Junkyard F body vs New A body?

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hemi71x said:
This the car at the Rancho yard?
I know you got a picture, too.

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That’s the one!

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I am so old and old fashioned I still build my old Mopars with drum brakes!!! And I even have all the parts in the shed to convert them to discs!!!!! ha
 
moparmat2000 said:
I'm talking about mix n match parts from different manufacturers other than chrysler, rather than getting stuff that was designed for a chrysler product, and readily available as a direct bolt on fairly cheap. How many FMJ body cars did they make from 1976-1989 Rusty? Millions of em that's how many. The parts arent that hard to find. You said cobbled, I didnt. I said a hodgepodge of different parts. No where did I say the scarybird brackets were cheap ****. No doubt they are well made, and fine for applications where the stock disc brake upgrade parts dont exist, like putting disc brakes on a drum vehicle from the 40s or 50s.

For A bodies, the FMJ stuff fits right on as a bolt on with the right UCAs and lower ball joints, and theres less guess work for future owners as to what's there when the vehicle changes hands multiple times over the years. Toyota previa calipers and pads if I have to guess probably change design multiple times over the vehicles lifespan, and theres a pretty narrow year range to get these from. FMJ calipers on the other hand are the same from 1976-1989, ditto for everything else. This makes all those parts inexpensive and plentiful. Only reason for a scarybird conversion is staying with SBP wheels, and not wanting to pony up the cash for a harder to find KH 4 pot caliper swap. I have read with the scarybird conversion You need to upgrade to at least 14" wheels if doing that. I have heard in some cases the scarybird swap hits the inside of some 14" rims.

You mention that they will drill the rotors for you. Well thats super great and dandy when your the guy doing the kit. But 10-15 years down the road when that car has changed hands a few times, and maybe somebody now owns it and needs rotors and has no clue what they were off of, or where to get replacement ones that are drilled to fit. Rockauto, raybestos A,FMJ rotors will be around long past the time that i'm 6' under ground.
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I know I said cobbled. I said it before you did. I knew it was comin. lol Those kits are really very ingenuitive. Successful cobbling is what makes hot rodding! And no way in hell would I place a bet that AFMJ mopar stuff will be available in the far future. Although I found early A disc stuff for mine, I was looking hard at Scarebird. I've installed some for Matt in the past and I'm tellin you it's top quality. I couldn't care less about it having "non Mopar" stuff in it. So what?
 
^^^ Non Mopar parts? I put "replacement" new parts on my Mopars all the time, the China chit breaks after a week or month usually! All I can get too! ha... Wait. it ain't funny!
 
RustyRatRod said:
I know I said cobbled. I said it before you did. I knew it was comin. lol Those kits are really very ingenuitive. Successful cobbling is what makes hot rodding! And no way in hell would I place a bet that AFMJ mopar stuff will be available in the far future. Although I found early A disc stuff for mine, I was looking hard at Scarebird. I've installed some for Matt in the past and I'm tellin you it's top quality. I couldn't care less about it having "non Mopar" stuff in it. So what?
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I guess you have a crystal ball, thinking I was gonna say cobbled. Sheesh, I guess you have mind reading ability too. I agree they are pretty cool kits. Never said they werent. If I lived where you cant get the FMJ stuff readily like maybe overseas, then that would be the way to go. Fortunately that stuff is available everywhere or almost everywhere in the U.S.
 
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Alecb said:
I’d say my mechanical skills are competent enough to take these old parts and refurbish them for my car. Spindles are $32 ea, calipers are $20 ea, brake rotors are $15 ea. I would probably do the smart thing and get new rotors and other wear parts. I’m just trying to figure out if it would be better to get brand new parts because safety, or if I can get away with junkyard parts.
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You could grab the knuckles off the FMJ and then go a couple of rows over and grab a set of calipers off of a Viper. That is what I did for my Duster.
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AndyF said:
You could grab the knuckles off the FMJ and then go a couple of rows over and grab a set of calipers off of a Viper. That is what I did for my Duster.
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The Chrysler section at this pick n pull is extremely lacking. I don’t think I would ever be lucky enough to find a viper in the junkyard lol
 
barbee6043 said:
I am so old and old fashioned I still build my old Mopars with drum brakes!!! And I even have all the parts in the shed to convert them to discs!!!!! ha
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I totally rebuild the drum system on Vixen. She stops very well.
 
moparmat2000 said:
I guess you have a crystal ball, thinking I was gonna say cobbled. Sheesh, I guess you have mind reading ability too. I agree they are pretty cool kits. Never said they werent. If I lived where you cant get the FMJ stuff readily like maybe overseas, then that would be the way to go. Fortunately that stuff is available everywhere or almost everywhere in the U.S.
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Well see that's the difference right there. Where I am, EVERYTHING ten years old gets crushed. EVERYTHING. We have a pick and pull yard, but nothing older than ten years and they are total assholes. It blows. So yeah, that's why I think like I do. And yeah, I haven't replaced my crystal ball yet from where the cats knocked it off, but my tarot cards said you were gonna say cobbled. lol Damn man, lighten up. I'm just messin with you.
 
Hahaha cobbled, like a shoe maker. I never got a crystal ball, didnt want to deal with the monthly $$$ add on to my WiFi bill. I have limited access to them out by me. I think I'm the only guy out here harvesting these at my boneyard. Last time I went I bought 3 pairs. Got the removal down to a science, can pull a pair in about 20 minutes. Rusty if you need a set, all you have to do is PM me. I have sold a couple sets. I sell em as a pair of spindles w nuts, and washers, caliper brackets w bolts, and dust shields. They fit in a large flat rate box. Everything else you can get from the auto parts store or rockauto. I actually have a spare set I have not cleaned up and listed yet. I need to get a few more sets from my local boneyard. No joke. PM me if interested.
 
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moparmat2000 said:
Hahaha cobbled, like a shoe maker. I never got a crystal ball, didnt want to deal with the monthly $$$ add on to my WiFi bill. I have limited access to them out by me. I think I'm the only guy out here harvesting these at my boneyard. Last time I went I bought 3 pairs. Got the removal down to a science, can pull a pair in about 20 minutes. Rusty if you need a set, all you have to do is PM me. I have sold a couple sets. I sell em as a pair of spindles w nuts, and washers, caliper brackets w bolts, and dust shields. They fit in a large flat rate box. Everything else you can get from the auto parts store or rockauto. I actually have a spare set I have not cleaned up and listed yet. I need to get a few more sets from my local boneyard. No joke. PM me if interested.
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I need some 72 and back rotors. I have a set coming, but I wouldn't mind having some extras just for the hubs.
 
What I have access to now is 76-89 FMJ stuff. I grabbed the last 2 sets of 78-79 B,C body large 11.80" rotors, caliper brackets and calipers for my 2 project cars. No more A body spindles. All of it gone. Couple more volare/aspens, and a few dippy/fifth aves I havent pulled em from yet. I don't have 72 and older rotors.
 
moparmat2000 said:
What I have access to now is 76-89 FMJ stuff. I grabbed the last 2 sets of 78-79 B,C body large 11.80" rotors, caliper brackets and calipers for my 2 project cars. No more A body spindles. All of it gone. Couple more volare/aspens, and a few dippy/fifth aves I havent pulled em from yet. Let me look at the 1spare set I have. Make sure they are 100%. Send me a PM.
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Well see....I am hardheaded. I am sticking with the small bolt pattern. That's just one of the things I simply will not give on. I know. It's stupid.
 
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It's not stupid dude. You like what you like. I like the LBP because of the larger 1/2" studs, and ease of finding different wheels never mind the fact that I am going to use 15x7 fifth ave steelies.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Spindles, caliper mounts, dust shields, and spindle nuts is typically what I grab, unless the rotors have some meat on them and can be turned.
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This right here. Spindles and caliper brackets, spindle nuts etc. And check the spindles for damage to the bearing surfaces first. Even if you use different brakes the caliper brackets are cheap compared to what they sell for, and they’re easy to ship.

I don’t pay for dust shields because they’re pretty much useless and I don’t run them on anything. The price at PickNPull for calipers and rotors is usually pretty much the same as the core charge at most places when you buy calipers. So, unless they look like I can run them as is or with a light rebuild/clean up I leave them. Unless it’s a sale weekend or something, if I can get them for less than a core then you can save a few bucks even if you just trade them in.
 
TheGrateRonzini said:
I just got a disc set up from a pick a part. Cost me 59$. New rotors 145$ from doctor diff, 15$ pads.
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The corporate pricks at Pick N Pull yards itemize every component. I am not kidding. Spindle, caliper bracket, caliper, hose, dust shield...only the hardware is free.
 
Kern Dog said:
The corporate pricks at Pick N Pull yards itemize every component. I am not kidding. Spindle, caliper bracket, caliper, hose, dust shield...only the hardware is free.
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Yes they do, but a caliper is a caliper to them. Weather it came off a wrecked callenger hell kitty or a dodge omni , same price.
 
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