My Drum-2-Disc Kits Comparison

[jamyers]

So we're going to convert the power drum front brakes on our '69 C10 to disc, having recently replaced all the ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings, etc on the front end.

I'm cross-posting this from my "Build Thread" here, as I'm thinking this would be a better place to discuss the different kits themselves. However, if anybody has any suggestions for our project, feel free to chime in over there.

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Looking on the interwebs, I found front brake conversion kits from CPP, Early Classic, Suspension Superstore, Auto City Classics, Pirate Jack, and Scarebird.

A couple of things jump out:

* I think of everything but the Scarebird kit (actually a bracket, bearing spacers, nuts and bolts) as a "Complete Kit", and the Scarebird as a "Get-It-Myself Kit", since everything but the Scarebird route includes all major hardware (rotors, pads, calipers, hoses, etc). Going the Scarebird route means I have to source all that myself, which doesn't bother me since I can shop it around and then I'll be sure to have good part numbers to put in the glove box for years to come.

* Everybody but Scarebird wants to swap out the '69 (67'72?) spindles, which means different ball joints. Fine if you're going to replace them anyways, but we just put new ones in a month ago and I'm not wanting to go back in and pop them all loose again, possibly tearing rubber boots, etc.

* All the "Complete kits" say that they use OEM parts for everything but the spindle, EXCEPT the CPP kit, which makes you captive to their hub/rotor p/n CP4R-6. I poked around the interwebs and couldn't find any cross refs, and I do NOT want to be stuck having to order parts from ONE source in 5, 10, or 15 years from now. So CPP is out.

* Several kits include or have available power boosters, master cylinders, and prop valves of different designs (8" vs. 11" boosters, etc), but I've already got a good GM booster, and can get a GM master cylinder just about anywhere, so those kits don't hold much appeal for me.

SO...

the best "Complete Kit" deal looks like the Auto City Classics kit (spindle swap) at $500, then either +$200 for M/C+Booster+PropValve or shop a M/C and valve for $150-ish...total $650-700 and everything comes in one box

We really didn't want to pop the ball joints loose again (possibly ruining the rubber boots) and swap spindles, so we went Scarebird, and got everything (except brake fluid and maybe dust caps) sitting in the garage for a total of $635.15.