In the midst of the conversion on my 72 and ran into a problem. I went to install the calipers and pads last night and the throat of the caliper seems too small. With the pads installed in the caliper there is nowhere near enough room to fit everything over the rotor. I purchased all of my parts through reading up on the conversion and I am wondering if some of the info I have is incorrect or NAPA gave me the wrong calipers. To those of you that have done the conversion without buying a kit can you tell me what model/year your pads and calipers are from.

Thanks!

Dave, if I'm reading you right, you can't get the calipers and pads over the rotors right? If this is right, the pistons in the calipers might be extended a little. The pistons need to be retracted/pushed in almost flush with the caliper bodies. On my 96 Astro, I've used a large C-clamp (woodworking style), and an old brake pad, or a small piece of wood. Just make sure the piston goes in straight, or seal damage could occur. Also, when the piston is pushed in, the fluid has to go somewhere, I usually just watch the master cylinder, and use a turkey baster to empty an overfull master cylinder. Hope this helps, Daren

Did not check that but neither piston looks like it can go back very much farther in the caliper. At this point I am not even close to being able to get either on with the pads installed. I need at least a 1/4 inch just to get them over the rotors. Then I will need some additional room for clearance between the rotors and pads. My guess is that I am close to 7/16 or more shy on room. I will check to see how much farther the piston can go back and update later.

Just checked the calipers and they have the same throat as the factory calipers. The pistons are also bottomed out in the caliper.

Sounds like the wrong parts to me. Why don't you list all applications you gave to the parts guys for your parts.

calipers 84 caprice which appear to be identical to the original Chevelle parts

pads 94-96 caprice municipal package. I was told these had a larger surface area. I wonder if they are thicker also. Compared to the Chevelle pads they do have a much larger surface area.

One thing I did not check was the Chevelle rotor thickness compared to the F body rotor thickness. I would imagine the F body rotor being from the 1LE car would be thicker. This may be the problem? I will take some measurments tomorrow.

Just looked back at my parts list. The calipers should be from a 84 caprice municiple package car. I am wondering if the municiple package calipers have a bigger throat opening to go along with the thicker pads than a standard caprice. I am going to check with the parts store in the morning to confirm that the calipers are correct.

I put a 70 Chevelle caliper with 96 Caprice 9C1 pads onto the spindle with a Camaro 1LE rotor so it sounds like you have a parts problem to me.

Peter

The H/D option calipers are designed for the wider/larger rotors, you cannot interchange them.

I used 70 Chevelle clipers on mine and it worked perfectly. I did it on a 67 GTO.

Kind of have the problem figured out but also have some interesting info. Standard 84 pads will work. Picked up a set from NAPA and all is good but they did not have a municiple package listed for an 84. The standard 84 pads have a little more surface area than the velle pads but not as much as the 9C1 pads. Their computer and books did not list a municiple/cop package until the body style change all the way though to 96. I also tried the later 9C1 pads in my velle calipers but they wouldnt work either.

i used matching '81 T/A stuff from the spindles out, and it went together nicely.