[4pnt6]

Hello all, new here. I have a 67 Chevelle Malibu that I am about to start a frame off resto on. Well I've been doing some research but am confused on the corvette brake conversion. I couldn't find the answer to my question by searching so here it goes.

1. Is there a normal 2" drop spindle that you can bolt a set of stock C5 brakes to? I say normal because all I can find is the AFX pieces. They are extremely nice but kinda pricey. They only seem to drop the car an inch and I'm uncertain about the "Tall" spindle.

2. Can you install the corvette brakes on the rear (10 bolt) and the parking brake be functional? If so, what brackets are available?

3. If it is possible to do all of the above, is it required to run a brake booster? Haven't decided on my engine combo yet so I don't know how much vacuum it is going to pull. Could I run a corvette master cylinder without a booster?

Thanks. Look forward to using team chevelle for all my questions and info.

 

[novaderrik]

skip the drop spindle, and just use your stock spindles. get the desired drop with springs. if you have drum brakes, then you just use the drum hubs and make a caliper mounting bracket.
as for the rear, i have seen an adapter bracket online that adapts the Vette caliper mounting bracket/parking brake setup to a standard 10 or 12 bolt r ear end. but i can't remember where i've seen it. otherwise, late model F body or S series truck rear disc brakes bolt right up- the 98 and newer setup has the parking brake integrated into the mounting bracket like the Vette setup.

 

[1966_L78]

Hello all, new here. I have a 67 Chevelle Malibu that I am about to start a frame off resto on. Well I've been doing some research but am confused on the corvette brake conversion. I couldn't find the answer to my question by searching so here it goes.

1. Is there a normal 2" drop spindle that you can bolt a set of stock C5 brakes to? I say normal because all I can find is the AFX pieces. They are extremely nice but kinda pricey. They only seem to drop the car an inch and I'm uncertain about the "Tall" spindle. .

The tall spindle will improve handling, but usually requires aftermarket upper control arms. Places like Kore3 offer kits that allow you to BOLT ON C5 brakes onto your stock drum brake spindle ( IF you have your drum hub turned down, you can save money by not buying the billet hub). You will need at least 17" wheels, and not all wheels will fit. Kore3 has templates, and they might know some wheels that fit.

I agree with derik, save the money on spindles, and buy some good upper control arms (like the SPC arms from SC&C), then lower the car with new springs... Also for safety reasons, look into tubular lower control arms. the stockers are 402+ years old, and they are prone to cracking and catastrophic failure...

2. Can you install the Corvette brakes on the rear (10 bolt) and the parking brake be functional? If so, what brackets are available? .

Kore3 offers a C5 "Corvette" rear brake kit that bolts to the 10/12 bolt rearends, and uses the Vette's "drum-in-hat" parking brake mechanism (similar to the S-10/LS1 F-body, but I think the "vette" rotors might be different)...

3. If it is possible to do all of the above, is it required to run a brake booster? Haven't decided on my engine combo yet so I don't know how much vacuum it is going to pull. Could I run a corvette master cylinder without a booster?

No problem... I ran the C5 front brakes, and was planning on the rears, but I sold the car before... I used a '67 corvette manual brake master cylinder (deeper pushrod hole than the "power-brake" master), and the car stopped great... I guess it took a little more effort, but it was fine... It also cleaned up the look of the engine compartment. The guy who bought the car never complained, and I heard he drives it alot...


When I build my setup, I ended up with Kore3... Sure, you can piece it together and save some money. But If you aren't familiar with it, or don't want the hassle, Kore3 was GREAT to deal with...

 

[4pnt6]

Thanks for the info. I do still have the stock drum hubs. I checked into the KORE3 setup and it is nice. I think I can piece together the kit myself. As for the rears, is there anything special about the parking brake mounting? Will the drum in hat mount to a 10 bolt housing without any special adapter plates? If so, I could piece together the rear as well. If not, then I am cosidering the LT1 camaro rear brakes.

My ultimate goal here is to have a sporty ride quality with brakes that compliment the suspension. I am not opposed to purchasing the AFS spindles with an aftermarket upper a arm. I was just wanting to know if there was another way. I like to explore all my options before making a purchase. If I was to turn down my stock drum hubs would they fit on the aftermarket spindle and work with the corvette brakes?

 

[1966_L78]

As for the rears, is there anything special about the parking brake mounting? Will the drum in hat mount to a 10 bolt housing without any special adapter plates? If so, I could piece together the rear as well. If not, then I am cosidering the LT1 camaro rear brakes.

Using LS! Camaro or S-10 rear brakes, there will probably be clearance problems between the P-brake lever and the shock bracket on the rearend. With 64-67 rearends, the shock bracket is too close... Orn later rearends, you still need to clearance... Because of the mounting pattern, you can't just turn the parking brakes upside down...

I think Mike (MJRIBIERO) did this swap on his '67, by sectioning and rewelding the lever... maybe he has some good info and pictures...

If I was to turn down my stock drum hubs would they fit on the aftermarket spindle and work with the corvette brakes?

I guess it depends on the spindle... Will the aftermarket spindle of choice use a stock hub? and will the aftermarket spindle of choice accept the C5 brakes?

 

[4pnt6]

Using LS! Camaro or S-10 rear brakes, there will probably be clearance problems between the P-brake lever and the shock bracket on the rearend. With 64-67 rearends, the shock bracket is too close... Orn later rearends, you still need to clearance... Because of the mounting pattern, you can't just turn the parking brakes upside down...

I think Mike (MJRIBIERO) did this swap on his '67, by sectioning and rewelding the lever... maybe he has some good info and pictures...




I guess it depends on the spindle... Will the aftermarket spindle of choice use a stock hub? and will the aftermarket spindle of choice accept the C5 brakes?

I did see Mike's thread on sectioning the lever. On the other option, how can you turn the parking brakes upside down?

As for the spindle in question. I was thinking of the AFX.

BTW your 66 convertible was very nice. What brake/suspension combo did you have on it?

 

[Randy 67EC]

Using LS! Camaro or S-10 rear brakes, there will probably be clearance problems between the P-brake lever and the shock bracket on the rearend. With 64-67 rearends, the shock bracket is too close... Orn later rearends, you still need to clearance... Because of the mounting pattern, you can't just turn the parking brakes upside down...

I think Mike (MJRIBIERO) did this swap on his '67, by sectioning and rewelding the lever... maybe he has some good info and pictures...

I did on my car by having the levers pull towards the rear, i.e. the calipers toward the front. I drilled a hole in the shock mount and ran the cable through it. I used Lokar brake cables and it works great.

 

[1966_L78]

I did see Mike's thread on sectioning the lever. On the other option, how can you turn the parking brakes upside down?

As for the spindle in question. I was thinking of the AFX.

BTW your 66 convertible was very nice. What brake/suspension combo did you have on it?

Not sure on the Pbrake, but maybe if you filled/redrilled the mounting pattern in the backing plate (not sure if it would still fit, or if the cables would interfere with the calipers (if toward the front)...

I THINK the backing plates are separate from the caliper brackets...


For the AFX spindle, I think they exclusively use Corvette bearing/hub assemblies, so no need to use old Chevelle hubs. They also have integral mounting for C5 Corvette brakes...


On my '66, it was basically stock suspension up front, Hotchkis 1" drop springs and poly bushings up front with a 1.25" sway bar... I swapped from stock discs (1972 Chevelle) to the Kore3 C5 kit...

Fun car, but needed a lot of updating, and I realize I NEVER dropped the top anymore... So I figured I could sell it, and build my '66 SS hardtop with the proceeds... Of course, then I needed a "temporary" budget cruiser to enjoy while I built the '66 hardtop, and so I bought my '70... And now the '70 has been getting more and more, better and better pieces, leaving the "temporary" and "budget" parts behind And the '66 hardtop again sits (its been sitting for 24 years, some day...)...

 

[1966_L78]

Not sure on the Pbrake, but maybe if you filled/redrilled the mounting pattern in the backing plate (not sure if it would still fit, or if the cables would interfere with the calipers (if toward the front)...

I THINK the backing plates are separate from the caliper brackets...


For the AFX spindle, I think they exclusively use Corvette bearing/hub assemblies, so no need to use old Chevelle hubs. They also have integral mounting for C5 Corvette brakes...


On my '66, it was basically stock suspension up front, Hotchkis 1" drop springs and poly bushings up front with a 1.25" sway bar... I swapped from stock discs (1972 Chevelle) to the Kore3 C5 kit...

Fun car, but needed a lot of updating, and I realize I NEVER dropped the top anymore... So I figured I could sell it, and build my '66 SS hardtop with the proceeds... Of course, then I needed a "temporary" budget cruiser to enjoy while I built the '66 hardtop, and so I bought my '70... And now the '70 has been getting more and more, better and better pieces, leaving the "temporary" and "budget" parts behind And the '66 hardtop again sits (its been sitting for 24 years, some day...)...

I did on my car by having the levers pull towards the rear, i.e. the calipers toward the front. I drilled a hole in the shock mount and ran the cable through it. I used Lokar brake cables and it works great.

Randy, any pictures?

 

[Randy 67EC]

I'll see when I get home if I have any taken already. If not I try and take some. I do remember having to watch out for the shock to make sure it didn't hit the cable since the shocks lean in quite a bit in back.

 

[4pnt6]

Randy, pics would be great.

Ok guys here is what I've come up with so far. I have my mind set on the C5 front brakes and the Camaro rears. For the front I'm thinking about the SC&C upper control arm package with the tall ball joints (lower and upper giving the car almost an inch drop). For spindles I can use my stockers and turn down the hubs to under 6". I have found a bracket from Speed Tech that allows the C5 brakes to mate to the stock drum spindles.

For the rears I will just buy some plates to mate the camaro brakes to. I will have to turn down my axle flanges to less than 6" too. As for the parking brake, I am gonna need it to work. I will wait to see what yours look like Randy.

Let me know your opinions on my plan.

 

[Randy 67EC]

Here are a couple picts, one shows the cable from the back, the other shows it attaching to the lever. Never mind my custom clevis, don't use the Corvette clevis, I believe the Explorer ones work. The Corvette ones won't fit with the cable attached, so I modified them. Worked for almost 2 years now.

 

[4pnt6]

got any pics looking thru the wheel? Would like to konw how the brakes look on the forward side of the axle.

 

[Randy 67EC]

Here is a pict of the drivers side. It's mounted the same as it would be on 98-02 Camaro & Firebirds.

 

[1966_L78]

Ok guys here is what I've come up with so far. I have my mind set on the C5 front brakes and the Camaro rears. For the front I'm thinking about the SC&C upper control arm package with the tall ball joints (lower and upper giving the car almost an inch drop). For spindles I can use my stockers and turn down the hubs to under 6". I have found a bracket from Speed Tech that allows the C5 brakes to mate to the stock drum spindles.

For the rears I will just buy some plates to mate the camaro brakes to. I will have to turn down my axle flanges to less than 6" too. As for the parking brake, I am gonna need it to work. I will wait to see what yours look like Randy.

Let me know your opinions on my plan.

Sounds okay... Are you planning on using C5 rotors? or the C4 rotors (often called a "hybrid" kit- check Touring Classics website where they offer the Hybrid kit; different wheel fitment)

C5 rotors are 12.8" dia, but 1.25" thick... C4 are 13" diameter, but 1.1" thick... On MY 17" wheels, the C5 rotor kit was tight to the wheel barrel, and I don't think the C4 rotor would have worked, but the C4 provides greater spoke clearance... Torque thrust wheels will fit...

http://www.touring-classics.com/C5%20kit.htm

http://www.speedtech-performance.co...tegory_id=217/home_id=123/mode=prod/prd51.htm

These were the only brackets I saw on Speed-Techs web site, and they stated they were for C4 Rotors and C5 calipers... $169 per set... So basically the "Hybrid" kit... and you must have the 5/8" threads in your spindle (or drill and tap for that size).



http://www.kore3.com/proddetail.php?prod=10083-01

Kore3 offers brackets for C5 rotors with C5 calipers, only $115 per set, and include all the mounting hardware and will work with stock drum or disc spindles as well as those with the smaller upper mount bolt (no drilling and tapping necessary)... They are "only" yellow/zinc plated steel, but are they visible anyway?

 

[4pnt6]

Sounds okay... Are you planning on using C5 rotors? or the C4 rotors (often called a "hybrid" kit- check Touring Classics website where they offer the Hybrid kit; different wheel fitment)

C5 rotors are 12.8" dia, but 1.25" thick... C4 are 13" diameter, but 1.1" thick... On MY 17" wheels, the C5 rotor kit was tight to the wheel barrel, and I don't think the C4 rotor would have worked, but the C4 provides greater spoke clearance... Torque thrust wheels will fit...

http://www.touring-classics.com/C5 kit.htm

http://www.speedtech-performance.co...tegory_id=217/home_id=123/mode=prod/prd51.htm

These were the only brackets I saw on Speed-Techs web site, and they stated they were for C4 Rotors and C5 calipers... $169 per set... So basically the "Hybrid" kit... and you must have the 5/8" threads in your spindle (or drill and tap for that size).



http://www.kore3.com/proddetail.php?prod=10083-01

Kore3 offers brackets for C5 rotors with C5 calipers, only $115 per set, and include all the mounting hardware and will work with stock drum or disc spindles as well as those with the smaller upper mount bolt (no drilling and tapping necessary)... They are "only" yellow/zinc plated steel, but are they visible anyway?

Tony, thanks for the information. I had no idea that the C4 C5 rotors were different. Sounds like I need to check into the Kore3 brackets. I was interested in their rear brackets and noticed that they were "only" zinc plated. That's no big deal, I had planned on powder coating them anyways. I will try to find some used, take off, c5 brakes and some ls1 rears. I guess I should figure out what wheels I want to run on this car. Was interested in the Foose Shockwaves. 17s front 18s back.

I am not around my car right now or I'd be working on it. I travel for work a lot and am gone now. When I get home I will start tearing apart the suspension and checking on what I have. I know it is a four wheel drum car but don't know what thread the spindle/brake hole is. I still have a lot of work to do on the car. Really just started on it. Plan on doing a frame off resto. I've got it stripped but the body is still on the frame.

Thanks again Tony!

 

[1BadBu]

Just a couple of thoughts as I just did this myself...

You can't beat Kore3 pricing by much, even with a GM employee discount. If I was to do it all over again today, I'd by the kit from Kore3 complete. Besides, no one knows more about this conversion than Tobin at Kore3. I got mine together by buying drum hubs and having them turned, a bracket from Kore3 and the brake parts on a GM employee discount. GM just had a price increase and consolidated their parts dept by closing 3 locations. It took 3 weeks to get the calipers. All I saved in the end was shipping really.

Talk to the wheel mfgs before you buy any wheel. My Foose Legend wheels are for sale now because of the C6 caliper. On the fronts, you need at least 1.125" step from the mounting flange out to a radius of 7.5"-8". Mine were (are) 18's so diameter was not an issue, only spoke design.

Don't let the "drop spindle" haters sway you. I have the SSBC 2" drop spindles and they are a very nice piece. Mark at SC&C had no issues or concerns (performance wise) with using a drop spindle and his uppers with a tall balljoint. (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it's not the optimum performance suspension set-up) BUT, if you want low (like me) it's the way to go without breaking the bank. I'm very happy with this combination and I'd reccomend it to anyone. Everything bolted together with no problems until I went to mount the wheels.

Just my .02

 

[4pnt6]

Don't let the "drop spindle" haters sway you. I have the SSBC 2" drop spindles and they are a very nice piece. Mark at SC&C had no issues or concerns (performance wise) with using a drop spindle and his uppers with a tall balljoint. (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it's not the optimum performance suspension set-up) BUT, if you want low (like me) it's the way to go without breaking the bank. I'm very happy with this combination and I'd reccomend it to anyone. Everything bolted together with no problems until I went to mount the wheels.

Just my .02

How does your car drive with this setup? Are you running a brake booster? What master cylinder?

Thanks!

 

[MJRIBEIRO]

Randy - that 'clevis' bracket that's attached to the lever looks like its bottoming out on the shock mount - no?

Here was my post on the lever sectioning.

I really didn't care for having the levers pull to the rear. It just seemed like looping the cables around 180* was a bad idea. I'm sure it would work fine....

 

[Randy 67EC]

It does look like it is bottoming out, but that's just the angle of the shot. It clears quite well. Later I will change the clevis's out for the correct ones, just don't have the time right now, too much else going on.