Nova Disc brake conversion - easiest bolt on kit

[MC71Nova]

Hi All,

I'm a decent shade tree mechanic... removed and replaced motors, do my own maintenance, switched out a master cylinder before, etc. But I'm not an expert by any means. I'm looking for the least complicated, most complete 4 wheel disc kit for my '71 nova on the market today. Would love to get a larger than stock front disc if possible (but don't need it) and I have power drums now so want a power setup. Every kit I see seems to lack the hard brake lines from the proportioning valve to the frame. Is there a kit that uses the stock lines? Do they need to be replaced? other than that is it a pretty straightforward job? I'm using the stock a-arms but would need a kit with the proper spindles obviously. Do these kits move the wheel/tire out or in from stock drums? Any expertise would be appreciated! I'm looking to keep the entire budget under $1K if possible, start to finish, doing the work myself. Looking for new parts, not used or takeoff from another model. Thanks!!

[NvrDun71]

Give Tobin at Kore3 a call. Your budget may be tough to hit, but he should be able to get you squared away.

[ProdigyCustoms]

We have a factory stock replacemnt (4) wheel disc kit that DOES include all the pre bent hard lines and all. Absolute no brainer kit.

We also have our Exlusive Prodigy Custom Total Car G Machine Brake Packages featuring larger then stock Baer or Wilwood brakes that include everything including "You Bend It Line Kit" and tools to do it with. It is pretty much a no brainer also.

All depends on budget and needs, The phone call is free.

[scherp69]

Frank, can you post details of the 'you bend it' line kit. By spring, I'd be interested in a stainless steel kit.

[MC71Nova]

Excellent! Thanks, so much for the ideas! I have looked at the Kore 3 stuff but it looks pricey. But I'll give the other option a try and call. Thanks.

[OnEdge]

You can find a used set of c5/c6 brakes for roughly $400 or so. Then you can either buy the brackets or buy them from Kore3. I just bought a compete set of C6 rotors, calipers and flexible lines for $400 and they only had 4k on the them. They still look brand new. Hope this helps.

[MC71Nova]

So what do you have into the whole setup? I assume you need a new master cylinder even if you already have power drums, right? Do those vette brakes move the wheels out?

[OnEdge]

I don't have the master cylinder yet. I will more than likely make my own bracket for the calipers for the front and back. I got a set of front and back off an 07 vette for $400. By the time it is all said and done I believe that I will have way less than $1k in brakes. Now these are all stock parts but for my plans they will be more than enough for the plans for my Nova. There are many articles on making this swap. What are you other plans for you Nova. If you need any help with budget ideas you can alway PM me.

Ryan

[MC71Nova]

Thanks for the ideas. The fabbing of brackets is beyond my ability and tools, unfortunately, but it looks like you can buy the brackets from other suppliers. I'd really like to get a complete kit if I can though rather than try to piece everything together myself. Just seems like you'd run a better chance of everything fitting and working together without issues.

[Apogee]

So what do you have into the whole setup? I assume you need a new master cylinder even if you already have power drums, right? Do those vette brakes move the wheels out?

Almost every aftermarket kit I can think of is going to push your wheels out to varying degrees. In fact, the factory GM OE disc brakes push out the wheel mounting surfaces by 7/16" per side, worse than many of the aftermarket kits that are based on or around the relative flange position of the Chevy drum hubs. The kits that are based on the drum hubs will increase the track width by the difference in the thickness of the hat of the drum versus the disc. In the case of a C4/C5/C6 type kit, that difference is +.20" per side.

You've made no mention of the size/type/brand wheels that you're running, but your least expensive brake option is typically the one that doesn't require new wheels and tires. Post up what you're running in the wheel department and that should immediately rule in or out some of your options.

HTH,
Tobin
KORE3

[MC71Nova]

I'm running 17 x 8 American Racing CL 205s. Or will be once Brownz mails them to me! :woot: 235s in front and 255s in the rear. I'd like to lower it 2" from stock but will mount the wheels first to see what clearance I have first. I'd be willing to go narrower on the front tires to get the car lower.

[MC71Nova]

Sorry, had that completely wrong. :rolleyes: The fronts are 18*7 with 4.5 back space with a 235-35 tire and the rear are are 18*8 with 5.25 back space with a 255/40 rear tires, the tires are sumitomo HTRZ 2

[Mrfixit]

On the front, I'm using C5 hat style 13" rotors and calipers with the Speed Tech (http://www.speedtechperformance.com) caliper adapter (slick part for $189). If you don't go for the slotted/dimples rotors and are satisfied by stockers, the factor rotors are cheap. Look at your local Auto Zone (etc). All that should fit nicely behind your 18" wheels. I got the calipers (rebuilt) off of ebay for cheap.

The rears can be handled in different ways. I used a 1989 Corvette/Camaro/Firebird style caliper with an integrated parking brake and 11.25" (I think) rotors. I modified the factory caliper bracket by re-drilling the mounting holes to fit my 9" and used spacers (washers) to center the caliper. Again, ebay parts with cheap factory rotors.

So far I'm at about $600-700. I still need to buy and install the parking brake cables, hard brake lines, flex lines, master cylinder, booster, and proportioning valve. I'm hoping to have around $1000-$1200 total in it when I'm done.

I've done a lot of work and head scratching to get this far. A complete kit will be a lot more money but would make it so much simpler. If you don't have the ability to make stuff yourself, I'd highly recommend you save the money and buy a complete kit.

I hope that was of some use to you.

[MC71Nova]

Yes, that did help, thanks! I'm actually zeroing in on a more expensive option I think, with AFX spindles and the SSBC brakes that are made for them. Just one thing I'm confused about. If I go with that setup and I already have power drums, do I need to change out my master cylinder? What if I just do the fronts and leave the rears for a while until I switch rears... do I need to change the master cylinder and/or proportioning valve out too?

[Mrfixit]

Yes, that did help, thanks! I'm actually zeroing in on a more expensive option I think, with AFX spindles and the SSBC brakes that are made for them. Just one thing I'm confused about. If I go with that setup and I already have power drums, do I need to change out my master cylinder? What if I just do the fronts and leave the rears for a while until I switch rears... do I need to change the master cylinder and/or proportioning valve out too?

I'd be interested in hearing opinions on this question as well. I know that replacement MC come as drum/drum, disc/drum, or disc/disc so there must be a difference. regardless, unless your running a prefab front and rear system designed specifically for your car, you'll need to use an adjustable proportioning valve to adjust the front-to-rear bias.

[realcoray]

I'd be interested in hearing opinions on this question as well. I know that replacement MC come as drum/drum, disc/drum, or disc/disc so there must be a difference. regardless, unless your running a prefab front and rear system designed specifically for your car, you'll need to use an adjustable proportioning valve to adjust the front-to-rear bias.

Someone with more specific knowledge can point you guys to the right master but it's mostly about the bore size of the master relative to the caliper piston area. A supposed disc/disc master cylinder may work with a stock set of brakes fine but may not work that great with different brakes.

The company who sells you brakes should be able to tell you and if they can't, then I'd suggest going with someone like Tobin @ Kore3 who can tell you exactly why you would want to use x with y.

[strtlegal]

Someone with more specific knowledge can point you guys to the right master but it's mostly about the bore size of the master relative to the caliper piston area. A supposed disc/disc master cylinder may work with a stock set of brakes fine but may not work that great with different brakes.

The company who sells you brakes should be able to tell you and if they can't, then I'd suggest going with someone like Tobin @ Kore3 who can tell you exactly why you would want to use x with y.

:thumbsup:

C5 brakes like alot of pressure not volume so a 7/8" master cylinder is used instead of a 1" bore thats traditionally used on a power assist setup.

Talk with the guy that sold you the brakes I'm sure they would recommend a good setup.