disc brakes for '57 chieftain

Has anyone had success using the performance online disc brake conversion kit and retaining the standard 14 in wheels ?

 

Its been my experience with any disk brake conversion that you had to change to a 15 in. disk brake style rim. The stock drum brake rim will not clear the caliper. It will bolt up but when you tighten the lugs it will lock the wheel solid.

 

I was just hopeing.

 

Maybe you could have a 14 made to clear the caliper. I got my disc conversion from Master Power Brake and I'm running 15's. The thing is that the rotors and calipers are GM Metric car parts and I know they ran 14's on a lot of those cars.

Perhaps you just can't run the ORIGINAL 14 inch wheels... Come to think of it mine actually has a different bolt pattern than the original. Maybe I can scare up a metric car 14 incher and check it out.

 

You can run 14" wheels with the right disc brake conversion. The 70's and 80's GM metric disc brakes used stock 14" wheels. My OT '71 Camaro still has 14" wheels and disc brakes.
Not sure about the stock Olds wheels though. Might need newer 14" wheels.

 

My AAJ disc brake conversion allows me to run the stock factory 14x5" wheels if I want to. This is on my '57 Plymouth and uses late '60s B-body rotors and '70s GM calipers with a custom made caliper bracket. I assume that there is a similar option for your '57 Pontiac considering it is the same as the tri-five Chevys.

AAJ does not specifically list anything for your car, but you might be able to get in touch with Roger. He's good people and might be able to fix you right up.

http://www.aajbrakes.com/moremakes.html

 

GM 14" wheels '72 and up will clear the smaller calipers with ease. The big Impala calipers are another story. I also recommend Scarebird, he'd know the ins & outs of any combination.

Although I think the Chieftan would look good with 15" wheels on it, not sure what the pattern is but the 14" GM is a 4.75" bolt circle, so they may not work at all.

Bob

 

the stock wheel for a 57 Pontiac is 14 x 6 with a 5x5 bolt pattern.......B body cars had the 4.75 x 5 bolt pattern.....no full size had them until the late 70s