Disc Brake Upgrade
By James H. Proffit

    Quick and easy disc brake upgrade

    Would you like to stop your old GM truck,and keep the stock front axle, frame and wheels???? My truck is a '39 GMC,but this works on most stuff. Well, hang on -- here we go ...

    Strip the front brakes including the backing plates. Go to a bone yard and get yourself a set old Nissan "Hard Body" front brakes.

    Measure the ID of the seal and bearing, and the OD of the spindle. Based on these, you will turn up a top hat-looking adaptor. Now blue the spindle end, let it dry and fit the rotor on the spindle. Make a mark and thread the spindle so the nut will load the bearings. I also had to silver solder my top hats on cause of spindle wear.

    Re-fit the rotor, run up the nut, drill a hole for the key, and cut-off the extra.

    Now it gets tricky....you must make a block that mounts the caliper to two of the holes for the backing plate.

    Bolt the whole mess up.

    I used a Mustang II master cylinder on a bracket built to fit the stock mount. You'll need a pressure valve assembly from the Mustang II and replumb the thing -- this is no big deal.

    Now you fit your stock six-bolt wheels, same bolt circle. You'll need metric nuts in front.

    You now have disc brakes front,stock rear,from ten feet back it will look stock. If you're good, it will look like it came from the factory just like that!!! Best of all you are one up on the guys that "clip"their trucks 'cause it works! AND IT'S CHEAPER

    Did you like the rear end dropout exchange? How about this -- Want to put an overdrive trans in your old truck?

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