65 Rear Disc Brakes

[stangpwr]

Hello everyone!! This is my first post in the forum, im new to VMF as of 5 mins ago. I have a 65 Mustang originally it was a 6 cyl, im almost done converting it into a V8. My questions is - From what other car can i get the rear disc rotors,calipers and mounting hardware from? I recently purchase the rear end, from what i was told it came out of a 1965 fastback with a 289. Right now i cant afford the complete kits that you see out there going for $800.00 so i wanted to see if there are other cars i can pull them from, by going out to the junk yard. I tried doing a google seach and came up empty.

[gotstang]

Currie sells an Explorer disc kit for $450, or there's the Lincoln Mk7 swap, Scarebird, or the 92-02 Crown Vic brakes or 94+ Mustang brakes. The mustang and crown vic setups are stupid cheap and the Mk7 is the most heavy duty. Crown Vic swap is $60 + parts, Scarebird will be $300 or so, and the Mk7 swap is $175 plus parts. I'll have $375 in my mk7 setup and they are huge.

[stangpwr]

Now the 92-02 Crown Vic swap, do i have to do any major modifications to it ?

[gotstang]

Originally Posted by stangpwr

Now the 92-02 Crown Vic swap, do i have to do any major modifications to it ?

Not really. guy sells the kit on ebay for $60 or so and you've got to buy the actual brake setup at a junkyard to complete it. I've seen civilian cars in the junkyard with NEW brakes, so you can do the swap CHEAP. Like buy it and bolt it on cheap. Only thing is they aren't that big, but being rear brakes, there's no need to really go for the hyperkill.

[stangpwr]

Thanks for the quick reply "gotstang" when you say the kit? Do you mean spacers ?? I see on ebay that someone is selling spacers with instructions is that the kit youre talking about.

[428Rcode]

Not so much spacers as brackets to mount the calipers to the axle housing. The only spacers involved are usually used to space the new caliper mounting bracket at the correct distance to center the caliper onto the rotor. Another spacer is sometimes used to account for the space created from removing the drum brake backing plate.

[gotstang]

Originally Posted by stangpwr

Thanks for the quick reply "gotstang" when you say the kit? Do you mean spacers ?? I see on ebay that someone is selling spacers with instructions is that the kit youre talking about.

Yeah, this is the guy. As you can see there isn't much to it.

[sixteenpushrods]

The crown vic rear discs look like crap. One is mounted on the front of the rotor and one is mounted rear. If you are going to the trouble of putting disc brakes on the rear, it is for looks, so by default, you will put wheels on that show the brakes. CV brakes were never designed to be seen...only to stop cop cars and taxis. The fact that they will vastly differ from right to left side of the car would bug me. I'm glad this guy has time to go pull junk brakes off old CV cars at a picknpull, but I'd never put that setup on a car I wanted to keep. I suggest that you keep the drum until you can afford a real kit. You will waste money getting a crappy setup to work when you plan on replacing it anyway in the future. Meanwhile, the factory rear drums are more than sufficient to stop a lightweight Mustang.

[ynned]

Originally Posted by sixteenpushrods

...
You will waste money getting a crappy setup to work when you plan on replacing it anyway in the future. Meanwhile, the factory rear drums are more than sufficient to stop a lightweight Mustang.

I disagree. I put CV brakes on back when the only kits available were $800 and up. They work very well, were easy to install, and have a good e-brake set-up. You are right, though, about them being the same side to side (no right/left) so the calipers end up on the front of the disc on one side and the rear on the other. I do think that an upgrade to large drums would be just as effective, though.
Edit: And there's the added benefit of parts availability.

[shbrandt]

Originally Posted by stangpwr

Hello everyone!! This is my first post in the forum, im new to VMF as of 5 mins ago. I have a 65 Mustang originally it was a 6 cyl, im almost done converting it into a V8. My questions is - From what other car can i get the rear disc rotors,calipers and mounting hardware from? I recently purchase the rear end, from what i was told it came out of a 1965 fastback with a 289. Right now i cant afford the complete kits that you see out there going for $800.00 so i wanted to see if there are other cars i can pull them from, by going out to the junk yard. I tried doing a google seach and came up empty.

Unless you are planning on road racing your car, rear disc brakes are not needed. Spend your money on something else. That should not be a problem.

[stangpwr]

No no racing here, just thinking about safety, and besides the CV swap is cheap.

[lunarweasel]

My Ford Escape has rear drums.

[stangpwr]

Just came back from our local pick your parts, i must have seen about 10 Crown Vic's with the rear setup still intact They wanted $75.00 ea side, but im going to wait till after Thanksgiving, everthing is 50% off for 3 days only.

[sixteenpushrods]

The industry is and will be moving back to rear drum because of fewer noise complaints and it is plain cheaper. My 07 Silverado work truck has rear drum. Also my wife's escape does too. The composite rotor hub situation coupled with tighter tolerances and huge pedal pulsation complaints is sending Detroit back to the drawing board. Drum will stop the rear fine. Rear disc conversions are only for looks or serious racing because there is nothing unsafe about a properly maintained drum system.
Btw, I am currently in an automotive brake training seminar. I'd be bored without my iPhone.

[stangpwr]

I have done many disc brake jobs, but as far as drum brakes goes, i find them very complicated. Thats the reason im going with disc all around.