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"New" Scarebird front disc brake conversion kits


SuperGas61

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So Scarebird has stopped providing hubs with its '46 to '54 Plymouth/Dodge front-disc-brake conversion kits, apparently due to the aluminum shortage. From what I can see, they're still providing aluminum hubs with their '55-'56 kits, as well as hubs (aluminum or otherwise) with other manufacturers' kits, so I'm not sure why they can't at least provide steel hubs with our kit, but of course, I don't work there and I'm sure they have their reasons.

 

However, they are still providing the basic conversion kit (mounting brackets, etc.), which you can apparently use with the original drum hub. They say that some machining may be necessary, and from what I've read elsewhere, that means having to shave down the drum hub so that the rotor hat will fit over it.

 

Anyone done this conversion before, using a kit or otherwise? Is it worth it? Thanks!

 

 

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20 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

while there is some manual intervention by the installer with Rustyhope kit.....at least the kit is effective, cost is reasonable and the support is top notch....the minor work involved is easily done at home or if you do carry it out...very minimal.....

Honestly, I have no problem with drums all around. I'm contemplating doing the T5 swap (I have the T5 in hand) for the overdrive, but because of the loss of the parking brake, I said, well, I'll just swap in an Explorer rear end with disc brakes and a parking brake and I'll be good to go! And then I said, well, I've read that it's not good to have discs in the back and drums up front, so I'll swap the front drums out, too. And then I said, well, maybe I'll get a Jeep 8.8 rear end with drums (which actually sounds like the best idea if I do go with the T5). And THEN, of course, I said, well, maybe the folks on the website are right--maybe I should just get an R10 overdrive and keep everything else stock. So if you know of anyone with an R10 (other than the guy on eBay charging $2,100 for a R10 that looks like it needs a serious rebuild), let me know! ?

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On the big Desoto I had a kit custom done for the front, with a guy in Texas, as the suspensions on the LWB cars are much larger then everything else in the MOPAR line.

 

After mine and the one in Texas was done, they decided not to do any more as it is too labor intensive. Works ok on the big Desoto.

 

On the 1949 Convertible, I purchased their front kit which comes with a hub and the like. I had to monkey with it to get it to fit properly as there were three confirmed and possible a forth spindle used in 1949. Caused a mess. On the rear I decided to design it and build it myself. It came out great. With a remote power assist the '49 stops too good like a late 1950's early 1960's car.

 

On the big 1947 I also built, it is sitting on the shelf, a rear disc conversion as well.

 

All in all, if I were doing another car, I would just design it and make it myself using the stock hubs.

 

James

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What are the actual objectives for the car?   Once that is decided, you can focus on the choices that will take you in that direction.  It will also narrow the choices down

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Hey, thanks for the suggestions, everyone. My primary objective is to slowly start making performance (okay, "performance") upgrades to the 218 that's in there now (dual intakes, split exhaust or headers, maybe eventually a lumpier cam, maybe eventually stroking it with a 230 crank and rods, and maybe even eventually swapping in a 251 or a 265), and then making some standing-mile runs (no hard launches, just an easy run out for a mile or two to top speed) to see what kind of performance can be wrung out of these little flatties. But I figured that the three-speed would be an immediate handicap on anything I did to the engine, so I thought I might as well get some overdrive in there before I did anything else. I'm open to the R10 (especially the bolt-in aspect), but as you know, they are getting really tough to find, while the T5s (with a bellhousing kit, in my case, from Vintage Metalworks) are not. So there is at least a little bit of method to my madness... ?

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/14/2021 at 9:37 AM, SuperGas61 said:

So Scarebird has stopped providing hubs with its '46 to '54 Plymouth/Dodge front-disc-brake conversion kits, apparently due to the aluminum shortage. From what I can see, they're still providing aluminum hubs with their '55-'56 kits, as well as hubs (aluminum or otherwise) with other manufacturers' kits, so I'm not sure why they can't at least provide steel hubs with our kit, but of course, I don't work there and I'm sure they have their reasons.

 

However, they are still providing the basic conversion kit (mounting brackets, etc.), which you can apparently use with the original drum hub. They say that some machining may be necessary, and from what I've read elsewhere, that means having to shave down the drum hub so that the rotor hat will fit over it.

 

Anyone done this conversion before, using a kit or otherwise? Is it worth it? Thanks!

 

 

 I did a Scare bird conversion a few years ago. Works great. Did they indicate if they will offer the 46-54 kit again in the future and when? If so, maybe wait until that time.

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On 11/14/2021 at 9:37 AM, SuperGas61 said:

and from what I've read elsewhere, that means having to shave down the drum hub so that the rotor hat will fit over it.

 

Personally, I'd enlarge the center bore of the rotor rather than mangle the hub.   How much bigger is the stock drum hub than the rotor center bore?

 

 

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