just acquired an early 49 dodge (same body as 46-48 dodge) project. i am looking to upgrade to a front disc/ifs setup for safety and better braking. also looking to upgrade to a split master as well. i've been googling and searching here, and the only thing i can find is a guy that grafted a 70-81 camaro subframe to his 48 for the ifs/front disc conversion. said it fit great. he didn't go into much detail on the brake mater though... so, anyone lurking or have experience in this department? or know anywhere that makes a bolt-on front disc conversion? thanks. pic for views of the car.
DON'T SUBFRAME!!!!!! Nowadays there's no good reason to cut your frame in half and graft on a new frame that doesn't fit, just to install 100,000+ mile worn out stuff. You already HAVE worn out stuff. There are rebuild parts and upgrades all easily obtainable for that car. The front suspension on that car rides and steers good already, it just needs some tweaking to update a little. look for these folks: Kanter Auto Products Andy Bernbaum Roberts Motor Parts Fatman Fabrications Ply-Do and, right here on the HAMB, Olddaddy does dropped uprights and disc brake conversions spend time using the search- it's all here
thanks. google didn't bring up any of that... nor did a search on here for anything dodge related... i'll look these folks up. any more input or ideas?
Make sure you head over to the P15-D24 site as well. Lots of info over there. Several have done the disc upgrade. http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/index.php?referrerid=1152 I have purchased the kit from Olddaddy but have not installed it yet.
I did an Olddaddy disc brake conversion and am very happy with it. Also do the shock mounts while you're under there: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=215548&highlight=shocks
Ply-Do is closed. Mr. Street Rod has disc brakes conversions & shock relocation kits. Good article in Tex Smith's Mopar Hot Rod Book for putting a 318 in & disc conversion. My 48 2 door has a Chevelle/Cutl*** clip & it is fine.
when using the search on here- you'll find more by relating it to Plymouth. Like "Plymouth dropped uprights" or "Plymouth disc brake". IIRC your spindles are different, but the design is the same, and all the tech applies. Plus, once you've done the conversion it won't matter anymore. Also, if you can find 'em, there are Rod and Custom magazine articles from a couple years ago on the uprights and brakes.
I posted a link on the P 15-D24 fourm's tech section on an article in Hotrodders bulletin board on updating a early GM independent frontend and they are very close in design to MoPars design. I have designed and built an adapter to install a MoPar screw in ball joint in the lower A frame and use a 77 Chrysler Cordoba upper A arm and spindles and disc brakes. "Rod Action"Fat Fendered Street Rods winter 1992 Volume 2 Number 4 has a very good article by Wayne Powell installing 1976 Chrysler Newport upper a arms, spindles and 11.75 disc brakes on a 1941 Chrysler Club Coupe. I used a lot of his ideas which are much like the article in Hotrodders Bulletin board article. It is not that hard to do and you do not destroy any of the original suspension.
You may want to look into Master Power Brakes. They will do a conversion on your original spindles to a complete disc brake setup. Try www.mpbrakes.com As I remember the price was reasonable for a bolt-on ***embly.
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