Would you remove front drum brakes for disc

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    Author Topic: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc  (Read 4972 times)

    Offline 72bluNblu

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #15 on: September 12, 2012 - 11:45:53 PM »
    Quote from: Haddixj on September 12, 2012 - 11:14:43 AM
    Who makes a good kit? stock or otherwise to keep the 15" rim? I have 73 that I was planning on stealing from until my son (2) is old enough to drive. but if I could pick up another set I would

    Pull a set off of a F/M/J car (diplomat, new yorker, 5th ave etc). They had the same 73+ disks as the E bodies for the most part. Spindle is ever so slightly different, but its such a small geometry change most will never know (and it can be argued the change is beneficial anyway). You can pull everything from the spindles out on the F/M/J cars up to '91, so its they're relatively easy to find in wrecking yards. With those spindles and the proper 11.75" caliper brackets (now available from Dr. Diff) you can even put 11.75" rotors on your car with 15" rims. Same stock calipers.

    As for the OP, change them out to disks. If it really makes you feel better keep the drum set up under the bench. Totaling your car because you couldn't stop in time with your ancient drum brakes is a lot worse than not being "factory correct".
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    Offline shadango

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #16 on: September 13, 2012 - 08:37:43 AM »
    Quote from: 72bluNblu on September 12, 2012 - 11:45:53 PM
    Pull a set off of a F/M/J car (diplomat, new yorker, 5th ave etc). They had the same 73+ disks as the E bodies for the most part. Spindle is ever so slightly different, but its such a small geometry change most will never know (and it can be argued the change is beneficial anyway). You can pull everything from the spindles out on the F/M/J cars up to '91, so its they're relatively easy to find in wrecking yards. With those spindles and the proper 11.75" caliper brackets (now available from Dr. Diff) you can even put 11.75" rotors on your car with 15" rims. Same stock calipers.

    As for the OP, change them out to disks. If it really makes you feel better keep the drum set up under the bench. Totaling your car because you couldn't stop in time with your ancient drum brakes is a lot worse than not being "factory correct".

     :iagree:  this is the way I went.....when I couldn't come to a complete stop on a long downhill to a traffic light at a T intersection ...that's when I decided...lol
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    Offline torredcuda

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #17 on: September 13, 2012 - 09:11:40 AM »
    I plan on keeping the drums on my road runner but optimizing them.There are some performance parts for them out there-
    http://www.musclecarbrakes.com/
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    Jeff
    72 Barracuda 340/4spd  Torred
    70 roadrunner 383/auto  In-Violet
    70 Duster 360/auto drag car  (Petty Blue soon)
    04 Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi

    Offline 72bluNblu

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #18 on: September 13, 2012 - 02:11:04 PM »
    Quote from: torredcuda on September 13, 2012 - 09:11:40 AM
    I plan on keeping the drums on my road runner but optimizing them.There are some performance parts for them out there-
    http://www.musclecarbrakes.com/


    Those would be a definite improvement over stock. Although, I think for a daily or frequent driver I'd still want to go with disks. I had 10.87" disks and 10x2.5" drums on my Challenger, when I upgraded to 11.75" disks and 11x2.5" rotors the difference was HUGE. Much better braking, and that's on a car that was already a power disk brake car. But Ive got a non-numbers '72 318 car, so being original isn't worth anything.
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    Offline 1970 RT Challenger 1970

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #19 on: September 13, 2012 - 05:26:45 PM »
    Do the upgrade and save the old parts for the time when you sell and the new buyer can decide what to do.

    There's always the AH that will cut you off or pull out in front of you and you have to do a panic stop. And it seems the only time this happens is when you have the muscle car out for a drive, but never happens when you drive the truck or the Japanese 4 banger!

    Safety is #1 and it's cheap to upgrade with discs, even on all 4 wheels.
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    Offline RAMMAN

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #20 on: September 13, 2012 - 07:32:17 PM »
    I’m of the opinion that if everything else is stock original and you’re only showing it and taking easy street cruses, don’t change anything. Unless you’re willing to change it back before you sell it. A lot of buyers can’t do the work themselves and see big $$$ when talking about making changes.
    My car has a few aftermarket items under the hood and after market wheels, but you can bet I will put it back to stock before I offer it for sale.
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    1970 Challenger A66 Four Speed
    2004 Corvette ZO6 Commemorative Edition
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    Offline 1970 RT Challenger 1970

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #21 on: September 13, 2012 - 09:23:27 PM »
    Can't stop in time, read this and look at the pics:

    http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=85717.msg856868#msg856868
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    Offline torredcuda

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #22 on: September 14, 2012 - 09:08:08 AM »
    Sometimes no matter how good your brakes are you still can`t stop in time.
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    Jeff
    72 Barracuda 340/4spd  Torred
    70 roadrunner 383/auto  In-Violet
    70 Duster 360/auto drag car  (Petty Blue soon)
    04 Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi

    Offline 1970 RT Challenger 1970

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #23 on: September 14, 2012 - 11:17:35 AM »
    Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield! (as the song goes) :roflsmiley:
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    Offline Road_Runner

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    Re: Would you remove front drum brakes for disc
    « Reply #24 on: September 20, 2012 - 02:08:28 PM »
    If you ever drive close enough to a modern car in front of you that if he panic stopped you would eat him up, change to discs.  Original doesn't mean a whole lot if its totalled.  That said, I'm doing the same change to my 70 Roadrunner and went with the stock Mopar brakes with the later disc mount for 11.75" rotors.  I'm staying with 11" drums on the back and since these cars could be ordered this way in 1970 nothing looks out of place.  I'm going for the right retro look with modern performance where possible.

    Later, Jim
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    1970 383 Roadrunner Tor Red
    1973 318 Barracuda Mist Green
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