Author Topic: Disc brake conversion on a 65 Mercury Park Lane  (Read 539 times)

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428Marauder

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Disc brake conversion on a 65 Mercury Park Lane
« on: August 17, 2025, 12:07:37 PM »
Hey guys,

I collected a bunch of 65 t-bird front disc brake parts to try and build my own conversion kit for my 65 Merc and I’ve run into a problem I thought someone here might have tackled before. The t-bird spindles are too long and would interfere with my control arms and the existing spindles don’t have mounting holes for the calipers. There is (or was) a Kelsey Hayes caliper bracket that will work on a 65 mustang that they make repops of now. Any reason why that wouldn’t work on my Park Lane spindles? They don’t list these as compatible with a 65 Galaxie, which should be the same. See:

ETA: I’ve read about Granada spindles and apparently that’s an easier conversion but I’m pretty sure none of the parts I’ve collected will work with those spindles and I’d be starting from square 1.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/332511005323?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110025%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.COMPOSITELISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150526101527%26meid%3Dee04b6ace982415b9595975c5d239e78%26pid%3D100417%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D8%26b%3D1%26sd%3D226438460091%26itm%3D332511005323%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4567159%26algv%3DCompositeMixSimDefaultOrganicAndSimPLAlgo%23FilterOutCpc&_trksid=p4567159.c100417.m3734&mkevt=1&mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m161560.l174179&plmtId=700009&mesgId=3041&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=43812086310&trkId=3ceb3f3b-c527-350c-91dc-5096613e9919&cnvId=700003&recoId=332511005323&recoPos=4
« Last Edit: August 17, 2025, 01:49:54 PM by 428Marauder »
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cleandan

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Re: Disc brake conversion on a 65 Mercury Park Lane
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2025, 12:11:54 PM »
The Park Lane is on the full sized chassis so the Mustang/Fairlane stuff won't fit properly.
The Kelsey Hayes disc brakes do work great, but they are now rare, expensive, and usually rebuilt in some manner by now.
If they have not been rebuilt properly they are a headache waiting to happen, especially in the piston sticking department (there are four pistons in each Kelsey Hayes disc brake caliper for these years)

The 1965 full sized chassis was the first year for that perimeter frame design, and much of it became the standard for many things for many years to come.
If memory serves me correctly you can take the front end items from any 1969-1972 full sized Ford/Mercury and bolt them right into the 1965-1968 chassis to end with a disc brake conversion.

Take it all from the donor car... basically if it bolts to the spindle in some manner take it, including the spindles, and then bolt it into your 1965.

These come with a large, single piston caliper that works great and gives zero trouble as compared to the four piston, external transfer hose, Kelsey Hayes calipers from 1966-1968.
They also allow for more standard wheel usage because the Kelsey Hayes calipers require a special deeper wheel offset for steel wheels, and spacers for pretty much all aftermarket wheels.
This odd spacing need is a direct result of the design of the Kelsey Hayes caliper.

 I know it stinks that you might be starting from scratch again, but depending on where you live you might still be able to find a 1969-1972 full sized vehicle to scavenge parts from for relatively little money.
Some scrap yards will literally torch cut the upper and lower control arms to get at the pieces you need, and it works if you don't want the control arms...just ask them to cut closer to the frame instead of closer to the spindle.


galaxiex

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Re: Disc brake conversion on a 65 Mercury Park Lane
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2025, 04:08:03 PM »
The only issue with putting 69-72 disk spindles on an earlier car 65-68 is the Ackerman angle will be wrong.

People still do it, but it's "not quite right".
The car will probably drive ok, but tight turns will scrub the tires pretty bad.

There "could be" some high speed handling issues as well.
For that reason, I wouldn't do it.


I bought wrecking yard spindles and disk brakes etc,
from a 72 Ford full size with the intention of installing them on my 66 Galaxie.


When I found out about the Ackerman angle issue, I scrapped the entire set.
Couldn't sell them. Nobody wanted them.


I elected to keep the original 66 spindles and power drums.


I may upgrade later to a retrofit disk brake kit that uses the original spindles.
LEED Brakes has several options.


Here's one...


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/leb-bfc0025p307x


« Last Edit: August 24, 2025, 08:56:01 PM by galaxiex »
Every 20 minute job is 1 broken bolt away from becoming a 3 day ordeal.

gregaba

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Re: Disc brake conversion on a 65 Mercury Park Lane
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2025, 07:45:08 AM »
I have used the Wilwood kits on 3 of my cars and am real happy with them. Just follow the directions and for about $800.00 you get all new parts that work.
Greg