HELP Big brake question

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Gremlinsteve

Master Mechanic
Mar 6, 2018
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I'm looking at a bigger than normal brake swap that looks good and preforming better than what I currently run

The car is my el camino and I'm researching the swaps that are more common with this platform

So. With this research I have found two systems that appeal to me.
The first one is the willwood kits listed for the car
Running the 12.1 inch rotor and the common willwood caliper in red
I have been familiar with this kit from previous usage on other vehicles I own
The cost is middlebof the road and they fit my needs
Which include fitting on the vehicle using my current drop spindle. They will fit my current 17 inch wheel too

The second choice is the corvette c5 caliper
And rotor. I have searched and searched and have only found a few parts available
Items like caliper brackets. Calipers. Pads. Rotors. Hubs. Hoses. All of which appear to need to be purchased separately

That complicates things for me. The costs add up to just about 1k total
The cost on the willwood kit is a little bit less.

Can someone show me a reason why I should use the corvette swap over the willwood kits
I'm seriously leaning towards the willwood kit
It's also got a matching rear kit that's available
So I would have a matched set up front and back
 

UNGN

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 6, 2016
3,048
3,264
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Southlake, TX
The C5 kit is 13". You can buy used C5 stuff cheap from C5 guys upgrading to 14" brakes.
 

Gremlinsteve

Master Mechanic
Mar 6, 2018
345
426
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The C5 kit is 13". You can buy used C5 stuff cheap from C5 guys upgrading to 14" brakes.


I read that on the forum and also I have read it in the g body performance upgrade book
But for some reason I'm not seeing the parts being sold cheap

I'd love to have the corvette system. But it just seems like it's cost is outweighing the willwood purchase

Am I looking in the wrong place for the parts?
 

Gremlinsteve

Master Mechanic
Mar 6, 2018
345
426
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Ok
I joined a c5 Bette forum looking for parts
I'll hold off my purchase till I can get more info
 

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,660
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We just finished the C5 brakes on Blazer spindle upgrade. Just about $750, but we could've saved some from this.

Used spindles from junkyard : $50
New Moog bearings : $220
Used Calipers * : $205
Power Stop Pad and Rotor : $160
Adapter brackets : $125



Places we could've saved : stock rotors and pads would've save $40-60; could've bought hubs for $50 a piece, but we wanted American made.

* the used calipers were bought from Ebay from a guy that decided to go bigger than C5 after gathering all of the parts, so he had stainless braided hoses and misc hardware included in the $200.

You are correct about the price though. The big expense is trying to find calipers without having any cores - the core value is a killer. I was seriously considering buying the hubs from Umi that go on the G-body spindle and then just buying the C5 stuff, but my issue comes down to I want to be able to goto a parts store and buy parts if something fails and the Umi hubs didn't have that feature.


Good luck - Jim
 
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