Dallas/Forth Worth Area--Favorite Mechanics
I'm looking for recommendations of DFW mechanics (preferably North Dallas as I'm in Carrollton) to do brake work on my 67. It's a small block, powerglide convertible.
I just got the car, which has standard brakes, receipts indicating the calipers, pads, rotors and brake lines were replaced 5 years ago. The parts look new including zero visible rotor wear (no lip whatsoever on the rotors) with tons of pad left. But the thing doesn't stop worth a darn. I know the former owner only drove around town, but let me tell you that it is down right scary trying to haul the car to a stop from 50 mph. Pedal is firm and high, car brakes straight as an arrow, pedal doesn't go soft under pressure (which would suggest a failing master cylinder), but its stopping distance is way too long. Literally, if someone pulled out in front of me, there's no way to stop in time to avoid an accident.
Example: at 30 mph, I stood on the brakes with both feet as hard as I could, and the tires didn't so much as chirp and it sure didn't stop in any hurry.
There is some pad material showing on the rotor surfaces (likely from me), but it has no vibration under any braking conditions which would signify uneven pad deposits.
It does have semi-metallic pads, and I've ordered a set of organic pads from Zip to see if different pads and fresh brake fluid improves stopping distances to a safe margin.
I don't own a runout guage, but I could see with the car on jack stands that the rotors likely are out of specs for runout assuming the dust shields are supposed to be equi-distant from the rotor edge all the way around. I actually had the left rear rotor off (because the former owner or his mechanic stripped out the upper caliper mounting bolt hole, and the helicoil insert was sticking out touching the rotor--I managed to get a new helicoil insert in there that is now flush), and the rotor was not shimmed.
If cleaning up the rotor surfaces, new pads and fresh fluid doesn't solve the problem, I'm ready to let a mechanic take over. I need to know who (besides Carr's--local Corvette resto shop--and I don't know if Carr's is great or not) to go to for help. I'd prefer a shop that knows midyears in part because I also want them to replace the left rear caliper mounting bracket. It's just nonsense to fuss with a helicoil insert when a new bracket is $40-$80 plus what, maybe an hour or two labor at most? I also may want to do a power brake conversion, while the brake system is apart.
PM's appreciated, if you don't want to make public comments on shops.
Thanks.
I just got the car, which has standard brakes, receipts indicating the calipers, pads, rotors and brake lines were replaced 5 years ago. The parts look new including zero visible rotor wear (no lip whatsoever on the rotors) with tons of pad left. But the thing doesn't stop worth a darn. I know the former owner only drove around town, but let me tell you that it is down right scary trying to haul the car to a stop from 50 mph. Pedal is firm and high, car brakes straight as an arrow, pedal doesn't go soft under pressure (which would suggest a failing master cylinder), but its stopping distance is way too long. Literally, if someone pulled out in front of me, there's no way to stop in time to avoid an accident.
Example: at 30 mph, I stood on the brakes with both feet as hard as I could, and the tires didn't so much as chirp and it sure didn't stop in any hurry.
There is some pad material showing on the rotor surfaces (likely from me), but it has no vibration under any braking conditions which would signify uneven pad deposits.
It does have semi-metallic pads, and I've ordered a set of organic pads from Zip to see if different pads and fresh brake fluid improves stopping distances to a safe margin.
I don't own a runout guage, but I could see with the car on jack stands that the rotors likely are out of specs for runout assuming the dust shields are supposed to be equi-distant from the rotor edge all the way around. I actually had the left rear rotor off (because the former owner or his mechanic stripped out the upper caliper mounting bolt hole, and the helicoil insert was sticking out touching the rotor--I managed to get a new helicoil insert in there that is now flush), and the rotor was not shimmed.
If cleaning up the rotor surfaces, new pads and fresh fluid doesn't solve the problem, I'm ready to let a mechanic take over. I need to know who (besides Carr's--local Corvette resto shop--and I don't know if Carr's is great or not) to go to for help. I'd prefer a shop that knows midyears in part because I also want them to replace the left rear caliper mounting bracket. It's just nonsense to fuss with a helicoil insert when a new bracket is $40-$80 plus what, maybe an hour or two labor at most? I also may want to do a power brake conversion, while the brake system is apart.
PM's appreciated, if you don't want to make public comments on shops.
Thanks.
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