64 Brakes

[E R.]

Looked in the search couldn't find any info about changing a 64 drum brakes to discs. What is involved has anyone done this conversion
Thanks
EV

[Joe R.]

Re: 64 Brakes

EV,

Yes,it has been done many times thru the years. There are kits available from most major vendors. Corvette Central, Corvette America and Lonestar.

JR

[Keith W.]

Re: 64 Brakes

EV
I run a 64 on drums, I was close to looking to put the disk brake kit on as I felt there was a lack of stopping with the Vette, while I was in a semi moaning, am going to get killed mode a friend of mine suggested I get the brakes looked at, drain the fluid - kind of give it a one last chance.
Took it to the local brake shop - cost me about $300 to go over all the brakes re check and drain the fluid - the brakes work that good I could sling someone through the windscreen screen - (pulls up as good as my 65) - Keith

[Timothy B.]

Re: 64 Brakes

I agree with keith, the drum brakes are fine on your car save your $$$.

[Frank D.]

Re: 64 Brakes

I reworked my 63 drum brakes completely and they stop fine now. The scary part was the pedal action being so close to the toeboard when fully depressed. Always caused a millisecond of panic on hard stops. I modified a McMaster clevis rod to pull it up a bit and now the brakes seem to have nice 'authority' when called on. No more scary, excessive pedal travel...

[Duke W.]

Re: 64 Brakes

How fast a car stops is ultimately a function of tire adhesion. The drum brakes will easily lock up the wheels IF all is in proper working order, but many 50+ year old systems have been long suffering due to deferred maintenance and overhaul.

You can completely overhaul a drum brake system for a pittance compared to converting to disk brakes. That would include a complete overhaul of all the hydraulic components, and new drums, shoes, and, springs as required.

If you car is J-65 and still has the original drums and shoes they can often just be cleaned up and reinstalled because in normal road driving the life of the J-65 shoes and drums is well over 100K miles.

The primary advantage of disk brakes is a linear relationship between pedal effort and deceleration. It's non-linear for self-energizing drum brakes, so they require greater skill to operate, particularly in panic stop situations.

The base C2 drum brake system is essentially the same as what Chevrolet installed on 4500 pound station wagons, so it has plenty of heat capacity and fade in normal road driving would be extremely rare, and the J-65 system is suitable for serious road racing.

If the system doesn't have a vacuum booster, even disk brakes can feel "vintage" because of the much higher pedal effort compared to modern cars, all of which have boosters, so installing a correct '64 vacuum booster in addition to a complete system overhaul will make your car feel much more "modern".

Duke

[Gene M.]

Re: 64 Brakes

The best thing one can do is add a power brake booster to the 64. I did so on my drum brake 65 and now stops GREAT. Drum package is single brake line, single master cylinder. I drive my car a lot so it has stainless brake lines and I use dot 5.

[Joe L.]

Re: 64 Brakes

Looked in the search couldn't find any info about changing a 64 drum brakes to discs. What is involved has anyone done this conversion
Thanks
EV

EV--------



Are disc brakes better than drum brakes? Absolutely yes (after all, GM did not change to 4 wheel discs in 1965 because drum brakes worked just as well). However, are they "better enough" to justify conversion of a 63-64 to disc brakes? Absolutely not.

[Jack J.]

Re: 64 Brakes

Joe, what brand/part number for a vacuum power booster would be correct for a 1964 Corvette? Thanks, Jack J.

[Ed S.]

Re: 64 Brakes

Have been meaning to ask this question for some time. I have a power brake booster on my '64 (with original design drum brakes). It stops on a dime - couldn't be happier. But..... I discovered that the car was not originally manufactured with power brakes. A non dated / part # booster was added after the car went through a frame off about 12 years ago. I also discovered that my master cylinder is the type used on cars without power brakes - it does not have the bleeder valve on the side & and it does have the correct non-p/b casting number.

Accordingly, I have thought about removing the P/B booster and converting the car back to its original configuration - I do intend to have it judged in the future. I seek opinions from '64 owners that do not have P/B - does your car stop satisfactorily? Given that only about 10% of new '64s came with power brakes (about 30% if you include the sintered metallic option) I am assuming that stopping power can't be all that bad. Thoughts?

[Pat H.]

Re: 64 Brakes

I have to agree with Duke on his suggestion of a complete overhaul of a drum system. when I restored my 59 I replace the master because of I had a large 022 vs the small. Other that that everything was cleaned and put back together, but I still have what I believe to be excess pedal travel. I bought it to a friends shop and asked them to look at it and make any adjustment. What a difference when I got it back. Yes disc are nice and probably safer, but we are not racing these cars and a more aware of the surroundings when www drive our old cars

[Joe L.]

Re: 64 Brakes

Jack------

The GM/Delco booster is long-since discontinued. Reproductions are available and I kind of expect there's only 1 manufacturing source. You could get one from Dr. Rebuild and others.

[E R.]

Re: 64 Brakes

Thanks everyone I think I will rebuild what I have.
EV