Author Topic: Disc brake conversion  (Read 4848 times)

hrlyfxdl

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 166
    • View Profile
Disc brake conversion
« on: February 17, 2022, 07:29:45 PM »
Hello all, hope everyone is doing good. I have a question about a brake conversion and couldn't source an answer on here.

I'm going to be changing over my front drum brakes on my Camaro to disc. I've sourced most of the original parts I'll need to do this (to keep it looking as authentic as I can), but when it comes to the rotor....are there any pros or cons to staying with the 2 piece OEM style rotor in the conversion (other than authenticity) versus installing a 1 piece rotor for the 4 piston calipers? Finding the 2 piece is rather tough to do, but they are available, but was just wondering from experience if there is any advantage of one over the other (again, other than authenticity and maybe the 1 piece is more readily available these days). Thanks for any input you can offer.

Shane
1968 Camaro SS 350 8L34677?
07A  E107  TR 712  U-U

5hane

cook_dw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3986
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2022, 10:49:01 PM »
If you aren’t worried about the car being 100% original correct (cause if you were you’d keep it drum) then go with a 1 piece rotor.

69Z28-RS

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5778
  • owner since 4-Apr-1976
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2022, 02:40:08 PM »
Apparently he wants to do the brake upgrade with 'original' '69 Disk Brake parts (or at least original appearing parts), so his question really is:    Are the one piece rotors noticeably different from originals, or are they inferior in any way?

He wants to upgrade his braking capability of the car without using 'visibly aftermarket parts'.   If I were in his shoes, I'd be doing the same thing.
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

Stingr69

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 901
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2022, 03:15:56 PM »
No, there is no difference.  I actually have 1 of each on the front of my car.

cook_dw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3986
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2022, 04:49:16 PM »
Apparently he wants to do the brake upgrade with 'original' '69 Disk Brake parts (or at least original appearing parts), so his question really is:    Are the one piece rotors noticeably different from originals, or are they inferior in any way?

He wants to upgrade his braking capability of the car without using 'visibly aftermarket parts'.   If I were in his shoes, I'd be doing the same thing.

Wont be "original" if he uses 69 DISK BRAKE PARTS on a 68.. 


As I said go with the 1 piece cause at the end of the day the price difference isn't worth it unless your car was originally a disc brake car and you wanted to do a "correct" restoration..   Is that better for you Gary?

Petes L48

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 797
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2022, 05:57:01 PM »
Way back in the day, the one piece type had to be machined a little to not hit the lip of 4 piston calipers.  This was back in the mid 80s.  I imagine they've come a long way since then.  When I did my resto a couple years ago, I used the hubs from the original 2-piece rotors, mated to discs from reproductions, with no issues.  But as everyone has said, for your application you can just go with the one piece.           

69Z28-RS

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5778
  • owner since 4-Apr-1976
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2022, 08:36:27 PM »
Apparently he wants to do the brake upgrade with 'original' '69 Disk Brake parts (or at least original appearing parts), so his question really is:    Are the one piece rotors noticeably different from originals, or are they inferior in any way?

He wants to upgrade his braking capability of the car without using 'visibly aftermarket parts'.   If I were in his shoes, I'd be doing the same thing.

Wont be "original" if he uses 69 DISK BRAKE PARTS on a 68.. 


As I said go with the 1 piece cause at the end of the day the price difference isn't worth it unless your car was originally a disc brake car and you wanted to do a "correct" restoration..   Is that better for you Gary?

No it won't be a correct 'restoration' regardless, since his car didn't come with disk brakes.  But I can appreciate wanting to stay with period correct GM parts! 

Note:  Many '67-68 owners with factory (four piston) disk brakes choose to convert to '69 disk brakes purely due to their simplicity and maintenance!
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

hrlyfxdl

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 166
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2022, 09:34:55 PM »
All, thanks for the input. That has really helped. I'm just inexperienced in nuances of these types of conversions, thus the question.

I gave up on originality as far as a pure restoration a long time ago. My car is supposedly a 1968 SS 350, but without docs I can't prove that and the engine is long gone (although I still check the orphans page every single day LOL). You all helped me when I first bought it to decipher some of the indicators of a SS, but again I would never stand on that fact as I can really prove it. But I appreciate the look and engineering/design of how the Camaro was built, thus why I want to have the best of both worlds: better stopping capability as I'd like this car to be a daily driver, but true to how this car "would" have been built if it had disc brakes from the factory.

I've sourced the correct parts where I can, probably from a lot of you guys, date and period correct, from the booster, master, valves down to the backing plates, spindles, brackets. I can buy aftermarket 2 piece rotors, but they are import. I can get the 1 piece rotors that are USA made, and that's what I'd prefer, but just wanted to make sure I wasn't causing issues from a 2 piece to a 1 piece design. I'm still going to buy aftermarket hoses, bolts and brackets that I can't get from used parts sellers. But overall 99%, it will have the same appearance as if it had disc brakes from the factory. I'll keep all the original drum components, just in case some day....

Anyway, thanks everyone for the input and help, makes me feel better going in the 1 piece rotor direction. Stay safe, S
1968 Camaro SS 350 8L34677?
07A  E107  TR 712  U-U

5hane

cook_dw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3986
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2022, 03:26:32 PM »
Ran across these while doing my craigslist search if there are of interest.  You can buy the rotors from Camaro Central IIRC but you will have 2 piece hubs.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/d/west-mifflin-z28-piece-rotors/7449975249.html

Petes L48

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 797
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2022, 07:49:33 PM »
The rotors only, for the 2-piece hubs, show as discontinued on their site:

https://www.camarocentral.com/1967_1969_Camaro_Front_Disc_Brake_Rotor_for_2_Pc_p/brc-634.htm


cook_dw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3986
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2022, 07:55:40 PM »
Well that's no good..  I guess its been a few years since I checked on them.

z28z11

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1853
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2022, 05:09:46 AM »
Heartbeat has the 2 piece assembly in stock for about $170.00 (imported, all grey cast iron, but pretty darn close). You could use them, or bolt the rotors up to the original nodular iron GM hubs if you have a set. At least that gives you the appearance with the functionality -

Regards,
Steve
1968 Z28 M21/U17 BRG/W 1967 Chevy ll Nova SS 
1969 Z28 X77/M20/VE3 LeMans/W
1969 L78 X66/N66 Cortez/BVT
1969 Z11 L48/M35/C60/C06  1949 3100 5wd 235/6

hrlyfxdl

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 166
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2022, 03:28:41 PM »
Ran across these while doing my craigslist search if there are of interest.  You can buy the rotors from Camaro Central IIRC but you will have 2 piece hubs.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/d/west-mifflin-z28-piece-rotors/7449975249.html

Thank you for the lead, I'll give them a call today and see about the hubs, probably ask them to just buy the hubs and forgo the rotors since I'd be replacing them anyway. Appreciate the help, I'll post pics once I'm done.
1968 Camaro SS 350 8L34677?
07A  E107  TR 712  U-U

5hane

x66 714

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2022, 03:51:50 PM »
Neither piece is serviced separately....Joe
See America's First, Chevrolet

1968 Z/28 Corvette Bronze. Black Hounds Tooth. 02E Los Angeles born 3/13/1968 pnt OO. Purchased March 1976
1969 SS396 Yellow/Yellow 08E Norwood born 8/28/1969 pnt 76E. Purchased April 1981

GMAD_Van Nuys

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 308
    • View Profile
Re: Disc brake conversion
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2022, 05:28:29 PM »
I would recommend buying a new one-piece rotor as someone can't tell if your car has a two-piece rotor unless they put their fingers inside the slots in the wheel rim (just performed the check).  Although I've bought rebuilt master cylinders and power brake boosters, I wouldn't buy used rotors unless I could inspect them in person to measure the rotor thickness and condition of the bearing races. 

 

anything