Im keeping the setup the way it is in terms of transmission and engine, assuming it is a 350. Truck I’ll be low n slow, I’m not trying to put an LS in here. Can you explain about the parking break? Thanks!
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Im keeping the setup the way it is in terms of transmission and engine, assuming it is a 350. Truck I’ll be low n slow, I’m not trying to put an LS in here. Can you explain about the parking break? Thanks!
Well, for parking brakes to work you need a lever arm and such for the brake cables to attach to.
You can swap the rear drums for a disc with a relatively cheap kit, and then use front calipers off the right cadillacs. Problem is, they won't have the arms or hardware to attach a brake cable, and it's not something you just add to them. That means no functional parking brake.
With a manual trans you kinda need that functional parking brake. With an automatic just stuff it into park and no need to engage the brake. Thays the difference.
You can buy expensive aftermarket calipers that will let you use the parking brake, but, that eliminates the "cheap" part of getting oversized calipers and discs on all 4 corners.
You can get an approximation of the d52 bigger bore calipers wilwood sells on the cheap.Why would you lose the parking brake? Most of the aftermarket base rear disc conversions use the 79-81(?) Seville calipers that have a mechanical pull for the parking brake. Although, Quick charges $55 for it.... 🤔
QPBODK-Ford 9" / Bolt on Disc Brake Kit
www.quickperformance.com
Basically on the rear you use the astro van 5x5 rotor, buy a 250 powder coated set of brackets and hardware, and the big bore jd7/jb7 version d52 calipers. Unfortunately, the cheap big d52s with levers largely dried up even as rebuilds being limited to 3 yrs of a submodule late 70s caddy... so it's more pricey (250-400/pr) to get repops.
BUT I was saying for a CHEAP conversion with max stopping power that doesn't cost much money.
This also has you just using the front cross member off a 5 lug 73-87 c10 and having matching calipers/pads/etc all around for easy maintenance.
Guys also make kits using camaro parts, and impala kits, but those use a smaller setup with less stopping power.
When you've got a 42 or 4500# truck, maybe closer to 5500 with weight in the bed, I'd take all the stopping power I can get.
And if the goal is what can I get, for how cheap can I get it, thats when if no parking brake isn't a concern you can do a massive rear brake conversion for about $300-350 all-in from hoses,plates/brackets,rotors,calipers,pads,hardware,etc is nice
Edit:
Seville appears to use a 2 15//16" piston, which gives a surface area of 6.778in2.
The jd7/jb7 d52 calipers use a single 3-5/16" piston, which gives a surface area of 8.946in2
Thats a good bit more stopping power than the base 80s seville, but, like I said it comes with tradeoffs. You can do it with the rear parking brake, but, it'll add a few hundred to the cost. If that makes sense.
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