Drum to Disc brakes - which kits will fit

[modmidget]

My '68 Charger has drum brakes all around.  They are "power" brakes or at least they have the large assist canister on the firewall.  When I restored the car I removed the original steel wheels and mounted Coker Tire/Wheel Vintiqes 14 x 7 Magnum 500s.  Now, I would really like to replace the front drums with disc brakes.

Over the past week or two I have been trying to find out which brake kit (under $1000.00) will fit my car.  I've contacted SSBC but they were no help (they couldn't tell me if their kit would fit my wheels) and I've contacted Coker Tire but they didn't seem to have an answer either.  I don't know how many hours I've spent researching this but I can tell you I'm getting REALLY frustrated.  I even made a 50 mile round trip to Pep Boys Automotive (the local distributor for SSBC) and they couldn't answer my questions but were more than willing to order the kit right away.

I also talked to a couple of guys who said I could go to a wrecking yard and get everything I need for less than $100.00, but when I asked them for specific details (like what car would they come from) they could not tell me.  In addition to that, it's a 100 mile round trip to the wrecking yards that might have those kinds of parts, and I can't get excited about spending the better part of a day and $25.00 on gas if I don't know what I'm looking for.

Is there anyone on this forum who can tell me exactly which kit will fit?  Or, can someone tell me (with pictures) exactly what I would need from a wrecking yard to do my conversion?

About 4 years ago I found a thread somewhere that had detailed info with pictures that told how to do the conversion using parts from the wrecking yard but I can't find that info now.

[Tom Q]

would you rather do a shoe upgrade that will STOP your car for about $350.00 or convert to disc brakes....choice is up to you...

Anyone with drum brakes needs to do this upgrade. 
I have done 4 cars now with various high tech materials-carbon metallic, velvetouch and now there is another powdered metallic lining.
The results in each case are amazing
You have choices in friction materials you just have to know where to go.

[Jon Smith]

http://www.moparaction.com/Tech/archive/disc-main.html

this is the info you need if you want to use factory parts, it says you need to use 10.87" rotors to do it with 14" wheels

[modmidget]

Tom Q, I would consider a drum brake upgrade if it would give me better brakes than what I have now.  Do you have more info?

Jon,  that looks like the web site I've been looking for.  I printed all of their instructions a few years ago and lost them.  I'll print them again today.  THANK YOU!!!!!

[68RTrestore]

Tom Q,

Hi I am restoring a 68 RT to dead stock. Any info on the metallic linings?

Thanks

[Hemidog]

I've got the front and rear disc kit from:

http://www.mpbrakes.com/

Real happy!

[modmidget]

I looked at the MPBrakes but they have this disclaimer on their web site:

Note: Not all 14" or 15" wheels will fit with this application. Wheel fitment is the customers responsibility.

I'm not going to pay $1000.00 for something that "might" fit.  I'd really hate it if I bought a kit like that, spent hours disassembling my car, and then discover the new kit won't work.  I can guarantee you I would be throwing tools.

[Hemidog]

I've had two different 15" wheels on my charger, no problem.
Now I've got 14" slot mags in the front, and had a little problem with the wheel weights hitting the caliper, but the Tire shop fixed it by moving them inward.

[ChargerST]

Most of the kits you see on ebay use 11" rotors and they DO fit 14" magnums! I bought a kit through Performance Suspension made by MBM in North Carolina (most kits are made by MBM even the MP Brakes kit). It's a tight fit but they fit inside a 14" magnum rim (I just checked 2 days ago).
Balancing weights have to be mounted on the outside or they will hit the caliper!

[Tom Q]

Currently a new friction compound is being tested in a 64 Chrysler 300K.  We know the material works well in 160 mph drum brake equipped road race cars and we now want to see street use. 

Earlier versions of  upgrades using other materials have worked extremly well so we anticipate no problems with this material. 

[modmidget]

Ok, Hemidog and ChargerST, your making me feel a little more comfortable about buying one of the conversion kits.  But I still have one small problem to overcome.  When I put the Magnum 500s on the car the front wheels rubbed the A-Frame.  I had to buy 1/4" spacers to move the wheels out, but that gave me enough clearance so that the frame didn't hit the balancing weights on the wheels.  Do you think those spacers will give me any problems? 

I went to the MPBrake web site and they want $995.00 + shipping for the brake kit.  SOOOO......

ChargerST, after reading your post I did some more research to see if I could get a better price on the MP brakes.  You said MBM manufactured the MP brakes, so I did a search for MBM.  I found them.  Their web site said they are wholesalers only and refer their customers to Pirate Jack Hot Rod & Restoration.

I went to Pirate Jack's and found the brake kit for my car...... priced at $649.00 + shipping.  That's a $350.00 savings!!!!

Here's the link to the kit at Pirate Jack's.  It's kit # DBK6272 about half way down the page.

http://www.piratejack.net/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

[ChargerST]

MBM is the manufacturer for the MP Brakes kit but the booster and the master cylinder are different! They use a Corvette style master - so if you're into originality these kits won't work for you! The MP kit uses a different master and booster.

A-arm hits the rims? Doesn't do it on mine

Another issue is the booster bracket they use. It is some sort of a hemi style bracket but looks stupid. I fabricated a spacer (the pushrod is longer than the factory drum brake pushrod) to mount the booster. The booster won't bolt directly to the firewall as the the bolts are in differnet locations - so you definately need a spacer or a mounting bracket.

I paid $499 + shipping ($80?) for my kit through Performance Suspension but they don't sell it anymore. I found the same kit for $499 on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOPAR-69-70-71-72-73-74-B-E-BODY-DISC-BRAKE-KIT-CUDA-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem35ad158197QQitemZ230537134487QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Read this thread - there is also a picture of my spacer in it: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,68906.0.html and this one http://wichargerguy.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=chassis&thread=4705&page=1

[sixty8charger]

does that ebay kit have everything you need to mount in a 68 that was originally drum all around?... i just might buy it today!

[ChargerST]

does that ebay kit have everything you need to mount in a 68 that was originally drum all around?... i just might buy it today!

Yes, the kit contains the bracket I was talking about (it is mounted on the booster in the picture) but I wouldn't use it. You will have to cut out some metall from the firewall as the hole on power cars is larger than on manual cars and it has also different shape (a picture should be in the instructions that come with the kit).

[sixty8charger]

why wouldn't you use the booster?

[ChargerST]

why wouldn't you use the booster?

I was talking about the bracket. looks stupid

[modmidget]

ChargerST,  are you saying you paid $499.00 for the kit and then you still had to make your own spacer/mounting bracket?  I was under the impression these kits came with everything I would need to simply bolt it in.  If I have to start making parts I may have to reconsider this whole project.......

By the way,  I'm not trying to keep the original look.  I don't open my engine hood at car shows.

[modmidget]

One more question about the e-bay kit......

My car has power brakes.  Does that mean I would NOT have to cut the firewall to make the new booster fit?

[ChargerST]

One more question about the e-bay kit......

My car has power brakes.  Does that mean I would NOT have to cut the firewall to make the new booster fit?

Yes, you don't have to cut the firewall when your car came with power brakes from the factory. You can use the supplied bracket but the attachment to the pedal will be different as you don't use the old linkage. When using a spacer you can reuse your old linkage.

Making a spacer is not a big deal. It can be as simple as two U-shaped plates like here:

[sixty8charger]

modmidget are you going to buy it?... i am still debating... maybe i will just get the kit from pirate jack.. http://www.piratejack.net/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=25&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

[ChargerST]

ebay kit and pirate jacks kit are the same. same bracket, booster etc.
On the pirate jacks homepage are different brackets fyi. my spacer is 2" deep - maybe they have a 2" bracket.

http://www.piratejack.net/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=22&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

[modmidget]

OK, thanks for all the info ChargerST.  You've been a big help.  I've bookmarked this thread and the e-bay site.  Will probably order the kit this week.

[modmidget]

sixty8charger, I'm going to go with the one on e-bay at $499.00.  Pirate Jack wants $748.00 for the same kit.  I don't see any point in spending an extra $250.00.

[b5blue]

No need to change the booster you have now, just get a disk brake master and put it on. Spindles brackets calipers hoses and proportioning valve are covered in the Disco-Tech link.  I have pics of a "manual from power brake" posted, search: "manual brakes" and it will come up if you need to see pics of firewall. (Just trying to save you money)

[modmidget]

Thanks, b5blue.  I have the Disc-o-tech instructions printed off but have not had time to read them (4 young grandkids keep interrupting me, making it hard to concentrate) .  I was wondering why I would have to replace the booster that's already on the car.

If I keep my current booster and install a disk brake master cylinder would it be possible to purchase new discs and calipers that will work on my spindles?