By Tim Odell
It’s gonna be a long long weekend here at Hooniverse HQ. What you see is this weekend’s to-do list, incarnate. Hit the jump to see what we’ve got done so far.
With the exception of downgrading one brake line nut to vicegrip only, the factory-style 4-pot front discs went in smoothly. Now it’s just a matter of sorting out a jumble of hard lines and the new two-bowl master cylinder.
If the brakes get stalled up, it’ll be on to installing the new tachometer and front shocks or cleaning up some wiring.
Kamil Kaluski
Count your blessings. My weekend consists of dismantling a car and preparing to swap the engine … and it's freaking 20 degrees out.
Neat project. Looking forward to reading your before and after driving impressions.
Very smart first swap. Nice to see you understand making them stop before making them turn and go fast is the right first step. I'm glad I do all my wrench spinning during the week. Weekends are for drinking or cruising!
I can imagine worse ways to spend a weekend. That's going to be one helluva nice car when you're done with it. I kind of wish I was standing there watching with a beverage in my hand. I can watch other people work all day long.
Don't just stand there, hand me the crescent wrench!
Or Vise Grips!
CptSevere, the best part of watching with a tasty beverage in your hand is giving advice!!
That's the single best mod you can make. I'm trying to buy an early Mustang this spring for semi-daily driver duty, and front discs and a dual master cylinder will be the first thing I do. And that'll be interesting, given my lack of proper tools and never having changed my own oil before.
Get yourself a set of good flare nut wrenches before you even think about touching those brake lines. Usually you have to screw something up before you buy them. I know I did.
What he said.
GOOD ones, not cheap ones.
And lots of penetrating oil.
And you'll probably still kill one down to vice-grip hell.
TurrboBrick and Mad_Science are right, do not buy cheapo tools get some of these <img src="http://www.es-international.nl/TOOLS/Ring%20en%20steek/open_end_spanners300.JPG"> and make sure they are hexagonal so they do not round any nuts. (then only the vice grip works but you will see that you never have room enough to turn the vice.
This is how I came to own both a set of brake wrenches and numerous sizes of vice grips.
I'm curious what kit you are going with for the disc brake swap.
I'm planning a swap on a '65 Mustang and was going to go with a Granada swap to keep it on the cheap.
What Master Cylinder are you using?
Chockostang (google 'em).
Everything at the wheels is OEM Kelsey-Hayes style parts that came on Mustangs w/front discs, meaning they bolt right on to V8 spindles.
I think the MC is also factory-style for that year. The kit wasn't 100% complete in terms of adapters an fittings to get my pressure-activated brake light switch and factory distribution block set up, but I figured out what fittings I need…hopefully NAPA has them.
I did a disc brake swap on my 68' fairlane using some adapters, GM calipers, and ranger rotors. (http://www.scarebird.com/) I went this route rather than using the factory ford parts because the selection of brake pads is much better, I have a set of hawk hps pads on my car. For the master cylinder I went with one from an 83' ford ranger 4×4 with manual brakes. It bolted right up to the car and the brake lines were easy to run. I added a brake proportioning valve to tune the rear brakes as well. I want to convert to power brakes but the room just doesn't allow for a low budget swap.
Hey, is that an adjustable brake balancer I spy? Nice!
I'm in my fourth week of Auto Mechanics class at night school, so if you need any help, I pretty much know everything. Hoping to land an internship at VatoZone soon.
(I kid about the "knowing anything" part. And the Vatozone.)
This looks very familiar, I am rebuilding by 63 1/2 Ford Falcon Sprint. First step was disc brakes all around. Project photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanfrost/sets/72157…
Whoa. That thing is gorgeous. Love the paint.
I'm a few steps below you on the build scale, but I'm stoked for how this is gonna be once it's back on the road.
Thanks! Some days I think I may have gotten too ambitious. I still need to put the engine back in the car. Time and money are the hardest parts to find.
I heard of it from my friend, I am just ready to use it
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