Converting to larger front discs on 3rd gen Charger

[flashley18]

My 71 currently has front disc's from factory.  Was wanting to possibly upgrade to a larger disc set up but I can't seem to find much information about upgrading existing disc brake cars.

Am thinking about using 17 in wheels and would like larger brakes.  I will eventually ad discs to the rear as well.

Seems that most disc brake upgrades use drum brake spindles from A bodies.

Any suggestions??

[andyf]

How big do you want to go?  The '73 or newer setup is an 11.75 rotor and that works well with 15 or 16 inch rims.  The factory 11.75 setup is cheap but not that pretty and is kind of heavy.  You can do the factory 11.75 setup for around $500 if you buy all new parts.

If you go with 17 inch rims you can fit in 13 inch rotors.  I'm not sure what kits you've been looking at that require drum brake knuckles but there are kits that work with the 1973 or newer disc brake knuckles.  A 13 inch kit with a big four piston caliper and 1.250 thick rotors will cost about $1800 for the front.

Baer might be selling their 12 inch kit now.  I think they were going to ask about $1200 for it.  The Baer kit uses a sliding two piston caliper and the thinner 1.10 inch rotors.

[andyf]

I just finished a project hanging some 14 inch rotors from a 2006 Charger onto a B body knuckle.  So if you want to go with 18 inch rims you can have 14 inch rotors.  Killer stuff; those new Charger rotors are 14x1.250 and only cost about $70 over the counter.  Heavy suckers though at 27 lbs each.

[doctorpimp]

I just finished a project hanging some 14 inch rotors from a 2006 Charger onto a B body knuckle.  So if you want to go with 18 inch rims you can have 14 inch rotors.  Killer stuff; those new Charger rotors are 14x1.250 and only cost about $70 over the counter.  Heavy suckers though at 27 lbs each.

Do you have any pics of this Andy?
What other brackets etc did you need to fabricate?
Are you going to make a kit for this swap?

[andyf]

I'll snap a picture today and post it.  I had to make a taller caliper adapter since my existing ones are designed for 13 inch rotors.  I used my existing hubs but to do the job correctly new hubs with a slightly larger rotor center ring would need to be fabricated.  You have to use a 18 inch wheel that has plenty of caliper clearance and a lot of backspacing.  I used the Mustang F500 rim but some guys might not want to run Ford rims on their Dodge.

[doctorpimp]

...to do the job correctly new hubs with a slightly larger rotor center ring would need to be fabricated. 
You have to use a 18 inch wheel that has plenty of caliper clearance and a lot of backspacing.  I used the Mustang F500 rim but some guys might not want to run Ford rims on their Dodge.

Is this the case with the +73 disc set-up?
Will those Ford rims fit the wheelwells front and rear without modification?
What kind of ballpark $ for the conversion?
Ford rims and Daimler-Benz rotors...

[andyf]

Here is a quick picture I shot with the kit mocked up on the bench.  This is a B body disc brake knuckle with the SRT8 rotor (14 x 1.250).  I used a Viper caliper since it matches the SRT8 rotor pretty well.  This picture shows a 18x9 wheel.  Since this is a B body knuckle it will fit any B body made as well as A, E and FMJ cars.  For early A body cars you would need the later model big ball joint upper control arm.

[doctorpimp]

Cool!
Keep me informed!