Good or Bad idea??

[mullinax95]

I know it goes without saying, but you will be my hero if you give a fair and balanced report on what you think of the package....Good luck...you know I'm rooting for you.

LOL! Thanks.

He said that they will try and get my order out by the end of the week or first thing next week so I really don't know when it will arrive.

I will give a full report on the total price,how the install went, and how they perform when everything is said and done.

 

[mullinax95]

Well I started on the ECI brake conversion kit today after work. Everything was going fine until I hit a dead stopping point. I can't get the bottom left bolt out of the spindle and ball joint. My air compressor only goes up to 120psi max. It is a nail gun compressor so it doesn't hold a lot of air. I tried it numerous times with the 1/2 drive air gun with no luck. With a box end wrench I can't get to move either. I guess I better find a cheater bar of some type. I'll be looking of pipe at work tomorrow.

Any ideas fellas?

The total spent shipped to the door so far is $751.69 The cross drilled rotors was $100 extra so if you went with plain rotors it would be $651.69. I ordered a disk brake master cylinder today so that brought it up to $790.69

Here are some pictures of the rotor and hub and the dang bolt.

 

[Hartman-52]

So if your original front hubs used to be a 4 inch bolt pattern and someone re-punched them to 4 1/2 inch pattern, wouldn't it have been a fraction of the cost to go with the Scarebird conversion option since all you would have to do was put the original studs back into the 4 inch pattern holes.

Since you car orignally had the 4 inch pattern, I assume your rear wheels still retain that 4 inch pattern? If so, will you then have to carry two spare tires to account for the different patterns?

 

[grumpuscreature]

Well I started on the ECI brake conversion kit today after work. Everything was going fine until I hit a dead stopping point. I can't get the bottom left bolt out of the spindle and ball joint. Here are some pictures of the rotor and hub and the dang bolt.

Betcha it will fall right out if you put a floor jack under the LCA and take the torsion bar pressure off the ball joint/spindle. If you don't want to do that you can remove the torsion bar. The Scarebird kit is set up for 4.5" bolt circle if you have your hubs redrilled for 4.5". If you want to keep the 4" bolt circle redrilled rotors are $75 extra. Either way you have to have your drums pressed off the hubs. Almost bought this kit myself, but could not stomach having Blowtie parts on my Mopar. Would have jumped all over this kit if it used Intrepid or Caravan parts. Still have a set of 9" drum hubs drilled for 4" and 4.5" bolt circles with 3" studs.

 

[mullinax95]

So if your original front hubs used to be a 4 inch bolt pattern and someone re-punched them to 4 1/2 inch pattern, wouldn't it have been a fraction of the cost to go with the Scarebird conversion option since all you would have to do was put the original studs back into the 4 inch pattern holes.

Since you car orignally had the 4 inch pattern, I assume your rear wheels still retain that 4 inch pattern? If so, will you then have to carry two spare tires to account for the different patterns?

Maybe.....maybe not....it's to early in the morning for me to figure that out.

All I know for a FACT is the car has NO 4 inch bolt pattern wheel, hub, or anything else for that matter on the car FRONT OR REAR. I know this for a FACT! I have four new Weld Prostar wheels coming home right from Summit now in the 4.5" bolt pattern FRONT AND REAR. One of the Rallye wheels will be thrown in the back to get rid of th 4 inch junky bolt pattern spare I have now.The new hub and rotor that you see in the picture above fit the Rallye wheel that I have on lying on the shop floor right now and the hub is 4.5" bolt pattern. The Scarebird kit might be cheaper but I would much rather bolt things on and have to have rotors drilled etc,etc....

I hope this answered your question.

 

[mullinax95]

Betcha it will fall right out if you put a floor jack under the LCA and take the torsion bar pressure off the ball joint/spindle. If you don't want to do that you can remove the torsion bar. The Scarebird kit is set up for 4.5" bolt circle if you have your hubs redrilled for 4.5". If you want to keep the 4" bolt circle redrilled rotors are $75 extra. Either way you have to have your drums pressed off the hubs. Almost bought this kit myself, but could not stomach having Blowtie parts on my Mopar. Would have jumped all over this kit if it used Intrepid or Caravan parts. Still have a set of 9" drum hubs drilled for 4" and 4.5" bolt circles with 3" studs.

Yeah I had the jack under there when I was working on it but moved it because it is in the way for pulling my truck in. If the bolt can be used with the kit it will more than likely stay.

I don't believe anyone would know that there are GM parts on there unless you tell them. If you buy a aftermarket kit lets say Wilwood you are putting non Mopar parts on there aren't you? I see what you are saying however but it really dosn't matter to me because I didn't want to spend over $1000 for a kit and as long as it stops good.

 

[Dead End Kid]

Don't quite follow the logic either. As the SCAREBIRD package doesn't technically utilize a different hub, I don't know how it could be said that this package is set up to utilize a 4.5" bolt pattern. Now drilling a 40 year old hub that is marginal in the first place as opposed to having GM parts on a MOPAR...you need to get over that...especially where safety is an issue. Besides, the other popular/OEM proper route utilizing KELSEY HAYES components...suffice it to say the K.H. aren't exactly made by MOPAR either.

 

[redfastback]

so you put a jack under the lca and you took the preesure off that bolt/spindle? once you do, you should be able to tap it out with a hammer. its not threaded into anything. who really cares what rotors/calipers are there, but do remember what they are so you can get replacements when needed. i have the big 11.75 cordoba rotors on my car and i will be going 12.19 wilwood when money allows, so no more chrysler brakes here.

 

[mullinax95]

so you put a jack under the lca and you took the preesure off that bolt/spindle? once you do, you should be able to tap it out with a hammer. its not threaded into anything. who really cares what rotors/calipers are there, but do remember what they are so you can get replacements when needed. i have the big 11.75 cordoba rotors on my car and i will be going 12.19 wilwood when money allows, so no more chrysler brakes here.

Man I tried again today and I gave up and just left the bolt in with a new lock nut. I hope the other side will pop out. I jacked up the lca, let down the lca, and every where in between.

The kit uses 78-81 Camaro and Firebird rotors,calipers and pads. No problem getting parts for the brakes that's for sure.

Here is a picture of the right side. I still have to get the hoses. I will take a caliper with me tomorrow to the parts house and see if I can get the hoses.

Have I got the rotor on correctly? The other rotor has the holes heading in the opposite direction.

 

[mullinax95]

Well I got it done today. I had to get a different master cylinder because the first one didn't have the notch for the brake pedal push rod. I also installed new lines to both wheels up front just so everything would be new from the MC. I spent about $790 dollars like thought it would take.

I test drove the car and could tell that it stops much smoother now. It glides to a stop. I'm taking it easy at every stop so the pads will break in nicely. The crossed drilled rotors and the new wheels just set the car off. Now to move the leafs springs inward and install the wheels in the rear.

 

[cudaspaz]

Dude,
Can't wait to see pics of the full set of wheels, and all the cool mod's.

That car is gonna a totally different animal with your wheels and other mod's you are working on.

Keep us posted as I know you will.

 

[mullinax95]

Dude,
Can't wait to see pics of the full set of wheels, and all the cool mod's.

That car is gonna a totally different animal with your wheels and other mod's you are working on.

Keep us posted as I know you will.

What happening buddy!

Yeah I with you on that. I been getting together the things I'm gonna need to get the axle perches moved in and my offset kit should be here Tuesday. My friend is going to bring his welder up when I get everything bolted in and tack weld it and then everything is got to come back out. My friend is looking at the mounting points of a roll cage and we was talking about it today. He has access to a tubing bender and we was looking at it today. Looks brand new the guy doesn't use it that often. What size tubing did you use in your car John? I thinking of going 1 7/8" or is that to big?

 

[71DartGuy]

Congrats on the new brakes. Lets see some more pics of that fish!

 

[mullinax95]

Congrats on the new brakes. Lets see some more pics of that fish!

I'll post some pretty soon. I've got to do some things before I will feel comfortable about updated pictures. The car is mismatched right now.

 

[71DartGuy]

I know the feeling. Right now I've got 2 cop wheels with BFG's on the front and stock 14" steelies on the back with 185's! Looks pretty ridiculous, I wont drive it out of the garage until I get the rear under it with the new wheels and tires!

 

[mullinax95]

I know the feeling. Right now I've got 2 cop wheels with BFG's on the front and stock 14" steelies on the back with 185's! Looks pretty ridiculous, I wont drive it out of the garage until I get the rear under it with the new wheels and tires!

I hear ya! LOL!

We will have to get together this coming summer and swap some Mopar stories.

 

[71DartGuy]

Absolutely. Hopefully I'll have a V8 in this thing by then.

 

[mullinax95]

Absolutely. Hopefully I'll have a V8 in this thing by then.

What size motor you have in mind?

I'm thinking I want to find a
360 and build a stroker out of it. Kind of build it little at a time when I get extra money here and there. My friend wants me to big block the car. I can get a 383 from a guy I know and might be able to get it cheap. He said the motor runs but it needs rebuilding. I know another fellow that has a 400 but I'm not sure if he still has it or not.

 

[cudaspaz]

Ax, I got the roll cage kit from summit racing, but I bent my side bars on a tubing bender for easier access in and out of the car so I used extra bars my buddy had in his shop.
I can't remember what diameter they were, sorry.

You may want to fill the bars with sand if you go to use his bender so it does not put squeeze marks at the bends.
Some benders do not leave the marks, some do.

I have marks at the bends in my shoulder bars.
You can't see them well from this pic, but they don't look the greatest.

I have a ceiling hoop and A-pillar bars still, but they don't line up right.
I've been saving them for someone that may need them.

I also had no idea you were contemplating a roll cage in that thing.
Wow! You got bit by the mod bug , ha, ha, I know the feeling, well actually I don't.
Your car actually runs and drives while you are working on it.

 

[mullinax95]

Ax, I got the roll cage kit from summit racing, but I bent my side bars on a tubing bender for easier access in and out of the car so I used extra bars my buddy had in his shop.
I can't remember what diameter they were, sorry.

You may want to fill the bars with sand if you go to use his bender so it does not put squeeze marks at the bends.
Some benders do not leave the marks, some do.

I have marks at the bends in my shoulder bars.
You can't see them well from this pic, but they don't look the greatest.

I have a ceiling hoop and A-pillar bars still, but they don't line up right.
I've been saving them for someone that may need them.

I also had no idea you were contemplating a roll cage in that thing.
Wow! You got bit by the mod bug , ha, ha, I know the feeling, well actually I don't.
Your car actually runs and drives while you are working on it.

Really I wasn't thinking of putting a roll cage in the car but my friend said it would look killer in the car. We actually just brought the whole idea up yesterday. The only thing that I'm questioning is where the back tubing goes in my fastback to a mounting point. I can't put anything in the way of the trunk door in order to let it up and down. We was looking at it and thought about notching the trunk door to fit around the tubing but I don't if that would look right or not.

I will keep the sand idea in mind that's a great idea.

 

[superdart]

Personally, I would never put a big block in an A-body. It is easier to build a stroker SB than to convert your whole car to a BB setup, and ultimately get the same type of power..unless you are planning on building a really crazy BB.


But that is just me.....

 

[thecarfarmer]

...but could not stomach having Blowtie parts on my Mopar.

"Blowtie"... that's classic.

-bill