These are the parts that made...
These are the parts that made the trek. My Olds is my only driver and I couldnt afford to park it and disassemble the front end for an extended period of time, so I called Memory Lane Collector Car Dismantlers for help. Proprietor Tony Martinez was most helpful and set me up with all the parts that needed to go to MPB. Since MPB built its kit on my factory 60 Olds spindles, the kit is a direct bolt-on. It doesnt get any easier than that.
Once the package arrived at...
Once the package arrived at MPB, a technician inspected the parts and went about measuring the spindles to determine how the custom caliper bracket should be fabricated. The measurements were then sent over to MPBs fabricator, who began the process of developing the caliper bracket.
It was determined that one...
It was determined that one of the spindles bolt tabs would need to be removed to clear the caliper location. This particular tab served only to locate the drum-brake backing plate on the spindle, so it was deemed unnecessary by MPB and unceremoniously removed with the help of a bandsaw.
The parts were then sent to...
The parts were then sent to a tumbling machine where they were agitated with abrasives to remove the 42 years of rust accumulation.
Once the rust was gone, the...
Once the rust was gone, the parts were bead-blasted for a final cleanup, then sent to the paint booth. The paint technician applied a healthy dose of hot rod black and the spindles were returned to the fabricator for final fitment.
The caliper bracket was fabricated...
The caliper bracket was fabricated out of 7/16-inch steel plate, which also acts as a dust shield. Ventilation holes were then drilled into it to allow for better rotor cooling before the bracket was sprayed black. Its not an illusionthat entire piece is made from 7/16-inch plate and is plenty strong.
With the bracket finished...
With the bracket finished and painted, it was installed onto the spindle with the steering arm before MPB began the process of installing the bearings and rotor.
Here is the rear view of the...
Here is the rear view of the assembled brakes. It looks beefy and factory. You can see that the calipers are properly located on the bracket with the bleeders at the highest point of the caliper. This makes bleeding a snap and eliminates the possibility of air bubbles getting trapped.
Wheel bearing sets are standardized...
Wheel bearing sets are standardized and are designated by the inside and outside diameters of the races. MPB simply measured the outside diameter of the spindle and the inside diameter of the new rotor hub, looked up the numbers in the companys catalog, and came up with a solution. Another feature of the kit is the upgrade to roller bearings from the original ball bearings for smoother operation and greater durability. Some applications may require machining the spindle to accept the upgraded bearing races.
It turns out GM did some things...
It turns out GM did some things right. The bolt pattern on the original booster is the same as on the late-model boosters. MPB measured the factory pushrod and shipped the new master/booster with a proper-length pushrod and the combination valve pre-assembled as a unit. Next month, well cover the actual installation process and perform some braking tests.
Sometimes it takes both feet to get 2-½ tons of American iron stopped. Even though my 60 Olds is equipped with power brakes, the drums at the other ends of the hydraulic lines don't always want to bring the 5,000-pound beast to a rapid stop. Compound that with the multiple stops involved in the day-to-day Los Angeles commute and I'm dealing with significant brake fade on a daily basis. It tends to get scary sometimes, so I decided that a disc-brake upgrade was just the thing I needed to keep from crushing minivans and SUVs into the tin cans they so closely resemble.
I did some research on the Internet and quickly realized that absolutely no one offered a ready-made kit specific to the 60 Oldsmobile, and since I already knew that it doesnt share any suspension components with the rest of the similar-year GM line, my only avenue was a custom-built set. Thats when I decided to call Master Power Brakes.
MPB specializes in supplying disc brakes to the automotive hobbyist, so I thought theyd be the right people to question about fabricating a kit for my driver. A brief conversation concerning my braking needs ensued, and before you could say watch out for that tree, I was packing a set of 60 Olds spindles, steering arms, and a master/booster into a box for the cross-country trek to North Carolina. Included in the box were the spindle nuts, my name and phone number, and my bolt-circle preference. MPB takes care of everything else.
Once the parts arrived at MPB HQ, the technicians unpacked the goodies and set about taking measurements to determine which GM factory parts would work best for my specific application. Based on my vehicles weight, a set of 12-inch rotors was selected. These are the same brakes that GM installed on the late-model Caprice cop cars. Theyre also the largest rotors available to fit inside a 15-inch wheel and have a 5-on-5 bolt circle to match my wheels. Lets take a look at how MPB does it.