hey guys.. I've got a 64 biscayne I'm going through. Looking for inexpensive disc brake kit, local guy on Craigslist has a complete front set up off a 71 chevelle for dirt cheap. Includes spindles, rotors, bearings, calipers, etc. I know from browsing around many guys use chevelle rotors and calipers on the stock 64 drum spindles and purchase a bracket kit to mount callers up. I've also learned one of the cars spindles are a touch taller then the others, which could mean some alignment work. My question is will the spindle ***embly bolt right up to my ball Joints? Anyone know if it's been done with little to no modifications? I'm impatient and always trying to save a buck when I can. Would like to jump on the chevelle set up if they bolt right up. Thanks in advance!
The Chevelle spindles are taller. This will change the upper control arm angle and have adverse effects on handling. I have done similar modifications on cars I set up for road-race, but never a Biscayne. Not sure what it would do there. You could just get this kit, and fill it out with parts from the local parts store: https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=105 NEVER TRY TO SAVE A BUCK ON BRAKES!
Heres why I am even asking. I found a few forums with lists of the oe parts used to make up a "budget" swap, and list 67-72 chevelle as donors for bearings, calipers and rotors. Both cars share same bolt pattern. The bracket kit alone is $100-140 to mount calipers, and still requires purchasing all other parts, and will probably set me back 400ish total. Or I buy a eBay kit for $300. I can pick up these spindles with rotors, calipers,lines etc that don't even appear used for $75. And the rotors are drilled/slotted. If alignment is only issue with using the chevelle set up, I'd feel I'm throwing away a few hundred bucks. Call me cheap, just trying to get my best bang for the buck that's all.
Your king pin inclination (KPI) will be out due to difference in mounting points of ball joints. This is the amount of deviation from straight up and down (measured right to left) that the king pin or ball joint center line is inclined (not normally adjustable).
on a 64 nova i ground the spindle where the wheel cly bolted to. so the caliper bracket would set flat . and bolted everything on the 64 spindle[ i used a 70 nova set up]
If you want to play, you have to pay. That's how I see it and the Scarebird brackets at $139 are a good deal. The rest of the parts you can shop around to save some money. And no compromise to the steering geometry.
Ditto, on my '66 chevy II. Don't know if you can do the same deal on an early sixties b-body spindle or not. This is what I would investigate, I think the chevelle spindles are a non-starter.
Read thru this, it's for 1st gen camaros but the description and pics are relevant. As porkn****** suggested, you can use your existing spindle and hubs (machined down) use discs and calipers from a later GM and make a mounting bracket for your caliper. The trick is modifying your spindle to mount the bracket, or making a bracket to fit your splindle, this is why scare bird charges what he does, he's done the research and the work. Uses 1970 corvette or 1970 chevelle discs, fits in 15 inch wheels http://www.pozziracing.com/cheap_big_brakes.htm Uses C4 c5 vette parts, you'll need 16 inch or larger wheels, not traditional, but there's good reference info here that can be applied to a swap. http://www.pozziracing.com/12_corvette_brakes_on_fgen.htm
I have a chevelle with disk brakes and a 62 bel air. I looked at doing the same thing. The biggest problem is that on the chevelle the lower balljoint points up, ont the 62 the lower balljoint points down. The spindle is entirely different from the chevelle and the bel air. BUT the chevelle rotor slips right on to your spindle, bearings and all. Actually they use the same bearings and seals and all. So if you were to get a caliper bracket for the chevelle caliper, you should be golden!
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