1966 Electra front disc conversion: help finding a bolt on kit and what's up with spindles?

exchaoordo

exchaoordo

Member
The question is a common one, I know: what to do about front brake conversion. Among the many kits are few bolt-on solutions. Scarebird sells brackets and suggests parts but also says I'll need to machine this or that. (A bit much for me.) After hours of shopping, the only one I've found is at Performanceonline.com. To top off my troubles I want a new dual master. I also don't get what the issue is with spindle replacement. What trouble would that cause? Please help me out of my rabbit hole.
 
A dual master will have to be intagrated because you are changing to disc brakes anyway. IF your brake booster is good it can be REUSED. Now you need to be able to make up your own brake lines and install a proportioning valve. I would suggest using a metering block. Less brake lines to bend & less complicated. Anyone to help you along in your area????
Back in the late 70's I installed front disc brakes on my '64 Riv. The front suspension & brakes are the same between the two. I used a stock set-up from a 70's Estate Wagon. It's a single piston sliding caliper like '71-'76, BUT you can't use a '71-'76. And '70 is one year only & parts are not readily available..'67-'69 will also work BUT again the costly part here is getting the 4 piston calipers sleeved as there are 8 bores that have to be done. But the 8 piston calipers have better braking than a sliding caliper.

Tom T.
 
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Thanks for all the help. Tom, how do I learn what parts are interchangeable by model. I'm starting to realize "1966 Electra" is not the best search term, but I don't know if, say, the '66 Buick Estate Wagon or 1968 Impala would also work.
 
All you guys will have to get out of your minds with interchangeable/compatible parts from other makes. Most all have no interchangeability. Buick was on it's own mostly for their mechanical parts & pieces. Now on some Buick models some parts have compatibility with Cadillac & Olds. Mostly body parts & some glass. Like the rear, back glass from an Impala will work/be the same as a '65 Wildcat, but mostly NO mechanical parts.
I stand up for ScareBird, Wilwood. What I can say is DON'T use Jamco. Very poorly designed & too small for our BIG cars. That's the price we pay for being different. Don't expect to come out of this for anything cheap. You end up, by the time your finished, spending more.

Tom T.
 
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Thanks, Tom. That's actually a relief for me: kept thinking I was missing out on getting parts more easily. It's worth to be, as you say, being different (I like to call it being special!). And thanks on the brake sources.
 
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