63-66 Imperial disc brake conversion

[VintageSpeed]

Hi

I just wanted to share my Imperial disc brake conversion to you since I did not find much information about this online. This should work for 63-66 Imperials.

It did some time to measure and parts catalog searching but here is the result. This conversion is using Scarebird brackets as a base but you can make your own brackets if needed.

You need to have double washer between outer wheel bearing and nut to get the bearing tight and 0.30 inch spacer between wheel and disc if you use OEM 15" drum style steel wheels.

So not a direct bolt on but better than nothing and this setup keeps your original 5x5.5 bolt pattern.

Parts list:

Adapter plate - Scarebird MON D12 63-64 Chrysler&Dodge

Wheel seal- SKF 18415 56-73 Chrysler Imperial (Fits with a bit fiddling)

Disc - RAYBESTOS 76446R, 94-99 Dodge RAM 1500

Caliper - RAYBESTOS FRC4418 & FRC4417, 94-99 Dodge RAM 1500

Brake pads - RAYBESTOS PGD369M 94-99 Dodge RAM 1500

Bearing - SKF BR5 (ínner) ja BR3 (outer)

Brake hoses: ACDELCO 18J444 & 18J602 86 -91 Cadillac Eldorado

Master cylinder: RAYBESTOS MC36307 71-73 Chrysler Imperial

 

[twostick]

What hub are you using?

Kevin

 

[VintageSpeed]

What hub are you using?

Kevin

OEM 63 Imperial drum brake hub.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I think you mean that the spindle is OEM Imperial and the hub is part of the new Dodge pickup rotor.

Great job, by the way.

Thanks for the detailed info.


Jeff

 

[VintageSpeed]

I think you mean that the spindle is OEM Imperial and the hub is part of the new Dodge pickup rotor.

View attachment 386327

Great job, by the way.

Thanks for the detailed info.


Jeff

Yes, sorry I didn't even think it as a hub since that rotor is one machined part without separate hub.

You could use also the hub from the orginal drum brake and make it fit with 4wd Ram rotor but then you need to check caliper to rotor clearence.

 

[garyh]

How many miles have you driven with this conversion ? Issues ?

 

[marko]

great job !
fwiw these guys have a kit for 63-66 imps as well
AAJ Brake Conversion Web Page

 

[Scarebird]

mnnh. unless I am mistaken we did not design that bracket to work with the components you used. Current main components are 1977 Cordoba rotor and Celebrity caliper (so it fits in a 4" rim). we also include a pair of bearing spacers too.

That said, we have been pestered for a decade to build a 63-66 Imperial disc conversion - if somebody has a spare spindle we can take a look.

Mark

 

[fury fan]

Celebrity? As in Chevy Celebrity?

 

[VintageSpeed]

Hi again

I see this topic gathered some interest so I give it a bit update.

I have been driving with this conversion now some 200-300 miles and it works nice. Stopping power is definitely adequate.

There are some things to consider though. If you are using OEM mopar drum brake wheel you are going to need spacers. I used these Baer 0.375 spacers.

5 Lug Wheel Spacer 5x5", 5.5"

OEM mopar drum wheels have this strange concave design and are bolted together instead of weld so they scrape the calibers without spacer. If you have OEM or aftermarket disc brake wheels I do not think this will be an issue.

Another option is to put on smaller GM calibers like Mark said they are using in their kits. I think this could be also better combination with the RAYBESTOS MC36307 master cylinder. I switched to 2 bolt RAYBESTOS MC39178 master since the pedal felt too spongy and I had already those big RAM calibers.

 

[fury fan]

That was an excellent link to wheel spacers, I had looked for a good source for them in the past to attempt a disc conversion on another car, and lack of good spacers was a stumbling block. And made in USA and reasonable price, too!!! Win-win!

 

[garyh]

I have a Good Knuckle (spindle) for sale. '66 Imperial

 

[CPH]

mnnh. unless I am mistaken we did not design that bracket to work with the components you used. Current main components are 1977 Cordoba rotor and Celebrity caliper (so it fits in a 4" rim). we also include a pair of bearing spacers too.

That said, we have been pestered for a decade to build a 63-66 Imperial disc conversion - if somebody has a spare spindle we can take a look.

Mark

Somebody, PLEASE, get Mark a spindle.
Really Mark, looks like Scarebird would hunt down an Imperial spindle — it would put some change in their pocket.

 

[fury fan]

If I had a business and had been approached by a number of people for a particular product, I wouldn't let $50-100 investment in a spindle stand in the way of the first step of a prototype. If there are other restrictions in resources, that's a different situation...

 

[patrick66]

A complete front disc conversion kit from www.therammaninc.com is $1,595.00! But, that also includes the new spindles that replace the drum-brake units.

Ram Man / Shop List / Front Disc Kits

Also, @VintageSpeed, your picture in the starting post notes a Scarebird D15 adapter plate, while you listed the D12. I'm certain that is a typo, since D15 is clearly seen in the picture.

@Scarebird - So, what's stopping you, if you've been pestered for a decade? There is a demand for it, yes?

 

[Scarebird]

If I had a business and had been approached by a number of people for a particular product, I wouldn't let $50-100 investment in a spindle stand in the way of the first step of a prototype. If there are other restrictions in resources, that's a different situation...

If you had a business you might realize that some markets are too small to make even that little of an investment.

Example: we poured dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars making a superb Pontiac Grand Am set up - we sold 2 in 5 years.

We learned.

@Scarebird - So, what's stopping you, if you've been pestered for a decade? There is a demand for it, yes?

No. A lot of people talk big but when it comes time to pony up are nowhere to be found.

oh - and take your PC statement and shove it. PC is simply respect for others unlike you.

 

[fury fan]

"That said, we have been pestered for a decade to build a 63-66 Imperial disc conversion - if somebody has a spare spindle we can take a look."
"If you had a business you might realize that some markets are too small to make even that little of an investment."

I can only comprehend what you type, so I stand behind what I said earlier.
If the business case is too small, then say that, don't say you lack a spindle to evaluate.

 

[Scarebird]

It depends. If you are starting from scratch the development cost may not make sense for as small a market. But if only a minor modification needs to be made to an existing product it may be worthwhile. For example our 1963-64 880 is a 1965-72 C body with the B pattern holes milled out. We sell maybe 2 a year. We have about an hour in research and making a fixture for the mill. This app was mainly about filling a gap in our offerings and a customer sent us an extra spindle gratis.

 

[64Imperial]

Hi again

I see this topic gathered some interest so I give it a bit update.

I have been driving with this conversion now some 200-300 miles and it works nice. Stopping power is definitely adequate.

There are some things to consider though. If you are using OEM mopar drum brake wheel you are going to need spacers. I used these Baer 0.375 spacers.

5 Lug Wheel Spacer 5x5", 5.5"

OEM mopar drum wheels have this strange concave design and are bolted together instead of weld so they scrape the calibers without spacer. If you have OEM or aftermarket disc brake wheels I do not think this will be an issue.

Another option is to put on smaller GM calibers like Mark said they are using in their kits. I think this could be also better combination with the RAYBESTOS MC36307 master cylinder. I switched to 2 bolt RAYBESTOS MC39178 master since the pedal felt too spongy and I had already those big RAM calibers.

Hey any updates on how they are running? And what are you doing for the rear brakes? Do you still have the rear drums? I'm currently looking to replace my rear drums with new drums but I need a modern equivalent.