My ol' Man is working on his "new" '57 Chevy Bel Air, which a previous owner screw up a lot of **** on, including a disc brake swap. The PO used the original spindles with some kind of rotors, and the whole thing is a mess. Half the wheel bearings are still the ball bearings, the other is roller bearings, just as an example. He had another '57 Chevy years ago, which had a disc brake swap done using a full size GM as the donor vehicle. He said it worked really well, but can't find anything on the 'net about it now. He seems to remember something about a Pontiac Grand Prix, but nothing concrete about it. Anyone know anything about it? Doug's 1957 Chevy Bel-Air Check out the link to the old pictures at the bottom, from 1967!
I just had a friend put front disc brakes on my '55. I used front discs, rotors and a Master Cylinder from a 1970 Chevelle. Proportioning Valve from a 1985 Chevy Truck. Brake Lines from the same year of Chevelle. Make sure that you get the floating pins for the stock Calipers if your getting them from a salvage yard. Seems to work pretty well now.
Oh, man...you sure know how to trip the old memory banks, don't you!!! I sat down with a customer at a parts joint I worked at back in the 80s and we figured it all out piece by piece...litterally going through boxes and matching **** up. He had a 57 Chevy, and we put together a disc brake package using all OEM parts. I'll be damned if I know what happened to the notebook I used to keep detailing such things (all parts guys at that store were REQUIRED to keep a notebook to write down things like this in for future reference!). I'm fairly certain that we used 1970-72 Monte Carlo rotors and calipers, as well as at least some of the bearings and the oil seals. He had a spindle with him that I THINK came off of a disc brake equipped 1968-72 Chevelle, and if memory serves, we matched up ball joints to make it work. Again, this is all from memory from over 15 years ago, so it's a little fuzzy, but I'm about 90% sure on the part about 70-72 Monte Carlo rotors, pads and calipers. The rest is hazey! Hope it at least gets you headed in the right direction! It IS possible to do with off-t******lf parts, though...I know that for a FACT, cuz we sold the guy everything he needed!
Mid size GM cars--Camaro/Firebird-Nova/Olds Omega/Pontiac Phoenix/ Buick Apollo-Chevelle/Skylark/Cutl***/Tempest Lemans GTO-Monte Carlo Gran Ptix all for 1968-1972. The rotors and bearings slide right on the spindle. You can get the brackets from Cl***ic Chevy International and it's a bolt-on. Just pick up the rotors and calipers from one of the above, and you're ready to go. You'll also need a 2-stage master cylinder/system with a proportioning valve. You can use the valve off a similar weight car. Some 68 72 Fullsize olds- pontiac-buick have a power brake booster that is smaller (about8-9 inches) that fits better and clears the valve covers. overspray
Wow this is comming up a lot lately. Check out this link. Good info on it. http://www.chevytalk.org/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB4&Number=706990&Forum=UBB4&Words=disc%20brakes&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=2&Limit=25&Old=3months&Main=691933&Search=true#Post706990
[ QUOTE ] Mid size GM cars--Camaro/Firebird-Nova/Olds Omega/Pontiac Phoenix/ Buick Apollo-Chevelle/Skylark/Cutl***/Tempest Lemans GTO-Monte Carlo Gran Ptix all for 1968-1972. The rotors and bearings slide right on the spindle. You can get the brackets from Cl***ic Chevy International and it's a bolt-on. Just pick up the rotors and calipers from one of the above, and you're ready to go. You'll also need a 2-stage master cylinder/system with a proportioning valve. You can use the valve off a similar weight car. Some 68 72 Fullsize olds- pontiac-buick have a power brake booster that is smaller (about8-9 inches) that fits better and clears the valve covers. overspray [/ QUOTE ] Overspray got it right. I used the rotors, calipers, master cylinder and booster for 68-72 Camaro. The booster tilts up and the brake pedal rod will not align until you piecut the booster mounting bracket, then it ALL bolts up. Gotta buy the caliper brackets for this application. You dont need a proportioning valve. I talked to the owner of Stainless Steel Brakes and he sent me a hold off valve.
El Scotto: I have articles covering all the parts needed for the conversion including how to modify your stock master cylinder to work with front disk rear drum brakes, I'm also in Livermore so I can show you the installation if your interested. I'll go back and check if your e-mail address is listed if so I'll send the articles to you. Regards Bob
57Viper I am doing the same thing to my 57, can you send me the articles as well I would appreciate it very much. Can you PM me at yoyoli@verizon.net?
Hi 57Viper. I have ordered the disc conversion kit for my 57 Chevy for the front brakes and leaving the drums in the back. Could you send me the instructions for the swap or if you have done it yourself any possible modifications were required. Thanks Reno. belair57@bell.net
Hello sir, Any information on brake conversion as well as wheel would be helpful. I have a 1957 3200 that was my dads that I am beginning to restore. Email is jw9862006@gmail.com. Many thanks
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