 GTO with spindles, discs, and calipers from a junked '69-'72 Cutlass. The '69-'72 A-body stuff is high quality, made in USA, made by GM, fits perfectly, and the entire cost was $90. We did it in an afternoon.


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

sorry man, looking more for a mainstream kit, IE, baer, wilwood, brembo, PBR, SSBC, that kind of thing.


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## Jeff's Classics (Feb 24, 2010)

I converted from drums to Baer Super Street kit in August. I posted some of this in your introduction post over the weekend, so forgive me if I repeat.
Kit mounts on stock disc or drum spindles, uses the stock MC and booster, and includes hubs with bearings, brackets, drilled and slotted rotors, nice looking calipers, and stainless braided hoses. Easy install, the most time consuming part was verifying the clearance between the caliper and rotor is within spec, and installing the supplied shims, if necessary. Stops straight and true, very nice! There is quite a bit of brake noise just as the car comes to a final stop, but it is getting better, and Baer says you need a few hundred miles to wear the zinc off the rotors, bed the pads, and season the rotors before the noise will fully go away. All in, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, and am considering a bigger Baer kit for my Corvette to replace the less than ideal stock 4-piston calipers.
Good customer support, too, so far.
Jeff


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

virginiavenom said:


> I'm looking for a complete power brake kit for my lemans, either all 4, or the front with capability of doing rears later. if possible with new spindles or 2" drop spindles I have 17 inch wheels
> I've heard of problems with the SSBC kit. would like some testemonials from those that have converted and what kit you bought
> 
> thanks
> Phil


Hi Phil,
I'm running Wilwood Dynalite Pro's on all 4 corners of my 69 GTO. One of the features of the Wilwood "kit" for the front is that there are versions designed to fit "disc" spindles and versions designed to fit "drum" spindles - so you wouldn't necessarily have to change out your spindles. So far, I like them. One caveat: despite the fact that they're sold as "kits" (one kit for each end of the car) there are still additional items that aren't included that you have to buy extra. In my case that turned out to be: fittings to connect the rear hard lines to the calipers, parking brake cables, flex lines for the front, "protectors" for the front hubs since I'm going to be running steel wheels on the front, and an adjustable proportioning valve.

Bear


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

Jeff, I like the looks of your kit, however I'm looking for one that comes with the booster and master cylinder as well. the one on this car looks pretty weathered and knowing it isn't sealed makes me concerned about the functionality at all. would like to get some 2inch drop spindles as well, if that is the best way to lower the front of the car

Bear, do you have a good set of links to these models?


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## Jeff's Classics (Feb 24, 2010)

virginiavenom said:


> Jeff, I like the looks of your kit, however I'm looking for one that comes with the booster and master cylinder as well. the one on this car looks pretty weathered and knowing it isn't sealed makes me concerned about the functionality at all. would like to get some 2inch drop spindles as well, if that is the best way to lower the front of the car
> 
> Bear, do you have a good set of links to these models?


With the Baer kit you either use the MC/Booster you have or you can go down to the local autoparts place and buy new parts to the original spec.

For lowering I used SPC upper control arms with tall lower ball joints, to correct the steering geometry of these A-bodies. The SPC lowering springs put it down WAY too low, so I put the stock springs back in for now. Stock spindles and lower control arms. See picture attached. Note - picture in my avatar is before lowering.


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

Jeff, do you have a link to that kit that you are using? (I would imagine it would work on a 67 right?)


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## Jeff's Classics (Feb 24, 2010)

I got my kit, including the brakes and suspension items, from Savitske Classic and Custom. scandc.com I do NOT recommend the SPC springs, my car leaned almost 2" low on the driver's side and I couldn't even get a low profile jack under the cross member. Undriveable. Although SC&C seem to like the SPC springs I've talked to several others online and in town that had similar problems to mine. But I like the SPC control upper control arms, and with the Howe tall lower ball joints the kit lowered the car and improved the handling nicely. I went with the Baer Super Street brake kit because it fits under my 15" wheels, but if you've got 17" wheels now you can go with bigger kit and it will fill in the wheel nicely. SC&C has several different kits and options for brakes and suspension, check out their site. FYI, I also went with the Hellwig hollow front sway bar.
For the rear I am going to use GM-style reproduction boxed lower trailing arms with a factory style 1" swaybar. For the rear upper arms I'm going with adjustable units so I can adjust the pinion angle after I install the GearVendors OD unit. Probably CPP for the uppers. And I'm staying with the rear drum brakes. The car stops quickly and straight with the Baer's in the front and the drums in the rear. I don't really want the extra cost and complexity of rear disks.


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

I will be going with the 13 inch baer kit. looks decent. I'm going to have to find the right MS and booster for the system of course. I'll stick with the drum rears for now....


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## Jeff's Classics (Feb 24, 2010)

virginiavenom said:


> I will be going with the 13 inch baer kit. looks decent. I'm going to have to find the right MS and booster for the system of course. I'll stick with the drum rears for now....


Good choice, I think I'm going with the 13" system for my '74 Corvette.
If you call or visit Baer's website there should be a recommendation for power booster and MC selection, but if you call or email I do recommend asking if you can use the stock specification GM stuff for your car. Makes finding the new parts cheaper and easier, and if you have a problem down the road you can get the replacements at any local parts store.


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

yea, the price is good enough, I might as well go with that. I'll definitely be talking to them about new hard lines, fittings and MC/booster assemblies.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

virginiavenom said:


> Bear, do you have a good set of links to these models?


Sort of... I bought the rear brake kit through Spohn Engineering as part of a package deal with my rear axle assembly (Moser Ford 9").
Here's a link to the kit on Spohn's web site.

I bought the front kit through a different vendor, here's a link to it on Willwood's site. 

To "finish" my installation, I had to get these extra parts:
Parking brake cables
Hard line adapter fittings
Front flex hoses
Front hub protectors

For all of the above, if you spend some research time on the "inter-tubes" you can usually find cheaper prices.

For the rest of my brake system, since my motor is cammed a little "on the rowdy side" and doesn't make enough vacuum to operate power brakes reliably, I engineered my own hydroboost setup.

I used this brake booster, this master cylinder, this proportioning valve, along with a hydroboost pushrod from Vanco (because the NAPA booster doesn't come with one) and hydraulic hoses that I had custom-made locally (to get the correct fittings on the ends).

I also had to fabricate my own bracket to mount the booster to the firewall.

Here's what the system looks like all assembled.

I was able to put the entire hydroboost system together for just under *half* what it would have cost me to buy one "off the shelf".
Bear


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## trialsmm (Jan 6, 2011)

I have a '66 GTO with power drum brakes. What model/year junk yard car power disks brakes would fit my car. Or should I go with a new kit from SSB? I would want to change out the Power assist unit also.
Mick


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

They are redoing this site. So I don't know how long this link will be good for, but this has many changes. It is a good site for changes on any A body gm and a good cross reference so look around on its different article also.

OLDSmobility.com - The 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass and 442 Resource - Converting from Drum to Disc Brakes

This site is good for Steering and brakes

chassis


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## Red1968 (Jan 4, 2011)

I have a front disk conversion on my '68 from Right Start Detailing. Three years, and not one issue. They were very reasonably priced, and had excellent customer service.


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