My Big Brakes Are Here

[pbrown]

I have a brand new set of Wilwood front brakes. I got the largest that they said would fit most 15" wheels. The rotor is 12.2" across. I have it assembled on my workbench. It's quite impressive how tight they are in the wheel. I can't wait to get them on the car.

I'm thinking about upgrading my front suspension while I'm at it. Global West makes a nice upper and lower control arm set.

I also have the BearTracker bump steer kit to go with the big-pin Mustang spindles (70-73 Mustang).

The old Granada disks will be available soon.

[SmithKid]

Post some pics when they're on please. Hope I'm still in line for the old setup. If so, let me know how many $$$.

[doghows]

Would love to see those bad boy's. Do we want to coat the center of the rotor's your burgundy color???
Let the wrestling matches begin for the old brake set up. Let us know when those are ready for purchase. Can't wait to come over for a show. Who know maybe I will actually have a car this year?!?:banana:

[pbrown]

Do we want to coat the center of the rotor's your burgundy color???

I've been thinking about powder coating the calipers.

There are three in line for the old brakes - Bill, Gene, and you.

[doghows]

Calipers are do-able. We just need to take them apart to get all the seals and gasket out. I have high temp tape and plugs to keep powder from getting into the undesirable areas.
I am going to be in Seattle Friday, but very early. 5am, I have to fly down to phoenix. I will be back Sunday night around 9pm. Let me know if you want to try and hook up while I am over there.
This goes for anyone else needing powder coating done. (Brian, Roger, Gene, ect...)
Sorry I am glad your big brakes are there and look cool. post a pic of them on the bench!!!

[pbrown]

I pulled the calipers apart today. I did break a brass fitting so will need to get that out before I ship the pieces for powder.

I'll get some photos soon.

[pbrown]

The powder coating is in process. Thanks Steve.

[doghows]

Maybe I will sneak in some super secret spy photo's???

[SmithKid]

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

[doghows]

I have to make sure Patrick won't get mad at me for stealing his thunder first!!!:NERVOUS:

[pbrown]

I don't mind.

[pbrown]

I had another package on my porch when I returned home tonight. My Opentracker upper control arm DIY roller kit is here.

[doghows]

Your open traker how what. What is that???

Oh yeah check these out!!!:rocker:

[pbrown]

Nice!

Opentracker link.
http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/diyupperarm/

They sell Ford suspension parts that have been converted to roller bearings and have kits to do it to your own parts. I bought the basic upper control arm kit. I already have the roller spring perches.

I will also be doing the "Shelby mod" by dropping the upper control arm mount point by 1".

[doghows]

Sounds like she will handle like she is on rails.... Cool and looks good to boot. I just hope to get mine running this year...

[doghows]

Calipers are back your way. You should see them tomorrow. I insured the box for $500 just in case...:)

[pbrown]

Calipers are back your way. You should see them tomorrow. I insured the box for $500 just in case...:)

Cool. I can't wait. PM me a bill and I'll get a check off to you. I'll get the rear calipers torn down this weekend.

[pbrown]

I picked up the powder coated caliper parts from the PO this morning. They look great. Here are a couple of photos.

I have the rear calipers removed and taken apart.

[BillP 98201]

Nice work Steve! They look awesome! [BOW]

[doghows]

Beautiful, I am glad you like them.

[Luva65wagon]

So Steve - did you powder over the name and then sand it off to reveal it again?

They do look pretty nice.

Have you ever done a master cylinder the same way? Those things always look so nasty in such short order.

[SmithKid]

Also, will powder coating resist brake fluid?

[doghows]

Yes I powder the whole thing, then clean the logo back off, and then clear powder the whole thing. Thus the logo stays shiny.
I have done M/C as well. I can color them or just clear them. Brake fluid doe not affect the powder. Now if you get MEK or Acetone on it, it won't take it off but sure will make it sticky. Best thing for a m/c is to clean is very well with MEK or acetone. The heat of the oven tends to bring fluids out of the metal so usually a pre-cook is in order.
By the way those do look awesome Patrick even if I do say so myself!!:rocker:

[SmithKid]

did you read my mind, or just respond super-fast?

[doghows]

Little of both. I think I was replying as yours was posting and I tossed that in for good measure...

[SmithKid]

Thanks. They DO look great.

[pbrown]

The rear calipers came back from powder today. I'll get them reassembled and installed tomorrow. They look great.

[Jeff W]

Will the black on the rotors wear off quickly or is that some sort of solid carbon disk?

[pbrown]

Will the black on the rotors wear off quickly or is that some sort of solid carbon disk?

Yes it will. The black will remain in the cooling fins and the slots.

[Jeff W]

Yes it will. The black will remain in the cooling fins and the slots.

That will look awesome. It was a great idea.

[pbrown]

Gene and Kenny dropped by to help. We were able to get the rear calipers reassembled and put on the car. New hard lines were made. The parking brake is also finally hooked up and working thanks mostly to Gene.

The old master cylinder has been removed and the new Wilwood unit fits very well. I still need to finish some plumbing.

[pbrown]

The suspension has been removed from the right side. I was just starting the left side when I was called in to help with other stuff. I'll get the other side done tomorrow evening.

[pbrown]

Thanks to Gene dropping in this evening, the rest of the suspension is removed.

The new holes for the upper control arms have been drilled for the Shelby mod.

Now I just need to clean up some parts, do some fabrication work on the upper control arms, and put the thing back together.

[doghows]

I think I need to move over to Seattle. I need a Gene, Kenny, Roger, Patrick ,ect, ect..... Maybe mine would get done??

[SmithKid]

I like Sequim. Maybe you could arrange for us all to have lucrative employment or whatever, and we could all move over there?

[doghows]

How about free powder coating in exchange for services rendered???
If I keep getting busier I am going to have to hire some help, I am getting tired!!!

[pbrown]

I made some progress. The right side is done. I ran into some problems.

I may have destroyed one of the upper control arms when assembling them with the new roller bearings. One of the bearings started to bind when pulling them in with the bolts and I didn't notice. The welded in cups are now badly out of alignment.

I also discovered that my new Baer Tracker bump steer kit interferes with the RRS rack and pinion steer kit. I bought a set of stock outer tie rod ends for now.

And the last issue is that Wilwood send a wrong part with the brake kit. It's just the keyed washer that goes over the outer bearing but is unique to the kit so that the machined dust cap will fit. I'll have to call Wilwood on Monday.

[doghows]

Damn those calipers look good. Who did those for you??

Just kidding that all looks great. How you can get all the little gremlins worked out.
I should have your other parts ready today as well..[thumb]

[doghows]

Patrick, what kit is that you used for the front of your car. I want to do disc up front on mine but not sure what to get???

[pbrown]

Patrick, what kit is that you used for the front of your car. I want to do disc up front on mine but not sure what to get???

I have Wilwood part number 140-11074-D. These are 12.2" brakes for 70-73 Mustangs. The 70-73 Mustang spindles are large pin and very strong. I found my spindles on eBay but they also have new castings from Total Control Products. I went with this brake because it is the largest one that will fit in my 15" wheels. The brake kit came from Summit Racing.

[doghows]

Thanks Patrick, I will check them out and see if they have one that will fit on my v-8 spindles. This is one of the big ticket items I need to put mine on the road.

[pbrown]

Thanks Patrick, I will check them out and see if they have one that will fit on my v-8 spindles. This is one of the big ticket items I need to put mine on the road.

What spindles do you have? I have some 65-66 V8 Mustang spindles that you could use.

[doghows]

I have a set of V-8 ones off of a 63 sprint. At least that is what I was told?..

[falcon cobra]

Hey patrick, how does it ride with the upper A arm mods with the bearings on the shaft? can you tell the difference from stock, at least it will never squeek....jh

[pbrown]

I'm still not done. I destroyed one of my upper arms and have to redo it. I'm waiting for replacements parts to come in the mail.

[pbrown]

The replacement control arm was waiting for me on my front porch when I got home. That was great but I'm on my way to Orcas Island for a three day weekend. I will not have a chance to work on this until Monday after work. With any luck, I'll be able to have this done in time for the Wednesday meeting.

[pbrown]

The car is all bolted back together. The only tasks left are to bench bleed the master cylinder and bleed the brakes. Sadly that will not be done in time to drive it tomorrow. I also need to get an alignment done.

[pbrown]

The brakes are bled, wheels polished and bolted on, and the car is off the jack stands. Now I need to schedule the alignment. I also need to take a lap around the block to get the front end to settle. The springs are new and I want to see what the ride height will be. I may need to trim some to get the stance right again.

[doghows]

Good job Patrick, I am learning that patience is a good thing when it comes to our cars. I want mine to run so bad it is stupid. But just keep picking away at the list and it gets done eventually.
How does everything look all clean and polished?? I hope you can see the calipers through the wheels.[thumb]

[pbrown]

I just took it for a drive around the hood to get everything settled. The front is a little too high for my tastes. I think the springs need to be cut. I'm thinking about taking 1/2 a coil off. That should drop it about an inch.

[doghows]

Will the coils settle after driving them a bit? Don't cut too much you would have to bag it then.:ROTFLMAO: Just kidding can't go too low can you??

[pbrown]

Will the coils settle after driving them a bit?

They will a bit. One thought I had was to align it as is and drive it for a month before cutting the spring. It would need another alignment after.

[pbrown]

I cut 1/3rd of a coil off this morning and dropped the car off at the alignment shop.

[pbrown]

I'm back from the alignment but without an alignment job. The equipment that Les Schwabb has won't work on the old Falcon. This is a new thing. They were able to align it in the past. I dropped by the Firestone center on the way home. Same story.

Now I need to find a shop that can deal with old cars.

[redfalken]

I've always taken mine to Tru-Line on Boren, north of Jackson. The Yesler Terrace area.

http://www.trulineseattle.com/

I usually drop it off in the AM and pick it up after work. They always do a great job and have worked on my `62 sedan 4 times without a hitch. All 5-star reviews on Yelp too.

[modified17]

If all else fails I have a castor/camber gauge and turn plates you can use if you want to do it your self.

[doghows]

Interesting, the Schwabb over here has done all mine so far? The only difference with yours is the rack and pinion right??

[pbrown]

Interesting, the Schwabb over here has done all mine so far? The only difference with yours is the rack and pinion right??

There is a device that must be attached to the rear wheel and the car gets rolled with this thing attached. It would hit the wheel well. They tell me that this is new within the last couple of months. The older system they had would have worked. It has nothing to do with the R&P.

[falcon cobra]

Patrick,I just took my car up to clarks in totem lake and they did the 3 way for 65.00 and years ago they had the rear wheel things that don't fit in the cut out on a falcon either, now they have the kind that fit, it sure goes down the road really great now...by the way what stall speed do you have in your C-4 ?? thanks...jh

[pbrown]

...by the way what stall speed do you have in your C-4 ?? thanks...jh

My converter is a custom made unit from Edge Racing. It has a stall rating of 3200.

http://www.edgeracingconverters.com/

[pbrown]

I have an appt with Tru-Line on Thursday.

[pbrown]

I made it home from Tru-Line with a freshly aligned car. They were great and ended up using the same alignment tools Les Schwab and Firestone had. I asked them about the roll back. They told me that because of the rear wheel well design, that it wasn't possible. They use another procedure. I guess it's not the tool but how you use it.

The before specs:

Left Camber = 0.62 deg
Right Camber = 0.92 deg
Left Caster = 3.24 deg
Right Caster = 0.81 deg
Left Toe = -8.9mm
Right Toe = -9.2mm

After specs:

Left Camber = -0.44 deg
Right Camber = -0.50 deg
Left Caster = 2.50 deg
Right Caster = 2.50 deg
Left Toe = 0.9mm
Right Toe = 0.9mm

The car drives very well now.