71-72 LTD Disc Brake Conversion - 60-64 Galaxie

[mbrunson427]

Has anybody on here done this disc brake conversion? I didn't want to start in with it until I was able to locate all the parts. So far, I can't find the spindles, but everything else looks readily available from a Napa or similar.

If you've done this, I'd like to hear how it has worked out. If you happen to have a set of workable spindles, let me know!

[Heo]

Drew Pojedineck have done it
 

[thatdarncat]

You might want to check with Joe's All Ford Salvage in Hastings Minnesota for the spindles. Joe is slowly closing out his salvage yard. Phone 651-437-6787, make sure to ask for Joe. Note the hours, Central Time: 8am-Noon & 2pm-5pm M-F, 8am-Noon Sat.

[BattlestarGalactic]

I put '77 T bird stuff on the front of my wagon 20 yrs ago.   Everything is a direct bolt on.   The only difference is the spindle arm is about 1/8" thicker where tie rod sticks through.  I just used 1/2 a cotter pin.  If you thin the nut or the arm you can get the whole pin through.   Been carefree forever.  I put Hawke performance pads on it and it stops MUCH better then stock pads.

Idid use a '73 LTD non power disc master cylinder, but never was never really happy with it.  I put an early GM alum master cylinder on it.  Wow, much better.

[mbrunson427]

Thanks for the info!

Here's what I'm understanding from reading a bunch of different parts/pieces of information, based on about 15 different google search queries 

I've seen a bunch of people do the later 70's stuff, but they are 11" rotors. The late 70's cars that came with 12" brakes had 5x5" bolt patterns. Looks like 71-72 LTD's are the cars that came with both 12" brakes and also had 5x4.5" bolt patterns. Looks like '72 Lincoln Mark IV's were the same.

I've read the same comment about shaving down the spindle to accept the tie rod end. Some folks use a different tie rod ends (70 Thunderbird?) to get around shaving anything down. Didn't seem like a big hurdle either way.

I figure that I'm not in a huge rush to get this all done, so I'm going to hold out for a while and see if I can't track down the 12" rotor setup.

Let me know if there is anything I've just said that's incorrect. Like I said, I'm mostly google searching and trusting what all these random internet sites have to say about it.

[mbrunson427]

You might want to check with Joe's All Ford Salvage in Hastings Minnesota for the spindles. Joe is slowly closing out his salvage yard. Phone 651-437-6787, make sure to ask for Joe. Note the hours, Central Time: 8am-Noon & 2pm-5pm M-F, 8am-Noon Sat.

Kevin, I got a hold of him. He's pretty sure he's got the stuff. Thanks for the lead.

[Heo]

I'm about to do the same swap. I scrapped a complete
71 LTD. How about using the LTD rod ends or is the
thread different?

I had really bad brakes when using some unspecified
green and white box brakeshoes
But changed to some Hiperf Shoes. Don't remember the brand.
 Nascar approved etc.etc. Yeah right....when was the last time a drumbrake
was used in Nascar..... And now i don't really know if i need better brakes
I have not managed to get them to fade yet and i drive pretty fast

[mbrunson427]

I'm about to do the same swap. I scrapped a complete
71 LTD. How about using the LTD rod ends or is the
thread different?

I'm definitely not the expert at this (having never done it), but I would tend to believe that the 71 LTD rod ends are probably a different length. Seemed like there was a '70 T-Bird rod end mentioned that had the same length as the 60-64, but also had the extended threads on the rod end so it would go through the spindle without any other sort of monkeying around.

It's probably easiest just to get a grinder out and take an 1/8" off of the spindle and use your normal 63 outer tie rods.

[Heo]

Yes a couple of minutes with a grinder would solve that

But since the old rod ends probably are more or less worn
can anyone confirm wich rod ends that fit as i probably buy
new ones anyway

[TomP]

Isn't there anything that uses late model rotors slipped over the original drum hubs and a modern caliper on a bracket that bolts to the drum spindle? Kind of like the Mustang Steve stuff for the unibody cars

[Rory428]

There are at least a couple of front disc brake conversion kits available that retain the factory drum brake spindles, Scare Bird and Dropem Stopem are 2 that come to mind. They use, I believe, 68-69 Mustang rotors and Chevy S10 calipers. I had a pair of 1977 Thunderbird front spindles and disc brakes that I was going to install on my 59, but man, are they heavy! Supposed to be pretty much a bolt on, but I heard from a couple of guys that either the track width or geometry was altered somewhat. I decided to buy a Wilwood disc brake kit, that retains the stock spindles.

[mbrunson427]

There are at least a couple of front disc brake conversion kits available that retain the factory drum brake spindles, Scare Bird and Dropem Stopem are 2 that come to mind. They use, I believe, 68-69 Mustang rotors and Chevy S10 calipers. I had a pair of 1977 Thunderbird front spindles and disc brakes that I was going to install on my 59, but man, are they heavy! Supposed to be pretty much a bolt on, but I heard from a couple of guys that either the track width or geometry was altered somewhat. I decided to buy a Wilwood disc brake kit, that retains the stock spindles.

I did some more poking around and found this kit. Not sure it makes any sense to do a junkyard/napa conversion when you can buy the stuff brand new for this kind of money and get 4 piston calipers.
https://www.jegs.com/i/Wilwood/950/140-13653/10002/-1