Adding Disc Brakes (1960 WITH AC)

[Meridious]

I have found some threads about changing over to disc brakes (front at least) and they seem to apply to those Birds without AC...specifically the part about adding the new brake booster at the firewall to go with the new disc brakes.

Since I have AC, I have the booster at the pedal...and not much room for adding a newer brake booster at the firewall (Like with the Grenada swaps show in the pics, etc)...is there an option for me if I want to go to disc brakes?

Thanks,

merid

[RustyNCa]

I don't know what the granda swap looks like, but can you fit what I did?

[byersmtrco]

They (Ford) made a bracket to move the conventional style M/Cyl & Booster out of the way of the Ac Evap when add on AC was installed. Mine is a non-AC car, but it has the bracket. I run a dual cyl m/cyl. It came in the kit from Stainless Steel Brake Corp. The booster came from Power Brake Exch in San Jose Calif.
Hot set up. The discs really stop. I've brought her down from 80 mph right to a stop. No effort AND in a straight line. No strg wheel pull.

[byersmtrco]

Here's the other side of the coin

[Guest]

Nice work everybody. I have one of these tbirds that is real nice no rot.ps & pb and could be original owner. Not sure which way to go with this.

[Meridious]

There is not room for any of those boosters on the firewall of my 60 Bird if I leave the AC intact. There is only about 4 inches of clearance all together.

[byersmtrco]

It will. I've seen it. The comb of the style brkt I have with the smaller dia booster. I saw one in a 60 S/R last summer. Had orig AC with "The BIG Motor"

[Meridious]

Do you happen to know if that part of the kit can be purchased separately? (The Booster mount/adapter and accessories?)

If that kit interferes with the sway-bar (They do acknowledge that on their site, now...that it will not/is not made to work with vehicles that have that particular suspension) then I would not want to get that entire kit.

I'd love to be able to buy that mount and accessories for the master cylinder/brake pedal if it does indeed make it possible to clear the AC on the firewall.


I have sent an inquiry asking them if they sell the M/cyl brackets and accessories separately and if they have an answer for the suspension/sway-bar debacle. No answer yet.

[byersmtrco]

That M/Cyl & Booster brkt was a Ford item. For some reason, my car always had it. It was part of the add on AC kit Ford sold. I'm sure it would be easy enough to fabricate one, poss similar to the other pics (Nice set up by the way)

As far as the disc brakes themselves. Other companies make good kits that mount the calipers facing the rear. Fatman Fabrications. Drop n Stop. You can even get drop spindles now. Or just get a V8 Granada setup. For the hard questions, talk to Lance at Thunderbirds Southwest in Texas. He has a nice website. he prob has these parts in stock. Very sharp guy. There are several possibilities out there now. Not like when I did mine.

[Guest]

I picked up my disc kit from http://www.abspowerbrake.com for about, mounted to the existing spindles which was nice.

They also carry this hydroboost(I think that's the name) that replaces the typical vacuum booster. It's more expensive but is very narrow and won't/shouldn't conflict with the ac.

As John mentioned, there are a ton of companies that now offer conversions for these birds.

Good luck and well worth the it.

[RustyNCa]

Hmm, hydroboost, I need that in the worst way on my olds, the cam in my 455 barely pulls 6 lbs at idle which does not work well with a vacuum assisted booster.

[Guest]

Hmm, hydroboost, I need that in the worst way on my olds, the cam in my 455 barely pulls 6 lbs at idle which does not work well with a vacuum assisted booster.

here is the version AbsPowerbrake has developed. Looks tempting and interesting.

http://www.abspowerbrake.com/electrichppage.html

I have seen other, non electric on http://www.SummitRacing.com

It is something I plan on researching and adding in the next or so.

[Guest]

I'm not sure if this would have anything to do with this. But I
had 2 ford trucks with a very simular system in the late 80s.
and I will say they WILL STOP. Had alot of leaking problems
though. Mabey these guys have that figured out. But look out i'm STOPIN. (and gettin 11 cents change).................Bill

[byersmtrco]

Hyd/boost works. Lots of plumbing. Yes, that means leaks. Have to upgrade the p/s pump too. Remember Sq/birds don't have "real" pwr steering. It's a manual box (strg/gear) w/power assist. (The cyl) Lovely system. Although, luckily mine has been pretty trouble free.

I don't see why having the K/H (underdash) booster would be an issue. They're pretty bullet proof. Most m/cyl bolt patterns are pretty universal. The only tricky part would be the new pushrod length. Prob have an adjustable one made pretty cheap. It seems to me the m/cyl is the easy part of the puzzle.