[dennis the menace]

I would like to convert my 1953 Ford Vicky from front drum brakes to power disk. The current suspension is king pins. Is there a setup I can buy or find in a junk yard that will convert? Would I find this type of info in a Hollander parts exchange manual?

Thanks
Dennis

[jaslong]

If you do a google search for 1953 ford disc brake conversion it will bring up a couple of different places that sell the kit to convert your car to front disc i converted mine without the kit but if i had it to do over again I would probably just buy the kit. but i guess it all depends on what you want to spend on it hope this helps!!!

[dennis the menace]

Thanks for the info. I will try your approach and hope it works for me. I was hoping I could avoid buying a new kit; I've seen some of the Mustang II kits for as much as $2,200. For me, I just want a hot-rod and I realize whatever I put into this car I'll never get back. It's just not a desirable classic; more like a taxi or cop car back in the day. But, it's what I have and I do want to make it safe.

Thanks,
Dennis

[dennis the menace]

Thanks for the info. I will try your approach and hope it works for me. I was hoping I could avoid buying a new kit; I've seen some of the Mustang II kits for as much as $2,200. For me, I just want a hot-rod and I realize whatever I put into this car I'll never get back. It's just not a desirable classic; more like a taxi or cop car back in the day. But, it's what I have and I do want to make it safe.

Thanks,
Dennis

[jaslong]

Well if are trying to do it on the cheap like i did you of course have to make your own bracket but i can tell you what parts i bought to make mine work and i have had it up and going now for about a year in a half with no problems. I used 86 monte carlo rotors, bearings, seals, calipers and pads. I did have to take and use a spacer that i put behind the little metal shim that has kind of a keyway in it sorry i don't know what that is really called but it usually goes right over top of the front bearing. I was lucky enough to find a big enough washer but i guess if you have the tooling you could make a real nice spacer to put in there other then that is is pretty straight forward beside the bracket and this was my first attempt at it so it took me awhile to get it right hope this helps

[dennis the menace]

Thanks for the good info Jay. I suppose I need to figure out what the bracket should look like. I can have them made in work; the washers also. Did you upgrade the master cylinder? Power brakes?
I will try to locate an 86 Monti. If I have to buy new rotors that's much better than the entire system. Is you car finished?

Thanks
Dennis

[jaslong]

Yes I did upgrade mine to power but it still isn't 100% right I have been looking into different master cylinders and boosters the one i used is off of a 77 mustang II i used it because i had it laying around but the pedal ratio is not right it stops good but the pedal goes kinda low for my taste. As far as 86 monte goes there are probably other Chevy's around that year that use the same rotors I just couldn't tell you which ones. I mounted my calipers to the front of the rotor instead of the rear so i had to use the left front caliper on the right side and the left on the right so the bleeder screw stays at the top to bleed them. My car is more or less done I drove it to a few cruise ins last summer and getting it ready for this year now. It has a 5.0. H.O. efi motor in it with an AOD trans. As far as the bracket I looked the kits up online and looked at the picture and kind of went from there but me not being a master fabricator it didn't go as smooth as I thought it would and i had to really modify my pattern as i went. but you may have more fab skills them myself this was my first hotrod build so i had to learn alot by trial and error. Good luck