Vintage Thunderbird Club International

I have a '63 hardtop and because I drive freeways in CA (I think everyone is bump drafting), I am thinking about installing front disc brakes. After looking at some kits and checking reviews, I am not happy with their products. Is there a complete kit out there that someone would recommend or can you use parts from another year to make it work. Thanks

Well Marks , I can share my experience with this subject.
My first question is what do yo want to run for wheels.
If you convert to 65 or 66 you need the 15” wheels for
Disc brakes or after market mags (?) if you want to keep
Your 14”. We can go down that road too. I feel your pain
On driving in traffic but if drum are set up tip top. They
Can work very well.
Cliff

Hi, I have a 63 hardtop with 15" rims we just purchased.
What would be a recommended front disc brake conversion kit for it, can we use parts from a different vehicle, or from a newer t-bird.
Thanks for any assistance on this.
Cheers,
Rick

marks wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 10:34 am I have a '63 hardtop and because I drive freeways in CA (I think everyone is bump drafting), I am thinking about installing front disc brakes. After looking at some kits and checking reviews, I am not happy with their products. Is there a complete kit out there that someone would recommend or can you use parts from another year to make it work. Thanks

Regardless of what you see being marketed, there is no such thing as a “kit”. Read my Disc Brake Blog 2023 edition and download the pamphlet I co-wrote and recently updated. If you go the Auto City Classics route, buy only the basic kit they offer with rotors calipers, mounting brackets and hoses. Source your own booster and dual chamber master cylinder. Doesn’t matter whether you use Ford or GM as long as it bolts up to your booster and you hook up the hard lines correctly. Also does not have to be the disc/disc Corvette style unless you are also running rear discs. Any disc/drum with 7/8” piston diameter or greater will do the job. Stay away from the GM-style combination valve and get a Classic Performance Products APV-DB “Prop and Stop Block” (or similar) for around $75 instead. And yes, you do need a 10# residual pressure valve in the line from the proportioning valve to the rear brakes. You do not need one for the front disks, just the rear.

Just to add a clarification... Most disc/drum master cylinders have a built-in residual pressure valve inside the drum circuit outlet port. There's lots of information out there on how to check for this (I used the blunt end of a small drill bit to probe each port). If you're going to do the conversion yourself it's key that you do lots of research and familiarize yourself with the issues (it sounds like you've already started this process). Indeed, there's no such thing as a "bolt-on kit".

Here's a link to the Disc Brake Blog 2023 Edition that bigbrownpilot refers to.

https://vintagethunderbirdclub.net/phpB ... hp?t=21515

Best of luck!