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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Rear disc brake conversin

A friend showed me this link the other day... www.scarebird.com. I don't know anything about the company, but they sell disc brake conversions for lots of rear ends including MGB's... Basically it's a plate that bolts onto the MGB axle flange that's set up to use parts you'd find at most auto parts stores -- Hyundai Sonata rotors, Ford Festiva Calipers, & Chevrolet Caprice flex hoses. It includes mounting points for an e-brake caliper too... probably a bit less readily available as it uses Triumph Spitfire calipers for the e-brakes.

Anyway, thought this might be of interest if it's not old news.

Rob
rficalora

HI,,Rob,, there was a post on this not long ago & some discussion,, i am going to try this set up on my dana 44 rear [off of a post office jeep] did some measuring its close but i think it'll work i talked to scarebird got some measurements,,etc,, they are going to leave the hexagon shaped area unwelded [just tacked together] so if the off set needs to be changed all we'll have to do is grind a couple of tacks out [lets hope i get them [the brackets] that way,, as for the cost?? its on thier site at $ 175. + shipping but when i ordered [just a couple of days ago] they told me $ 199. + shipping?? of course i questioned this,, thats thier new price,,we'll see,, if it all wont work on the p.o. jeep dana 44 i'll let everybody know,, if it does work i'll let ya know that too,,,gettin blue meanie ready for Tenn. We go FAST!!just cant STOP,,yet
denny

Rob,

I did a rear disc conversion on my 73 MGB using Saab 900 rotors and calipers. The biggest drawback was that there is no e-brake. In DE the e-brake is not required so its not a huge deal. I simply removed the original backing plates and installed the Saab 900 rear disc rotors on the hub, then I made a mounting bracket for the caliper out of a piece of 3/8" flat steel plate. Once the caliper was mounted, I had to replace the brake line with one that had the metric nut that fit the calipers on one end and the SAE nut on the other.

The entire conversion took about 3 hours, cost less than $200 and has been the best thing I have ever done to the braking system. The Saab calipers have the correct piston size to not require an adjustable porportioning valve. I don't see how the scarebird system can get away without it.

If you must have an e-brake, The 80 Datsun 280z rear calipers have an e-brake built in with a cable that pulls to the center like the MGB. I am looking at using these on my next build. Initial measurments show that I can still use the Saab rotors although the piston size may require a porportioning valve.

FWIW,
Guppy
Guppy


Here's more on fitting Saab 900 (pre-1994) brakes to an MGB axle: http://www.theautoist.com/saab_disc_brakes.htm

Rob, I thought you were planning on a Ford 8" axle?

I looked into Scarebird's bracket for my 8.8" axle, but wasn't especially impressed. As I recall, they'd designed it to carry an Eldorado caliper. That probably wouldn't be my first choice. (There was also a problem with their rotor selection, since I run MGB 4-lug bolt pattern.) I guess I'll have to fab my own brackets.

I predict in 5 years we'll be reading threads here about fitting ABS too. Has anyone done that to their MGB yet?
Curtis

Hi Curtis,

I am doing a ford 8"... I'm not looking at this for myself, but a friend showed it to me so I thought I'd pass on the info. Sounds like it was old news & the SAAB sounds like a better price solution anyway for anyone using the MGB rear end.
rficalora

There is a Saab with a rear hand brake caliper I just pulled some off a wreck at a U-pull it I don't know what year it was but I did see others without the e-brake, I see what I can find out
BOB FISHER

This thread was discussed between 07/03/2006 and 09/03/2006

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