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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Thrifty rear disc setup

Can anyone remember the outfit selling an adapted rear disc brake assembly for the MGB?
vem myers

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=220065177709&rd=1,1

They offered the entire thing for $625.00

Richard
Richard Morris

I've got one of these conversion kits that was sent to me as a sample. The quality is good, the idea pretty much so.

The only down side I found was that the original rear brake lines have to have new fittings installed, which makes it a bit of a stretch for the back yard mechanic. When I last talked to the designer he was looking for conversion fittings.

I havn't had a chance to install these yet, but plan on trying them on my 1970 MGB when I get a chance.

I did like the mechanical handbrake idea, although it does add weight to the package.

If you have any specific questions, give me a yell.

Kelvin
KJ Dodd

Here is another rear brake conversion. This one uses WilWood Parts and says $550 for the entire conversion. Be sure it has a parking brake, doesn't seem to state it does. I suspect the web site may not be updated.

http://www.networksplus.net/kprather/

As nice as Fast Cars other stuff is, I would at least ask them and see if they have something even though nothing is advertised (for the stock rearend).

http://www.fastcarsinc.com/

Richard
Richard Morris

Thanx all so far, but those ain't them. It was a midwest USA outfit using various off the shelf pieces while they supplied a custom back plate for, I believe, around $200. Ring any bells? Cheers, Vic
vem myers

Vem,
There is a conversion out there with Fiero parts. I will try to retrieve.
Werner Van Clapdurp

Check with Evan Amaya at Rebornco.com. He has a disc set up for the rear if I recall as well.
x Ficalora

Vem,
Check out the following website:
www.theautoist.com
He has rear discs using Saab rotors and Wilwood calipers.
Werner Van Clapdurp

Hello Vem , I think your refering to the scarebird kit . Made for stock B rears , I have NO idea how it works with a stock B rear , since in my application the brackets were modified to fit a Dana 44 post office jeep rear. The kit uses Hyundia Sonata rotors & Ford Festiva calipers & Spitfire E-brake pads and I used all that [only the brackets were modified] and now I got great brakes. Their add. is www.scarebird.com/12802/19335.html ---good luck. BTW the kit only has the brackets & instructions the rotors/calipers/hoses & 2 sets of pads must be bought at an auto parts , I spent approx.$ 180.00 on those parts, also the core deposit on the calipers [is more] than the parts , I bought 2 calipers at a local junk yard for $10 bucks & took them into get my core deposit back .. Again good luck...
Denny1

Denny, Scarebird now offers a bare-bones conversion kit specifically for the MGB. You've still gotta buy some parts at Napa or wherever but the shell - and instructions - are there. The price is about what you stated.

R.
Rick Stevens

Y'all having problems with the stock drum brakes? ;)
Carl Floyd

Sacrebird was the first link I posted. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=220065177709&rd=1,1 in this eBay add, they mentioned that they can supply everything for $625. I still say that's a heck of a deal.

http://www.networksplus.net/kprather/ did have a kit that uses WilWood parts and looded nice for 100 less.

I really don't think you will find a much better deal than either on of these for the money.

Be sure and ask if you have to put 15" wheels on either one.

Someone needs to buy one of these and put it together for us. And then report back on how well it went.

I seem to remember seeing an article in the V8 newsletter that was on brakes. Anyone interested in finding it http://www.britishv8.org/British-V8-Back-Issues.htm is where

Richard
Richard Morris

Hmmm, I wonder if that Case trencher has rear discs. They might bolt rite up!
Dale

Those rear disc brakes are just for the cool factor Carl. (News flash, right?) As you and I both know, with decent upgraded front brakes there's no way you'll fade the stock drums rear brakes. Unless they're worn out. But hey, I wouldn't mind having them, they're cool! Too bad you'd never see them through my Centerline wheels.

Jim
Jim Blackwood

Carl,

you are right, i also do not know the reason for discs at the rear, although it is easyer to change the pads
that normaly are made for a car's lifespan with the drums.


there is not that much wight saving to the rearend or that heavy load to the drums and having balancde the drums to equal operation, they sould work very good on the V8. I never had any problems with this setup on my GT V8 within the last 25 years.
The only point is that the discs look better, i think.

Ralph
Ralph


I'm one of those irrational people who'd like to have rear discs even if it's just for the "cool factor" or ease of changing pads... but personally I'd never consider putting $600 worth of brakes on an MGB axle.

Didn't you guys see Brent Lancaster's trick in the latest issue of The British V8 Newsletter? For less than $600 you can swap out the whole axle for something with a better gear ratio AND get disc brakes as a bonus: http://www.britishv8.org/MG/BrentLancaster.htm

Since disc brakes are third priority to me (behind gear ratio and a limited slip differential), I'm looking at discs for Ford axles.
Curtis Jacobson

Curtis - Regarding the Dodge rear-end, isn't it actually too wide for a stock B? Brent has flared fenders, and from the look of things this isn't just because of the wider tires.

It's a good idea, though, if only for the milder gear ratio.

R.
Rick Stevens


I'll shoot Brent an e-mail and ask him to confirm hub-to-hub spacing.

I'm under the impression that the axle is same width as MGB or at least close. Brent is running 15x7 wheels. (Note that front arches are flared too, although the front suspension hasn't been widened.)

Curtis Jacobson

The ratio he listed (I think it was 3.53) is still not going to result in a nice low highway RPM. Especially if you were to use the Rover gearbox vs the .6 something of a T5. As backwards as Oklahoma is, we do have a 75MPH limit on a lot of the highways. And for me, that means I am going to run at 80-85 without a lot of worry. Highway RPM is important.

And it looked too wide for my taste. I have gone with a ww rear and have a set of 3.07 gears for it specifically to keep the stock look. (That's this winters project).

One of the things I really like about the way my car turned out, is that it doesn't look any different from a stock 4 cylinder other than the 2 exhaust pipes. But each person has different taste and desires.
Richard Morris

I've got a Dastsun transmission (.745 5th gear) that I'm getting ready to drop in, and something other than 3.9:1 might be interesting.

R.
Rick Stevens

Although the theme was discs at the rear, i think it is also interesting to hear about the solutions that have found a way under our cars.

I have made use of a MG C 3.3:1 axle. It is a very drivable combination with the 3.5 and the Rover 5 speed gearbox (0.83 in top) and 175/80-14 wheels.

We do not have any speedlimits in here, so you can go as fast as you want but i allways become seriously worried when speeding over more than 120 Mph and at 135 Mph i allways stopped exellerating although there is still more potential in the car.

On the motorway it is most comfortable to keep the car at +/- 3500 revs and i have had no problems driving it this way within more than 20 years now.

Ralph
ralph

In my case rear disks wernt put on for the cool factor. The previous owner had rigged rear brakes [badly] the car has a post office jeep rear & the backing plates were 2 different kinds , the shoes were 3? different kinds & all of them had a grinder taken to them [it was crude] the wheel cylinders looked horrible , as did the hoses ,& the hubs looked like swiss cheese , they just kept drilling holes till the pattern matched up ? Everything was out of line & only 1/3 of the shoes were hitting the drums [if that.] The brakes were frightening . Why piss with all that ? and if redoing it all , why not put on disks ? that was my thoughts , so on went the disks , and am happy I did so , good brakes now.
Denny1

I would change to rear disk brakes if I could find a really cheap kit. I just went through the agony of adjusting the rear brakes on a car with M & G rear sway bar and it is always hell even with a severly modified wrench for those hateful square adjusters.
Jim Stuart

Jim Stewart, some of the cheap 1/4" socket sets have 1/4, 5/16, & 3/8 square sockets included. I find these the easiest to use on the rear brakes. Barrie E
Barrie Egerton

If you take a 1/4" drive to 3/8" drive adapter it will fit nicely into a 7/16" 12 point socket. Sock that onto your ratchet wrench and you've got it.

Jim
Jim Blackwood

Barrie-

No room for a rachet. I also have a Snap-On wrench with swivel square socket ends and it doesn't clear either.
Jim Stuart

Discs would be cool but over rated. For simplicity I am retaining the stock MGB rear end and adding 3.07 gears from Clive Whitley. When you consider buying the ford rear end, narrowing it, new axles, figuing out the parking brake, figuing out the correct location, sway bar brackets (oh yeah they dont fit anymore so redesign the sway bar system) and pinion angle, the $600 bucks for the English gears starts to look good. Install in a few hours (after modifing the carrier) and your off with the correct gearing and no rear suspension debuging.

JMHO.

Mark.
M Mallaby

Mark - Doing a Google search on Clive Whitley comes up bupkis. Do you have a link for that mod? Thanks.

R.
Rick Stevens

search for clive wheatley, tons of stuff. You misspelled it.
Richard Morris

Bingo. Thanks!

R.
Rick Stevens

Got my rear gears from Clive Wheatley (spelling correct this time) Clive is very helpfull and would love nothing more than to have a chat. Also got the thrust washer kit from moss to alieve the MGB rear end "clonk". I'll take some photos during the install and post them when I get it done. Not this weekend however (wife has me installing new floors and it's realy cold here).

Mark.
M Mallaby

Mark, I have the 3.07 gears and a ww rear end to put them in this winter as well. Have you had the carrier machined yet?

Richard
Richard Morris

Not yet, I am fortunate to have a machine shop at my disposal so removing the .213-.215 from the carrier face should be straight forward enough.

Mark.
M Mallaby

This thread was discussed between 07/01/2007 and 22/01/2007

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