40 plymouth disc brakes

[40plyrod]

Hi guys, Just thought I would start a thread on how I did my disc brake conversion. After searching this forum, the HAMB and the web this is what I came up with. I'm cheap by nature and didn't want to be saddled with having to buy specialty hubs and rotors so everything I used was made by me or picked off the shelf at the local parts house. Total cost is just the cost of the parts themselves however if I was having to pay for my time to make the caliper brackets I think I would buy a ready made kit. In this setup I used a 1972 monte carlo rotor and gm mid-sized calipers ( think mid 70,s camaro), I wanted the chevy bolt pattern for the wheels I'm using and I'm just more familiar with chevy stuff (don't worry no chevy v8 planned here) The bracket was made using good old cardboard engineering and then transferred to 3/8 plate steel and cut with a palsma cutter and them ground and filled. I had to make it in two parts so that I could mount it behind the spindle to get the clearance I needed, I then bolted these two pieces together as well a tig welded them. I also had to make two spacers for the top two holes on the bracket because the back of the spindle is not flat. Once the brackets are made the only other machining needed is to make a spacer 1 3/4" O.D X 1 1/4" I.D X 3/8" to space the inner bearing over, I did this in about 15 minutes on the lathe. This is not the best way nor the easiest way to put dics brakes on your 40 plymouth just the way I did it.

[40plyrod]

Here's some pictures of the bracket and spacer.

[40plyrod]

And finally the parts list.

2- 1972 monte carlo rotors

1- left caliper raybestos #slc116u

1- right caliper raybestos #slc117u

1- disc pad set d52-728

2- seals federal mogul #8705s

2- timken lm11949

2- timken lm11910

2- timken lm6748

2- timken lm67010

2- spacers 1 3/4"O.D X 1 1/4" I.D X 3/8"

2- Caliper brackets 3/8 plate

4- 3/8X1" grade 8 NF bolts

2- 1/2X 2 1/2" grade 8 NF bolts

2- 1/2X 3" grade 8 NF bolts

4- 1/2" lock washers

4- 1/2" NF nuts

1- package of band-aids:D

[Plymouthy Adams]

how much would it be without the blackend finger...ouch ..I feel your pain...drill a hole in the back part of the nail and relieve the pressure..

[David Strieb]

Thanks for sharing. Nothing better than making something out of metal and smashing fingers....

[40plyrod]

how much would it be without the blackend finger...ouch ..I feel your pain...drill a hole in the back part of the nail and relieve the pressure..

Kinda reminds me of the mastercard comercials:

misc. disc brake parts.................$200

caliper bracket..........................4-5 hours

Building your own disc brake kit without smashing a finger or bloodying a knuckle...................................PRICELESS:D

I had heard from a lot of people saying to drill the nail when you pinch them like that but never have until this one I couldn't believe how much better it felt and right away

[Andydodge]

What size drill?............3/8th"...........lol...........maybe 1/16th might be better..........lol.......andyd

[fstfish66]

OUCH,,,,,, but nothing better then saying you made them your self,,very nice

[Don Coatney]

With your step down bracket is your wheel placment the same as original? One issue with the kits on the market today is the wheel sits about 3/8" further out requiring an adjustment of the tie rods for correct tow in. The way you did this looks good with the exception of the finger.