[ZeGermanHam]

Originally Posted by chiphead

No question, just wordplay on the Mandelorian code and "this is the way".

Ah, gotcha. That reference went right over my head since I haven't seen that movie.

[Vid]

Not looking to change your mind on the 12 bolt but the more research I did pointed me to a Quick 9” for my ‘69 LeMans. Very happy with the results.


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[DaleO]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Unless your heart is just set on a 12 bolt call Quick Performance and tell them what you are trying to accomplish and get a 9 inch. So much cheaper for better options and yes I have Moser Axles.

I'm not set on a 12 bolt. My only issue with it is when somebody would notice it they would then really expect me to be able to perform and I'm just not there. Not worthy. I really want to see what I an do and need drag radials to do that and am pretty sure I'd break the 10 bolt pretty quickly. Besides, I want a little steeper gears.

Thank you for your input. I've been looking at the Quick Performance site. The thing I need to study next is brake size, I have drums and they list 11" drums which I am not sure will fit 15 inch wheels. I suspect so because I think 11" drums were on the station wagons which likely had 15 inch wheels. The other issue I might have is with having larger brakes on the rear as I still have 9 1/2" drums up front. I think that is the size Pontiac used.

[DaleO]

Originally Posted by Vid

Not looking to change your mind on the 12 bolt but the more research I did pointed me to a Quick 9” for my ‘69 LeMans. Very happy with the results.


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I hate seeing other people's cars.....that is awesome under there!

[grivera]

I have a 9” with 11” drums and 15” wheels on the 64 and all fits well.

[chiphead]

I re-used the factory 9.5" drum brakes from the 10 bolt BOP. There are housing ends that accept the big ford bearing and have the same bolt pattern as the drum brake backing plates. The center hole in the BOP backing plates needs to be enlarged a bit to clear the big ford bearings. Not a big deal.

There are a lot of options, just do the research and consider what you're really going to use the car for.

[OCMDGTO]

Vid, what sway bar is that and is the jack pad still accessible?

X10 on QP

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[b-man]

Originally Posted by DaleO

I'm not set on a 12 bolt. My only issue with it is when somebody would notice it they would then really expect me to be able to perform and I'm just not there. Not worthy. I really want to see what I an do and need drag radials to do that and am pretty sure I'd break the 10 bolt pretty quickly. Besides, I want a little steeper gears.

Thank you for your input. I've been looking at the Quick Performance site. The thing I need to study next is brake size, I have drums and they list 11" drums which I am not sure will fit 15 inch wheels. I suspect so because I think 11" drums were on the station wagons which likely had 15 inch wheels. The other issue I might have is with having larger brakes on the rear as I still have 9 1/2" drums up front. I think that is the size Pontiac used.

I’d opt for the 11” Ford drum brakes if you decide to the pull the trigger on a 9” rear, as I see it you’re overdue for a front brake upgrade. I ran the 11” rear drums on my ‘64 GTO bracket car equipped with a 9” and ‘69 GP spindles/11” discs up front, no problem with fitting those 11” drums inside a 15” wheel.

I was bracket racing launching off of a transbrake with slicks and it was nice to have a strong 9” under the car, however it wasn’t really a high strength unit and only had a stock cast iron housing, a Detroit Locker and shortened/resplined stock 31-spline axles. This was an old 1987 vintage Currie 9” that came in the car when I bought the car in 1989, built off of a salvage yard housing like most back in those days. It wasn’t that uncommon for my competitors to break their stock 12-bolts on the starting line which made me like the 9” even more.

For my street only ‘64 Tempest with the 430 hp LS3/4L70E I decided on the ‘71-‘72 Buick/Olds GM corporate 8.5” 10-bolt. My reasoning at the time was because those units are equipped with bolt in axles and tapered roller axle bearings to better handle cornering loads. Also the lower friction 8.5” gears as well as the lighter axle housing, for better suspension control since the axle housing is unsprung weight. I’m running fairly heavy 13.4” C6 Corvette rear disc brakes (and corresponding 14” front discs) so I thought compensating for that with a lighter rear axle assembly might be a good idea.

Maybe I’d have been better off with a new aftermarket 12-bolt but what’s done is done. I did upgrade the 8.5 with an Eaton posi and 30-spline Moser axles so I’m sure it’ll handle whatever I’m doing during spirited street driving and occasional canyon carving.

[DaleO]

Originally Posted by grivera

I have a 9” with 11” drums and 15” wheels on the 64 and all fits well.

Thanks grivera. You probably have discs up front but in case you have original drums how does it affect handling due to mismatch of brakes with the smaller front?

[DaleO]

Originally Posted by b-man

as I see it you’re overdue for a front brake upgrade. I ran the 11” rear drums on my ‘64 GTO bracket car equipped with a 9” and ‘69 GP spindles/11” discs up front, no problem with fitting those 11” drums inside a 15” wheel.

Thanks b-man.

Without a doubt, it is embarrassing actually. At least I don't drive like an idiot : ) tailgating speeding around town and such and very cognizant of what is going on out front and to the sides. But I totally agree. In fact I have the A arms, spindles, tubing, prop valve, master cylinder and booster out of the 1969 GP I took the 428 out of. But then this brings up what HO did way back when with the 1964 GTO, Kern's I think, where they used I think A arms from a 73-77 or so A body with which the improved geometry made a handling improvement. For all these parts including a 8.5 I could part out my 1974 LeMans! Ugh, that would make me sick.

Did you happen to run your car for a short time with smaller front drums?

[grivera]

Originally Posted by DaleO

Thanks grivera. You probably have discs up front but in case you have original drums how does it affect handling due to mismatch of brakes with the smaller front?

I have discs up front - but they are manual brakes. It stops great, not at all like a 4 drum manual brake car.

I know that wasn’t your question but wanted to throw it out there

[b-man]

Originally Posted by DaleO

Thanks b-man.

Without a doubt, it is embarrassing actually. At least I don't drive like an idiot : ) tailgating speeding around town and such and very cognizant of what is going on out front and to the sides. But I totally agree. In fact I have the A arms, spindles, tubing, prop valve, master cylinder and booster out of the 1969 GP I took the 428 out of. But then this brings up what HO did way back when with the 1964 GTO, Kern's I think, where they used I think A arms from a 73-77 or so A body with which the improved geometry made a handling improvement. For all these parts including a 8.5 I could part out my 1974 LeMans! Ugh, that would make me sick.

Did you happen to run your car for a short time with smaller front drums?

Never had drums in the front, when I got the car it had the H-O Racing tall spindle setup using 1975 Firebird spindles and 11” discs. I switched back to stock height spindles (GP) to drop a little weight but mainly because of the crazy toe-in when the car was launched off the starting line. That H-O tall spindle setup was known for bump steer, and after I saw a picture of the car with the wheels pointed in I made the change.

The only special item needed for the tall spindle conversion was a matching lower ball joint that had the diameter turned down so it would press into your lower A-arm and the correct outer tie rod ends that matched the spindles. The original setup used offset upper shafts and a pretty big stack of alignment shims, later the aftermarket came up with tubular upper arms that corrected this.

Do yourself a favor and get those GP spindles and discs installed.

Being able to stop for the idiots you will encounter out on the road is very important.

[DaleO]

Originally Posted by grivera

I have discs up front - but they are manual brakes. It stops great, not at all like a 4 drum manual brake car.

I know that wasn’t your question but wanted to throw it out there

Don't stop, I appreciate it. I didn't really know manual discs were an option to consider. Thanks for volunteering.

[b-man]

Manual disc brakes. Funny thing is this car came with factory power drum brakes but I just prefer manual, but with front discs of course.

Just factory 11” discs and 9-1/2” drums.

They’re fine unless you have a disability that requires you to have power brakes.

Frees up some room in the engine compartment plus it saves weight and simplifies the braking system.

[KEN CROCIE]

B-Man--I should have supplied bump steer spacers with the kit. Believe it or not , I just thought of that last year ! But I had very few complaints about bump steer problems.
Dale-O: Ken's GTO

[HWYSTR455]

I ran the strong arm setups in 2 different cars for many miles and the improvements were so dramatic, never noticed the bump steer.

There are several manufacturers that make bump steer kits, fairly inexpensive, and just to say, the cars came from the factory with considerable bump steer.

I was going to comment Ken on the name-toss, but been a little busy lately!


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[b-man]

Originally Posted by KEN CROCIE

B-Man--I should have supplied bump steer spacers with the kit. Believe it or not , I just thought of that last year ! But I had very few complaints about bump steer problems.
Dale-O: Ken's GTO

The GTO seemed to drive just fine actually, it was just when I started bracket racing it exclusively that I removed the H-O Racing front suspension parts.

Later on I repurposed the same kit pieces but added the Hochkis upper control arms and ran that setup on my ‘64 Tempest while swapping to ‘78 B-body spindles and 12” rotors, I thought it was great in every aspect. I’m not such a sophisticated driver that I ever really noticed any bump steer issues.

Then I went crazy and put SPC control arms, AFX forged aluminum spindles and C8 Z06 14” discs in the front when I was bitten by the Pro-Touring bug, project creep.

[1968GTO421]

Originally Posted by DaleO

Thanks grivera. You probably have discs up front but in case you have original drums how does it affect handling due to mismatch of brakes with the smaller front?

I noticed no one has directly answered your question of small brakes on front -vs- large brakes on rear. I had to track down my brother (Mr Chevelle guy) and query him. He had a '66 Chevelle with the 9.5 inch rums front and back. He also ran his Chevelle at local drag strips. Hence the Chevy 8.2 rear quickly gave up. He hunted down a late '70's Chevelle wagon that had the larger rear end and steeper gears) and the 11" rear brakes. He had a buddy do some cutting and welding on the rear so the upper and lower trailing arms fit correctly to bro's frame. With new brakes shoes, wheel cylinders, etc., they got the 8.5 rear into the '66 Chevelle. This job ran my bro out of money so he put off front discs for 6 months. He raced the car on weekends and drove it semi-daily along with his '66 C-10. Is he an "old lady" driver? Nope. And the 9.5 drums up front and the 11" drums in back stopped just fine. The front shoes wore faster but they always do. Brakes stop the wheels, tires stop the car.
FWIW

[HWYSTR455]

Just to toss it out there...

https://www.brakes-shop.com/brakeped...nd-performance



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[HWYSTR455]

Not sure how accurate this is, but it is interesting.

https://www.tceperformanceproducts.com/bias-calculator/


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