scarbird disc brake conversion

[xsilencex]

thats the only reason i decided to go with scarbird, i like the 14" wheel option. especially since that is what is on my car now with fresh tires. also I like that they use more modern vehicles to adapt parts from. makes them way easier to find and cheaper. of course the con is that you are using parts from multiple vehicles and have to keep track of it.

[len]

sorry guys i havent been at my computor in a while. will get exact interchange on t bird spindles today and post. sorry about the delay.len

[Frankenstein57]

I read somewhere that the scarebird conversion uses mustang rotors, about $100 a pop. My torino rotors were much cheaper, autozone chinese stuff. No problems with warping, I lay on em pretty hard sometimes.  Mark

[xsilencex]

I was just talking to a friend that owns a shop sat and he just did the scarebird kit on a 59 ranchero for a customer. said it cost around $400 for everything needed. it was pretty straight forward and it was for the 14" wheel kit. the only thing the instructions did not say is that you have to change the studs. he said that the ones on the spindles they say to buy look like they will work but if you look close they don't seat right. he said he can get me the part number of the ones he used.

[JPotter57]

which studs do they say to use?  part number?  I'm considering the scarebird bracket kit with Wilwood metric calipers, so just wondering.

[2x57sedan]

i thought i heard that if you use the 77 cougar /t-bird parts that to get coerrect suspension geometry you need to cut the upper control arms and remove a section then re weld them  is this true?

it is because of the above rumor that i was palnning on using the scarebird set-up

[xsilencex]

I'll try to get the numbers as soon as I can he couldn't remember them off the top of his head

which studs do they say to use?  part number?  I'm considering the scarebird bracket kit with Wilwood metric calipers, so just wondering.

[JPotter57]

only if you lower the car, I'd say.  I have had a set of these on the car before, and they were ok until you tried to cut springs to lower it, then it would not line up., The Granada setup on the other hand, is no problem.  I dont plan on lowering this car, at least right away, so the scarebird setup will do nicely, plus a lot more lightweight than the Thunderbird setup which is H-E-A-V-Y.

[rmk57]

The scarebird setup uses chevy s-10 calipers. 1968-69 Mustang/ Torino/ Fairlane/ Montego stuff also fits, along with 70-71 Mustang /Torino which use a slightly heavier duty spindle.

[JPotter57]

I wont use Chevy calipers, I found a set of Wilwood aluminum calipers with the metric mounting positions.  I guess you would call them aftermarket replacements, but thats ok with me.  Plus they are anodized aluminum, look awesome.  I wondered if the early Mustang and Fairlane stuff would work, I figured it would.  Wilwood makes brake kits for early Mustang and Fairlane spindles.

[Frankenstein57]

You probably saw my old post, we set it up with a camber/caster gauge. Couldn't get it right where we wanted it, so I milled about 1/4 to 3/8 off the face of the cross shafts. Turns out I only needed to do that on one side. Ron and someone else just got it as close as they could, and have no problems with it.  Mark

[gasman826]

Not Scarebird related but to the subject of brakes.  I did the Granada thing.  I also like '70s Lincolns.  No new news yet!  When I was scraping one on the Lincolns, I wanted to see if there was any re-use of the big front brakes.  The Granada spindles and Lincoln spindles accept the same wheel bearings and rotors!!.  The brake caliper 'horns' unbolt from the spindle and will interchange.  If big brakes are desired, the 12" rotors, calipers, and caliper 'horns' off the Lincoln will fit the Granada spindles.  Unfortunately, the Lincoln wheel bolt circle is 5" and only 15" OEM wheels will clear the calipers.  5" bolt circle is common in '30s Ford as well as the racing world.  Much of this will carry over to many other FLM models.

[JPotter57]

Really?  You could have tbose redrilled..so what Lincoln calioer brackets and rotors interchange with Granada spindles?  Towncar, Mark V, VI?  Very interesting info there...I may rethink my strategy as I have a set of modded Granada spindles...

[gasman826]

'74-'78 Continentals and Marks didn't change much.  If I was to guess...'74 Continental.  I have a set saved back...you know...in case I ever go G-machine.  With Bigs and Littles, the Granada brakes are all the Littles can stand!

[Tom S]

5" bolt circle ...

'30s Fords had 5.5" bolt circle.