Hi everybody,
My fist post here! Although have been reading these pages for a while now, GREAT SITE!!

I have a 67 rs camaro that is factory equipped with power front disk brakes, rear drums. She has the "corvette" 4 piston calipers. The calipers were somewhat corroded (original swedish export car) and I had to hone them to get the bores smooth. Still some problems with leaking and they are pain in the *** to get bleeded!
This winter I'm doing a complete frame off, and will be replacing all suspension components, hotchkis system (less rear sway bar), urethane bushings, solid frame mounts, all new ball joints, 3rd gen steering box swap and subframe fully welded + guldstrand mod, ( ALL info from this site + mr. pozzis website, keep up the good work :thumbsup: ). The original brake parts are shot so I have to get new front rotors, pads and possibly the hubs aswell. This is going to cost big time, apparently because these seem to be rare parts, at least here in finland!

There is lots of info on converting drums to disks, but I have not found any info on getting these existing disk brakes upgraded (short of wilwood or other systems). I'm stuck with the disk spindles, hubs etc.and cant figure out any reasonable way for the big brake mod. If there is anybody with similiar problems/already worked this one out, information is greatly appreciated!!

So in a nutshell am I stuck with the factory brakes, or can they be upgraded relatively easily? If there is no option (say bigger disks/better calipers) for upgrades, spending money to stock components might be foolish at half the cost for ie wilwood system? I like the stock systems "stockness" though :)

I don't have an answer to your question, though if my car came with stock disks, I would keep the stock disks.

I biggest reason I felt compelled to post a reply, was because I was extremely impressed by the obvious amount of time you took to "read" and "search" the site for most of the information you needed before posting (which is very rare). Most of the things you listed as doing to your car are very similar to mine.

Kudos to you, and it's really great to hear about yet another 67 surviving across the big lake!!

Good luck with the restore!

you can have them rebuilt with stainless sleeves and they are lifers then.a little expensive but well worth it and the car stays original

One option that you may want to consider is to upgrade to the single piston 68 and 69 style of caliper. You will need to change the caliper brackets along with the calipers and rubber hoses. Would be a great time to change out the rotors also. But this is a fairly cheap way out while still maintaining a somewhat stock system, all the parts are readily available from any of the restoration supply houses. Ed

Rodek, If you do decide to change out those stock disks and calipers, let me know. I'd love to have them on mine and I'd be happy to work out a deal with you.

Wow, fast replies! Had to get some sleep during the night.

I have heard about stainless sleeving, but around here nobody does them. I'm fairly good in doing things myself, and if anyone knows how the stainless sleeve is fitted in the caliper, please let me know (epoxied, press fit, welded/soldered?). I can get the calipers machined at a reasonable cost.
I asked some prices for complete systems from my friend that works in a speed shop (I believe it is the Europes largest, in Finland BTW.) and apparently can't go that way during my resto. It's already taking me 5-7k$ for just the paint/body/suspension this winter since I'm replacing everything that is hard to replace once the car is put together, brakes can be upgraded later on.

I was forced to do the suspension now because I thought it was a good idea to first make the car go fast, but found out I don't want to just aim and launch it, being able to steer along the way is also cool. I will be keeping the car as stock looking as possible but don't mind performance upgrades. I have nearly # matching parts also, I dont think that 12bolt posi was fitted at the factory.


I was hoping there was an easy way to increase the rotor size and reuse existing calipers for now, some braketry changes obviously needed. Thanks for the flattering post clwilcox33, I have done everything myself including trans/engine, and will be doing as much of the bodywork as possible too. I found out if you take the time to read and get the info, it's much more rewarding to do things yourself. I will let you know if the stock components are changed.

Unless you're just dying for the look of 13" calipers under 17" wheels, your current brake system is pretty much "the best there is." An outfit in Florida called "vettebrakes" can exchange them for sleeved calipers, or sleeve yours and send them back to you. This is not a terribly expensive thing, and as was said, it will be the last time you have to deal with this particular problem

If you buy the JL8 brackets and a few other things, you can increase your rotor diameter and thickness to 11 3/4x 1.25". It is basically Corvette brakes, and would require Corvette calipers. It's a fairly expensive endeavour, but it also increases your options for brake pad compounds, since they use the Corvette pads... but i think you can use corvette pads with your current calipers with a little grinding on the pads.

just thought I'd throw that in. Probably best to keep what you have unless you are driving them to red-hot.


SS sleeves are pressed in and then the inlet and bleeding holes are drilled. The SS tolerence has to be VERY tight, or the sleeve will be pushed out over time. Brass is a better option IMO because it is less likely to push out, but either way, these type of calipers should be sleeved to increase longevity. Honing isn't really an option on this design, because it increases the bore diameter where the seal rides, and they are more likely to leak or suck air.

I have had some items brass sleeved by Joe at Sierra Specialty in CA, http://www.brakecylinder.com/
and was impressed. I dont know if CA shipping is an option for you though :(
You could try to sleeve them yourself I guess. The tolerences for brass are not as extreme, and brass is pretty cheap, so I would go that route if doing it myself. Brass is available almost any way you want it (solid rod, pipe, blocks, whatever).

ohcscott, the brass sleeving sounds very good!
The more I'm reading the more I'm leaning towards keeping the stock setup. The corvette brakes (JL8) are something I will definitely consider, though. I was thinking about getting rear discs anyway. But again I like the fact that the current setup is rather "rare" factory option, if only the car had manual drums on all 4 corners.. It wouldn't be too hard to decide which way to go.

When I honed the original calipers, I had to go way too large. Some bores were aroud the factory specified upper limit, even above. This might explain why I had so much trouble bleeding the brakes as you mentioned air leaking in, although I also heard that either the prop, or metering valve (can't remember which) can leak air in but not fluid out?

I will take a closer look at the brass sleeving, the web pages have some good info in them! Working with brass is much more "user friendly" than working with stainless steel.

Sorry to bother you guys with this old one!

I finally decided to go either with the orig. brakes or with the JL8 setup, front only. I don't like the look of 16-18 inch wheels so I'll go with 15" max, so no later model stuff/aftermarket. I'll get new corvete calipers from vette brakes&products (improved design) or locally sleeve my orig. calipers.

Couple of questions though, can I use my original 1 1/8 disc/drum master cylinder with the corvette calipers (these have larger piston diameter than camaro 4piston calipers), and do I need any special valving with this JL8 setup (orig rear drums/corvette calipers front). Where can I get a camaro drum hub / JL8 brackets?

OR I could use C4 corvette calipers/discs? I have really difficult time understanding which parts to get, there is so much info on C4 C5 and late model camaro brake parts used on 1st gen.

If anybody has the patience to list all parts needed it would really be appreciated! I have the orig. disc spindle, so I would need to get: Drum hub, some discs from either late-model vette or camaro MAX 12" (or for 15" wheel), caliper bracket and some calipers (do I need different MC also with this setup?). The lines/small parts I can figure out myself.

If you go with JL8 style front, and drum rear, you should be able to use the regular 1 1/8" master with power brakes, but I would go down to a 1" for manual brakes... I might use a 1" for power too, actually, because the calipers have a smaller piston area than the singles do. For the C4 brakes I would go to a 7/8" like the early C4s had.

If I'm not mistaken, the JL8 4wldisc used a 1 1/8" master, but had a special booster.

Ok the modern 7/8 MC is definitely out of the question,so no C4 stuff either.
Only options left are original or JL8 setup.

Ohscott you mentioned that the single piston calipers have larger piston area than JL8 corvette 4piston calipers, and that's why to use smaller diameter MC.
I have original 4piston camaro calipers that are smaller in diameter than the corvette 4piston (JL8)calipers, so basically my original booster / MC (1 1/8) should work then? Increasing caliper piston area or decreasing MC bore makes the pedal effort go down and vice versa? Is there enough travel with the 1 1/8 MC then?

PS can I use a drum hub out of a 65 Chevelle on my camaro?

The JL8 and 67-8 Camaro calipers used the same size pistons. The original 1 1/8 should have more than enough bore and stroke.

The same master casting was used on the Firebird and other 67-8 cars which used 4pot calipers with larger pistons, similar is area to the single piston calipers.

You will be shifting your braking balance a little to the front, because of the higher leverage rotors (larger diameter), and also decreasing chance of brake fade. If you like the braking balance as it is, you might consider also adding larger rear cylinders and a prop valve, though that might overdo it.

On the drum hub, someone gave me this list once:
The General Motors part # was 3887867

The following use the same HUB........

Apollo 73-74
Camaro 67-69
Chevelle 64-72 excluding big block
cars (1965)
Chevy Van 10 series 64-70
Chevy II 64 to 74
Corvair 65-69
Firebird 68

Ok, I just have to be sure before ordering parts.

Are the camaro specific 4 piston calipers (and BTW these are also called as corvette calipers by many people) that have the 4x 1-7/8 inch bore really used in the JL8 option also.
I have understood that they are used only in a 67-68 disc brake camaro ( NON JL8). I have assumed that when poeple speak of corvette calipers when talking about JL8 setup they mean the same basic desing caliper but only with a larger 4x 2-1/8" bore that was used in C3 corvette front?

JL8 used Corvette calipers. They are not the same castings as the Camaro calipers, which were also used on the ChevyII.

Corvette and Camaro calipers both used 1 7/8" pistons.

Chevelle, Tempest, Firebird, and Big Cars used 2 1/16" pistons.

WOW, I have been living in a total ignorance!

Actually someone posted here in one JL8 thread that the pistons were different in diameter, this is why I was worried about the MC bore diameter. Sorry for the trouble Ohcscott!

So my setup will be as follows: Front JL8 and rear original drums

-67 Original disc spindle

-65 chevelle drum hub

-JL8 original bracket (ideas where to get one at a reasonable price)

-New backing plates or modify originals, or run without

-Corvette C3 rotors: Raybestos BR5500L/R

-Corvette C3 pads: RAYBESTOS Part # BD8M

-Corvette C3 calipers: LF New Delco Calipers 65-82 ID: 12172
Stainless Steel Sleeved New DELCO Castings with Patented O-Ring Pistons and Seals, NO Core Charge. Price: $149.95
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=834
So these are the same as camaro 4pistoners, exept for the casting and that they fit on a larger 1-1/4 thickness rotor, (wider caliper basically)

-Original MC 1-1/8 Bore

-Original Booster

-Original Metering valve/proportionings valve, possibly adj. valve to rear brakes?

Anything else/something wrong in this setup?


And the big question why I'm doing this even though I got the J50/J52 option installed at the factory... Basically because It will cost me actually a lot less to get the JL8 setup, and bigger rotors should also increase braking power! I would need to get all new orig parts (rotors, pads, calipers rebuilt, SHIPPING, and some littlle items too)

I wish I knew where to get those brackets at a reasonable cost. (It might even be worth trying to adapt some used corvette brackets.)

The bigger front rotors wont necessarily decrease stopping distance, but they do have other advantages. If at all possible, test your stopping distance with the original brakes, and again with the JL8 front. A balanced system is your friend.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/img/brakebias_7.jpg
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/tech_white_papers.shtml