you certain of that?
9" front drums would be an oddball for 73, if original. left over parts or someone swapped it in.
I always understood 72 was the last (full) year with 9" front drums available.
73 up was 10" fronts on all A bodies.
1973 Disc Brake conversion / SBP / 14" narrow steel wheels
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9" front drums would be an oddball for 73, if original. left over parts or someone swapped it in.
I always understood 72 was the last (full) year with 9" front drums available.
73 up was 10" fronts on all A bodies.
Yes, the car is original and has 9" drum brakes. It's a 225 slant, auto Scamp.
I'd be checking both spindles for part numbers and upper ball joint size.
If you have original 9" front drums on your 73 you have left over 72 parts.
You may be onto something....the "Build Date" is 10-72. So, it is an early build '73.
All six cylinder a body’s that weren’t optioned with disc brakes came with nine inch small bolt pattern drums through the production of the large bolt circle up until either 1974 or 1975, I don’t remember the exact cut off date. I did not know this myself until some of our esteemed members here informed me. I can’t remember if there were still post ‘72 10 inch v8 drum brake cars with 5 on 4 bolt circles available or if the v8 mandated the new disc brake option.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Have to disagree with ya Garrett. About 2 months ago i pulled a set of BBJ UCAs off a 74 valiant base model slant sux car w 10" finned front drums. 73-76 A bodies with 10" drums used the same BBP UCAs that the 73 up disc brake cars did. the 73 up A bodies with 9" drums got SBJ UCAs. I would never have taken the time to get em off that car if it didnt have the 10" drums on it.
10-4! I imagine that it probably various according to were the cars were manufactured and how many pallets of 9 inch small bolt pattern axles and front ends were left over from prior years.
If you do have the 72 back 9" spindles there are disc kits for that app.
From what I remember reading the 9" drum spindles were kind of weak and not best suited for aftermarket disc conversion, especially if upgrading performance on a street driven car.
I'm sure I'll be corrected mercilessly if incorrect
From what I remember reading the 9" drum spindles were kind of weak and not best suited for aftermarket disc conversion, especially if upgrading performance on a street driven car.
I'm sure I'll be corrected mercilessly if incorrect
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
I read back thru this thread. Looks like your best bet to keep your SBP wheels is to install a set of 67-72 drum spindles. I dont have any. Very rare of a call that anybody ever wants these. I have tossed more into the scrap bin than I care to remember. But if you have 9" drums on your 73, then you have small upper ball joints and the 67-72 drum spindles will bolt right on. Then get the Scary Bird kit that uses I think predrilled Toyota previa rotors and Chevy Cavalier calipers. If you need a set of 67-72 drum spindles I can try to get you a pair next junkyard jaunt. PM me if interested and we can talk about it more.
The 9" spindles do look kinda of puny to me too.
It just so happens that I purchased a Scarebird kit for my '72 Duster with 10" drums.
Then changed my mind, and purchased a Ram Man kit that uses Mopar parts.
The lower ball joint bolt spacing is completely different, and those bolts are considerably larger than what was on my '72.
Then changed my mind, and purchased a Ram Man kit that uses Mopar parts.
The lower ball joint bolt spacing is completely different, and those bolts are considerably larger than what was on my '72.
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