[mahunt]

I'm pleased with the way my JL8 front brakes turned out for about $700 (seeing as www.jl8brakes.com sells the front set for $8K) that I decided to see if I can improve on the $5K they want to charge for the rear.

I got my original inspiration for attempting the front brakes from the Camaro Secrets book, the initial description of the JL8 setup makes it sound like the rear setup was easier to accomplish than the front brakes, but I had most of the parts for the front and the front does the lion's share of the braking, so I started there.

In the book, the fronts needed some parts developed (plumbing, caliper bracket, caliper brace, etc.) while the rear seemed to be an almost bolt on procedure. The book says the HD disc brake rear was a modified B car unit which explains the shortened axles and why the axle tube ends aren't necked down like on a regular Camaro 12 bolt.

To read the description of the rear disc brake development, all you have to do is bolt the Corvette rear end caliper adapters to the axle flanges, use thicker c-locks in the center section, drill two parking brake adjustment holes in the axle flange and bolt everything together.

I know the folks that reproduce the HD disc brake rear ends weld a new brake mount flange to the axle tube and use non-necked down B car axle tubes, but has anyone tried to just do what the book says and bolt the Corvette rear caliper bracket to a regular Camaro 12 bolt rear end and proceed with the build up?

If the Corvette rear caliper bracket can bolt directly to the regular 12 bolt rear end axle flange, at worst I would just have to modify my axles and only bolt on the remaing parts (for way less than $5K).

I was really surprised that nobody makes a JL8 front setup for the same price that they offer a front sliding caliper kit. I have to admit, the JL8 front brake setup performs beyond my expectations and a 15 inch rally wheel fits perfectly.

[mahunt]

Really, no one knows?

[69Z28-RS]

I believe the caliper bracket is different for the original *race version* rear disk system than for the Corvette, although the calipers and rotors were used same as the Corvette (J56 version I think).. Chevy sold the Heavy Duty Disk Brake rear over the counter in the '69 time frame for a bit over $700 (racer/jobber net), which included a different posi unit (more plates, higher pressure), the two heavy duty axles (different than street JL8), the housing and brake unit... This was the 'vince piggins' special for SCCA and Trans Am racers. I provided a lot of information, and one of my axles for John Martinez a couple of years ago, and he 'built' his own by having an axle company duplicate my axles and he modified a full size 12 bolt differential housing for the unit. John could tell you everything about that if he has a mind to..

[mahunt]

It seems most folks are interested in cobbling together the HD J56 disc brake rear (over the counter racing rear end) with the non-necked down axle tube ends. These "straight" axle tubes require a new brake caliper mounting flange welded to the tube end and probably use the larger "B" body outboard axle bearings.

I wonder if I can just take the C3 Corvette rear caliper bracket and mount it to my existing '67 Camaro 12 drum brake rear axle flange and begin fitting the rest of the rear disc parts. All the GM parts are super cheap when compared with all the other aftermarket solutions.

Nobody has ever tried this?

[gphusker]

The Right Stuff Detailing sells affordable brake conversions. They are bolt on and work great. If you are talking Willwood or Baer etc, then I would agree with you that aftermarket is expensive.

[snakedr]

The C3 caliper adapter brackets will not mount to you stock housing. You will need to cut the ends off and have a larger housing end welded on. Its been a long time but I think it a big car/truck housing end. after that it all bolts together with some minor fabrication.

[cool rocking daddy]

$5K for rear disc brakes?! Are you kidding. There's kits out there for $400 to $600. C'mon!

[alanrw]

The truth is that for less money you can end up with a better system. The JL8 was great in it's day (44 years ago) but the technology of today.....well, better and cheaper as was pointed out.

You have to decide if you want 69 stock items or go with the new and improved. In any case, the car will never be a true JL8 car, it will just be considered a 69 with a cobbled together brake system.

alan

[cool rocking daddy]

Originally Posted by alanrw

The truth is that for less money you can end up with a better system. The JL8 was great in it's day (44 years ago) but the technology of today.....well, better and cheaper as was pointed out.

You have to decide if you want 69 stock items or go with the new and improved. In any case, the car will never be a true JL8 car, it will just be considered a 69 with a cobbled together brake system.

alan

Exactly. I wish I had the dough to waste on that. I'd get a whoe DSE subframe and suspension or a ZL1 crate engine instead of a pricey aftermarket "JL8" system.

[mahunt]

Well, that's my point.

I didn't spend $8K on the front brakes, I spent:

$ 250 brackets, eBay
$ 88 2 regular Corvette front rotors, Advance Auto Parts
$ 50 2x4 piston Corvette calipers, eBay
$ 40 JL8 brake flex lines, HBC
$ 120 misc. plumbing, HBC
$ 31 splash shields, '67-'68 J52

$579

I already had '72 Nova FDB so I had the disc spindle, MC, PB booster and drum hub from when the car originally came with drum brakes. It was really pretty easy AND inexpensive to fit the JL8 front brakes. And a guy on TC bought my left over '72 Nova parts for $100 (rotor/hub combo, 2 sliding calipers, 2 caliper brackets and 2 splash shields). So I guess I spent $479 for JL8 front disc brakes.

And all of this fits under a regular 'ole 15x7 FW rally wheel which also means my 15 inch space saver spare fits as well so I don't have to haul around a 16 inch (or bigger) spare. Oh and as for 40 year old technology, the brakes work pretty good too. I suppose one could go for the sewer lid sized brakes so they can be flossin with the posse with their 24 inch rims, but I like the old school look and I can get my brake pads at the auto parts store.

Now I want to duplicate the savings on the rear if possible. If the Corvette rear caliper adapter fits the 12 bolt flange then the rest is easy AND inexpensive, certainly not $5K.

[gphusker]

Originally Posted by mahunt

Well, that's my point.

I didn't spend $8K on the front brakes, I spent:

$ 250 brackets, eBay
$ 88 2 regular Corvette front rotors, Advance Auto Parts
$ 50 2x4 piston Corvette calipers, eBay
$ 40 JL8 brake flex lines, HBC
$ 120 misc. plumbing, HBC
$ 31 splash shields, '67-'68 J52

$579

I already had '72 Nova FDB so I had the disc spindle, MC, PB booster and drum hub from when the car originally came with drum brakes. It was really pretty easy AND inexpensive to fit the JL8 front brakes. And a guy on TC bought my left over '72 Nova parts for $100 (rotor/hub combo, 2 sliding calipers, 2 caliper brackets and 2 splash shields). So I guess I spent $479 for JL8 front disc brakes.

And all of this fits under a regular 'ole 15x7 FW rally wheel which also means my 15 inch space saver spare fits as well so I don't have to haul around a 16 inch (or bigger) spare. Oh and as for 40 year old technology, the brakes work pretty good too. I suppose one could go for the sewer lid sized brakes so they can be flossin with the posse with their 24 inch rims, but I like the old school look and I can get my brake pads at the auto parts store.

Now I want to duplicate the savings on the rear if possible. If the Corvette rear caliper adapter fits the 12 bolt flange then the rest is easy AND inexpensive, certainly not $5K.

I did the Right Stuff 4 wheel conversion kit with drilled/slotted rotors and powder coated calipers for around $850 if memory serves correctly. All new parts, no hastle, just assemble. And they all fit under my 15" rallys as well.

[alanrw]

I think you have to get that plate that welds onto the end of the rear axle (which means cutting off the current end plate). Not sure what that does to the overall track width. After welding on the plate, everything else bolts right on.

alan

[Rebelrouser]

[/I]I installed '65-'82 Corvette rear brakes on my Pontiac B body ('66) 12 bolt.Real easy
to do.Yes you will have to replace the axle flange on a 1st gen F body as they used B body axle tubes to accomodate for the larger flanges to except the Corvette caliper mounting brackets.Relatively easy to do.Just remember everything is right hand x2!! Don't forget to acquire the e brake cable brackets that mount one on the front (passenger side) and one on the driver's side rear of the diff as the cables pull the e-brakes from different positions.If you didn't want to use the heavier cast calipers,there's always the Wilwood light weight calipers(DB80) I believe.I had well under $5k for a complete 4 piston brake system on all 4 corners when I was done.And it all looked factory when I was done and the average person couldn't tell that it wasn't factory.

[clill]

A word of caution on repo JL8 front caliper brackets. There were a bunch done that were "cast" and broke easily. This was years ago. They looked good but were junk.

[X66 714]

I did what you're trying to do the the rearend years ago. I used the flanges from an Impala. Then came the tricky part. I couldn't use the big bearings. What I did was took the Camaro housing to a machine shop that had a 16" lathe & had them machine the old flange down. Then they cut & machined the inside of the Impala flange to a point where it was a snug fit on the axle tube. I had to leave some material on the axle tube to make up the difference of the inside dimention from the flange that I was to install. Once welded in place I uses two Left Rear (I think it was Left rear) brake assms from a Corvette, Everything was a bolt on from there. Would I do it again today? NO! I was trying to make the car something it wasn't & with the prices for Camaro & Impala 12 bolts...no way. Just my thoughts. Good luck with your quest...Joe