I am aware there are several kits available to put disk brakes on '40 round back spindles. My question is this: are there any kits out there that I can use 14" wheels with? Most of what I have seen so far suggest a 15" wheel. Any suggestions?
Research the kits . my 40 has a disc brake kit and it pushed the wheels out 1/4-1/2” on each side . Car drives and steers fine but looks a little funny
Shit can those 14 inch wheels, they are virtually obsolete. Go to at least 15 inch wheels. Diamond Back has an outstanding selection of 15 inch tires. I've got Super Bell/Pete & Jake's Power Stoppers on my 40 and they don't use any of the hokey bearing spacers so they don't move the wheels out closer to the fenders. I have 15X5 early Ford style steelies with Diamond Back wide whitewall radials
Krylon, They are actually marketing 14" tires again. Nothing that any of us would be interested in, but for the jelly bean cars. it is a shame really. I got 4 14" Five Seven Chebby wheels as we speak. Now as for the question, I am not aware of any kits that are available, maybe something can be had from Wilwood. You would want to use a small non-floater caliper. Perhaps a 2 piston. I had some brakes from a '64 Avanti, they are easily adaptable to a round back spindle. They were 2 piston bendix and clear 14" wheels easily. You can still buy the small 2 piston Hurst/Airheart (I think they are just Airheart now) new. Google it. With a smallish rotor they would work. You would need to build your own bracket but that is no hill for a stepper.
My wife's 26 T Roadster is set up with 14" front wheels running a Speedway disc kit, spindles and OT small chevy pickup rims from the mid eighties- no problem.
Hell, Beaner... No go for a stopper! I just looked up on my shelf, and recalled I have 2 original new Torq-Thrust Americans that are 14". (5 on 4.5", late Ford) Had 'em on front of my '54 Ford coupe, but replaced 'em with 15s. (406/close ratio 4 spd)
A lot of those disc brake kits use rotors from 70’s Camaro and Malibu’s or Volares, cars which came with 14” wheels standard.
Yes, not anything(that I wanted) out there when I was looking last year. Turned a few 14’s into hose reel holders. Kinda running out of hoses to hang now
Not sure of the disc diameter, but 2gen FBodies came with 14 inch wheels. On my ‘78 I put a set of no name 14 inch slots.
It depends on the wheel in some cases. Most mags seem to clear discs ok. I have 14" ETs on this, and it has 66-72 GM discs so... I also have a set of 14" Ansen Sprints, the fronts clear. No problem. Some steel wheels if they're late enough also clear.
I confess, I’ve used Speedway’s economy disc brake kit on several cars over the years. It’s a good complete kit that provides excellent braking without pushing the wheels out too much. They are also available with a variety of bolt patterns. The description says, 56 1/2” tread width on a 48” axle. It also accepts 14” disc brake compatible wheels according to the description text. So you’ll have to evaluate your wheels to see if they are disc brake compatible. My Model A coupe came with ridiculous, cobbled together disc brakes that pushed the wheels out 1” per side. I immediately swapped on the Speedway kit. My old 14” magnesium Americans were not made for disc brakes and don’t fit. The details are hidden in the “see more” above the price and there’s another “see more” on the page that comes up. Good luck.
Thanks you guys for your helpful info. Let me give you a bit of the history, I currently have '40 ford drums on the front. Doesn't stop exceptional, so considering disks. I have new 14" tires that need to be the size they are to clear the roadster headers I am running. (T-bucket style headers). I do not know the maker of these wheels just yet, need to look harder and take a few pics. They are an aluminum slot but not a unilug. I realize that doesn't narrow it much, but over the weekend I will look into this and do a few measurements.
I would verify you are getting proper braking from the drums. A hung up or leaking wheel cylinder or junk shoes or ballooning hoses will rob you of stopping power as much as bad adjustment.
Depends on the Camaro I suppose. The '77 Z car had large diameter rotors. I got a Z-27 setup on a car in the yard now. The early 14s will not clear, perhaps 70s era wheels will, I think that they do not have as much back space or the hoop is shaped differently or both.
77 z had the same rotors as all other Camaros, perhaps drum brake 14” wheels don’t clear the calipers.
The Z ran 11" rotors same as police interceptors and large sedans. Standard for the era was 10" rotors. The caliper is not really the problem it is the placement of the rotor. Placing them an inch farther out makes a common older 14" wheel a problem. (been fighting the issue for 3 days ).
I am a 40 guy and used the economy Speedway kit. It does move the tread width wider, 15 " 6 inch wide wheels will not work. I have a dropped axle and had a heck of a time getting shock and sway bar mounts to work. I would go with the later model Ford truck non disc brakes anytime now.
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