From what Iv'e read using these spindles will lower the front end 1.5-2.0 inches. Is that from having to ream to get the correct taper for the 57 ball joint? Or are the spindle dimensions just different from the 57's. I don't want to lower the front end at all, my headers are low all ready. Also has anyone used the scarebird stuff? It seems by the time you buy the used spindles and all new rotors, calipers, pads,bearings, etc your getting close in price to one of their conversion kits. Thanks,Randy.
Just ordered and received Drop and Stop stuff for the front with a power master that will work with disc rear. test setup as i need to replace ball joints, etc. All fits great and very complete. I have done the J/Y deal before and hunted cleaned repaired prayed hoped.
Well worth the money if you are not sure of all the above. Easy people to work with quick freight. Contact info is in vender stuff Rich set up on here.
The taper is correct, just not large enough daimeter for the ball joint stud to sit deep enough to get full thread engagement and allow the cotter pin to go in. No problem drilling a new hole in the stud if you're so inclined.
I'm going out tomorrow to pull them off. The conversion kit uses chevy s-10 calipers which I wasn't to happy about.
Quote from: rmk57 on 2012-07-23 22:23I'm going out tomorrow to pull them off. The conversion kit uses chevy s-10 calipers which I wasn't to happy about.
Ok, I'm confused. You are going to pull what off of what? Did you get the Scarebird kit & you are pulling that off?
Because of the Chevy calipers?
No, I still have the original drum brakes on. I'm undecided which route I want to go on disc brakes, the scarebird conversion or buy the used 1970 Torino spindles. Right now I'm leaning towards the Torino setup, as I usually do things the hard way. :003: Randy
Too many 'birds' in my memory, or in this case not in my memory. I thought a scarebird was the trans-am with the big bird decal on the hood??..I'm curious what your objection to the Granada set-up is.
Rich
Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2012-07-24 10:22
Too many 'birds' in my memory, or in this case not in my memory. I thought a scarebird was the trans-am with the big bird decal on the hood??..I'm curious what your objection to the Granada set-up is.
Rich
No objection to the Granada setup, just nobody's parting out one around here. Scarebird manufactures adapters that bolt on your original spindles allowing you use disc brakes. For 1957 Fords it's 68 Mustang rotors along with mid-90's s-10 calipers along with all the other hardware. Nice part about the scarebird conversion is you use your stock spindles. I think there in the Seattle area.
Quote from: rmk57 on 2012-07-23 12:24
From what Iv'e read using these spindles will lower the front end 1.5-2.0 inches. Is that from having to ream to get the correct taper for the 57 ball joint? Or are the spindle dimensions just different from the 57's. I don't want to lower the front end at all, my headers are low all ready. Also has anyone used the scarebird stuff? It seems by the time you buy the used spindles and all new rotors, calipers, pads,bearings, etc your getting close in price to one of their conversion kits. Thanks,Randy.
he doesn't want to lower his car
Yea, that's the other reason. The scarebird conversion is a pretty good deal at $375.00, not sure on the quality of the parts though. I'll be at least that with the Torino deal.
So..Scarebird is a manufacturer..I couldn't figure out why you wanted pontiac brakes. I do not believe the Granada spindles have to lower the car,that the drop is an option. If I understand their options correctly, you just have to tell him whether you want stock height or 2 1/2 drop. Posibly the "stock height Granada spindles lower the car somewhat..I really wasn't paying to much attention to that part of his description because the 2 1/2 drop was what I was looking for. That said, what I don't understand about the Granada spindles is why it has to be "stock" height or 2 1/2" drop..it seems like if they just didn't ream it to the stock height diameter, just say halfway from the stock location diameter and the 2 1/2 drop diameter, you would get a 1 1/4 drop. For some reason that doesn't seem to be an option.
No, the Granada brakes will lower ther car 2.5 inches with no other modifications. Witgh chopped or shorter coil springs, you can get about 4.5 or so inches of drop. All of the `57's you see with a really cool low stance have Granada spindles. It's the best way to lower one. If you don't want it low, or if you don't want your headers to drag, don't use Granada spindles, period. Full size Thunderbird, I'd say 77-79 or so, will be fine. I have used those before. I just gave my dad a nice set of `70 LTD discs for his Fairlane, and they also work great, no reaming, just bolt on and go, heavy though, which is why I didn't want to use them. I will stay with my stock drums for a while, then I want to go the way Campy did and build a set of Wilwoods for the car. Look in the project section of the photo gallery to see how he did it.
He wanted $200 for the spindles, I passed on them, the front end was buried up to the hubs in mud, backing plates bent up pretty good. Like he dragged the car to front of his house without any wheels. Something else will come up, it was going to be winter project anyway.
Quote from: rmk57 on 2012-07-24 12:56The scarebird conversion is a pretty good deal at $375.00 ...
I see the the Scarebird brackets on ebay for $179 + $16 shipping. Wondering where you are finding the $375 deal & what you get with it. That does sound like a good price if you get the calipers, rotors, etc with it. Was thinking a guy might be able to get off cheap with some good used calipers, but the condition of them might be in question & in the end you probably couldn't get by for another $180 over the cost of the brackets.
Granada spindles are about non-existent around here, & those 77-79 T-bird ones probably are too.On top of that I have read conflicting reports here about the
Granada spindles geometry matching the 57s.
No, wait, maybe it was the Torino spindles that had the possible geometry issue. Yeah, that's it.
I have a rusted out 72 Torino based Ranchero sitting right here. It's pretty much junk, but if I pull the spindles, it might be a bit hard to move. (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/TomIII/smilies/lol.gif)
Not sure I'd want to lower my Ranchero either. I do like the look, but might be too low for my practical use or wheel clearance.
http://myworld.ebay.com/mgchevyparts/?_trksid=p4340.l2559
Thanks. Yikes, 208 bucks for shipping. (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/TomIII/smilies/eek.gif)
I think I'd be better off sourcing the calipers & rotors locally.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-1959-1960-FORD-THUNDERBIRD-T-BIRD-FRONT-DISC-BRAKES-/200792043765?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec02370f5
DUH! Use the '72 Ranchero spindles, rotors, and rebuild the calipers. If you want to roll the '72 Ranchero around, do it on '57 spindles and drums.
Quote from: gasman826 on 2012-07-25 17:57DUH!
Hey! It?s not like I hadn't considered that. But the '72 has to go away one of these days & I wouldn't really want to lose the stock '57-'58 spindles. Doubt that anyone would even want this '72 for parts so it would end up scrapped. There is also the "maybe, maybe not" geometry issues I've read about here with the '72 spindles.
I think I'm more inclined to use the Scarebird option.
I think the $375 number included the new rotors and calipers, I've seen mustang rotors pop up on craigslist for 1/2 price of new. I have the torino spindles, I'm guessing I got about 1 1/2 inch drop. Scarebird makes his brackets for lots of cars, quality looks good, Mark
I understand about keeping the original parts. I used to keep everything I removed from mine. Then, it dawned on me that after the first cut there was no going home again. You're luckier than most...you have parts that you can measure and test fit. Then if you don't like them, you can just return them. No harm, no foul...just time and you gained experience.
Quote from: gasman826 on 2012-07-26 07:44...you have parts that you can measure and test fit. Then if you don't like them, you can just return them. No harm, no foul...just time and you gained experience.
I have way too many projects already that aren't getting done so spending time to do something & finding that I don't like it & starting over doesn't seem like a good idea. Done that many times. I only want to do it once. I don't need the experience either, I'm 67, got around 50 years of it. It's all work & takes time to do it right.
About keeping original parts: My take is that even if I don't want them & will never use them again somebody is gonna want them. It really bothers me to see old car parts that are no longer made just thrown away. There are lots of guys that seem to want original parts for restoring cars. They ain't makin' them '57 spindles anymore.
There is really about zero old cars in junkyards up here. None! Shipping from 'Outside' is very expensive.
That said I probably have enough old parts around here to build an old Ford street rod, & tons of other junk that I drug home & saved because
'somebody is gonna want this'.
Where did these guys go? (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/TomIII/smilies/lol.gif)
I keep thinking that I need to take some pix of some of this stuff & advertise it. If I kick off somebody is gonna take all this stuff to the dump. I've told a couple guys that if they see my obit to get out here & steal whatever they want! :001:
I used to be pretty heavy into the street rods & knew people that did build their own stuff but I got back into motorcycles & kind of got away from it. After going to one of the meetings the street rod club that I used to be in & seeing mostly a lot of old farts like me I ask a woman that's very active in the club where the younger guys that built their own cars were. Was there anyone still doing that? She said everybody got old & just wanted to buy the cars already built. I'm old & tired, I can understand that.
Sorry about getting pretty much off topic. (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/TomIII/smilies/shog.gif)
Same thing here. Part of the reason we're here.
The swap was going great until the bottom ball joint won't fit through the Torino spindle. Oh well another $80 on a tapered reamer. And once it's reamed it looks like I'll have to use a spacer to go between the castle nut and spindle due to the Torino spindle being about 1/2 inch thinner than the original 57. Good news is it's only going to lower the about 1/2" inch. I ordered a reamer from XKUT, 7.15 degree and a 1.5" taper per foot.