Question for the disk brake conversion experts:

I want to convert to S-10 front disk brakes. Has anyone modified a pair of S-10 caliper mounting brackets to fit the front wheels on a LM Corvair?
Is there any reason why this cannot or should not be done?

If you've done it, please post plenty of pictures with circles and arrows and measurements and all that great stuff. Thanks! P.S., I'm in a hurry...

Luke
1968 500 Coupe (daily driver)
1969 Monza (project)
1962 Monza 900 Sedan (in progress)


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While I'm waiting for answers, here's another question on the same subject...

For a front disk brake conversion on a LM Covair (car), what side of the wheel is best for mounting the brake caliper, and why?

Luke
1968 500 Coupe (daily driver)
1969 Monza (project)
1962 Monza 900 Sedan (in progress)


Search All Makes and Models

I believe the S10 brackets are cast with the spindle. They are one complete piece per side.
The S10 spindles won't bolt onto the Corvair ball joints as the holes in the S10 spindles are too big.
The attached photo is of dropped S10 spindles but the stock ones look similar.


www.scarebird.com has brackets to use S10 4wd rotors and 2wd calipers on Corvair spindles
I used the brackets to put disk brakes on a friend's Corvair front end.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2009 06:15PM by Ed Dowds.

Thanks, Ed. I was planning to use the Scarebird brackets, but thought I'd check first. Could not find any photos of the S-10 brackets to see if they were integrated. Now I know.

> I used the brackets to put disk brakes on a friend's Corvair front end.
What was your impression of the quality of these brackets?
Do they have any issues with installation or when driving?
Is your friend happy with the new setup?

Thanks!

Luke
1968 500 Coupe (daily driver)
1969 Monza (project)
1962 Monza 900 Sedan (in progress)


Search All Makes and Models

Here is what I have, sorry These are all the pics I have.

Ed
65 Crown/Wills Corsa

Actually there is a story to go with the Scarebird brackets.
The first set they sent mounted the caliper too high and the caliper hit the upper A-frame when the steering was cranked all the way to one side or the other.
We called Scarebird and they redesigned the bracket according to what I recommended.
The corrected brackets have the upper caliper bolt at the same height as the large top bolt that holds the bracket to the spindle. I’ll attach pictures of the “wrong” bracket,how the caliper looked when mounted too high and the last is a picture of the corrected bracket.
65 Crown Corsa’s pictures show how the caliper should look when mounted.
The brackets are pretty simple – just two plates with holes in the proper places and two nuts welded to each bracket to hold the caliper bolts. The quality was good.
The install was on my friend's '34 Ford streetrod which has had a Corvair front end since late '65.
The hubs have to be machined to fit in the S-10 rotors.
Contrary to what Scarebird says no autoparts store would machine the hubs on their brake drum machine. We ended up in a “real” machine shop for the work.
We used the 2 wd calipers that they recommended at the time. They have the hose attachment at one end of the calipers. I think they recommend a different caliper, now, which has the hose more centrally located on the back of the caliper.
We changed the lug bolts to ’68 Corvette ones which are longer but I don’t think they we really needed.
My friend runs 15” wheels which I think are required to clear this setup.

One thing to be careful of: when you get you calipers make sure you have the correct banjo bolts for the hoses. Some calipers have metric bolts and others have SAE bolts. The correct bolts should thread in by hand with NO forcing. I did not have the problem on this install but ran into it on another brake job.

Thanks for this very useful informatio, Ed D.

Ed Dowds Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually there is a story to go with the Scarebird brackets.
> The first set they sent mounted the caliper too
> high and the caliper hit the upper A-frame when
> the steering was cranked all the way to one side or the other.
> We called Scarebird and they redesigned the
> bracket according to what I recommended.
> The corrected brackets have the upper caliper bolt
> at the same height as the large top bolt that
> holds the bracket to the spindle.
I think they were selling the OLD/WRONG brackets off for $70 awhile back.
Must all be gone now. The ones they are offering on ebay now look like the NEW ones, but price has gone up to $105 (sigh).

> I’ll attach pictures of the “wrong” bracket, how the caliper looked when
> mounted too high and the last is a picture of the corrected bracket.
Sorry, I can't tell which picture shows the caliper too high.

> 65 Crown Corsa’s pictures show how the caliper should look when mounted.
> The brackets are pretty simple – just two plates
> with holes in the proper places and two nuts
> welded to each bracket to hold the caliper bolts.
> The quality was good.
Are they hardened or anything special? Couldn't someone just make a template and make their own? (Sorry Scarebird!!!). My budget's blown and I need to get this car back on the road as cheaply as possible. I have wirefeed and stick welders, but cutting the parts out would be a challenge.

> The install was on my friend's '34 Ford streetrod
> which has had a Corvair front end since late '65.
> The hubs have to be machined to fit in the S-10 rotors.
> Contrary to what Scarebird says no autoparts store
> would machine the hubs on their brake drum
> machine. We ended up in a “real” machine shop for the work.
Scarebird's instructions say to machine to 0.0020 clearance, but don't mention approximately how much material will have to be removed (probably only a "tad").
I was planning to machine the hub on the car by mounting a grinder to a hinge and wood blocks to get the correct clearance and "machine" them by blocking it and turning the hub by hand (seems like that would work just fine).

> We used the 2 wd calipers that they recommended at the time.
> They have the hose attachment at one end of the calipers.
> I think they recommend a different caliper, now, which has the hose more
> centrally located on the back of the caliper.
The instructions I got from Scarebird said to use 1983-92 S10 4WD (NAPA 442-2046) calipers. According to NAPA, the part number is the same for the 2WD AND 4WD front calipers (no difference?). Guess I should visually compare the two parts before buying!!!

> We changed the lug bolts to ’68 Corvette ones
> which are longer but I don’t think they we really needed.
I replaced the original 1-3/8 long lugs with 1-3/4 inch lugs when I changed to
14-inch mag wheels (fronts are Anson slotted, rear are American Racing slotted).
I wonder if these will be long enough after adding the brake rotor?

> My friend runs 15” wheels which I think are required to clear this setup.
Scarebird told me they would clear 14-inch wheels, which is what I have.

> One thing to be careful of: when you get you
> calipers make sure you have the correct banjo
> bolts for the hoses. Some calipers have metric
> bolts and others have SAE bolts. The correct bolts
> should thread in by hand with NO forcing. I did
> not have the problem on this install but ran into
> it on another brake job.
Thanks for the heads up!

Luke
1968 500 Coupe (daily driver)
1969 Monza (project)
1962 Monza 900 Sedan (in progress)


Search All Makes and Models

What kind of master cylender are you guys using?

I can modify S10 spindles to fit the Corvair but if your not going to to use drop spindles you might as well use the scarebird type of bracket which I also sell along with several other venders.

LeVair Performance & Restoration
Michael LeVeque
Anderson,IN
765-617-9307
Mlevair@sbcglobal.net
levairperformance.com

The gray brackets are the "wrong" ones. The gold plated ones are the good ones.

I don't think the brackets are hardened though the nuts are probably grade 8.

You could make your own brackets. I'll have to remember to trace the brackets if we ever take them off again.

You could probably turn the outside diameter in the way you stated but I think the amount to be removed can vary and I think it would take a while with a grinder.

The S10 calipers have the hose inlet at one end of the caliper. I think Scarebird recommended FWD "A" body calipers, at one time, which have the hose on the back of the caliper, like the ones in 65 Crown Corsa's pictures. I think those MAY clear 14" rims.

The S10 rotors are not very thick though that may vary by replacement manufacturer. I think the ones we used were about 1/4" thick. You will have to check your bolt length with thick aluminum wheels.

If you are running front disk/rear drums I would use the master from a '69 Camaro with disk brakes. It will bolt in to replace the stock Corvair master.
The stock Corvair master for '67-'69 is the same as a drum brake Camaro and is 1".
The disk master would be 1-1/8th" so it would require a little more pedal pressure.