|
I have recently done an AAJ disc brake conversion on my 58
Imperial. The fitting was not without a few hiccups along the
way.
The master cylinder that was used does interfere
with 2 hoses coming out of the rear of the tappet cover on the hemi
although can be rerouted with some right hand fittings pointing downwards
instead of pointiong straight out. Sorry this is not clear but if you have
57,58 imp you will know what im talking about.
It also does interfere with the spark plug cover and needs
to be cut down which I haven't done yet.
The calipers were to big for the 14 inch wheels so I had
to grind quarter inch from the back of the calipers which I have done and now
works fine.
Bleeding of the master cylinder was an ardous task which
took several hours
In saying all this I haven't been able to drive the car
yet to tell you how it stops because I have a major fuel leak from Fuel
Pump and waiting for new one to arrive. This might sound like a lot
of trouble but I did not like the total contact brakes. Only 6 months
before I rebuilt my contact brakes and was still unhappy with them. Under
hard braking they pulled to the right and the squealing was driving
me mad. It also had brake fade after puliing up quickly at
lights with foot hard on pedal I could feel the pedal going softer
under foot. These brakes were probably great in the fifties but under
todays driving conditions my opinion is that they are inadequate. It
makes me feel uncomfortable when driving and thats why I switched to discs
I also am a little paranoid because I
was driving a bride and groom friend of my brothers to there wedding in
my 58 plymouth when the back brake line split at the wheel cylinder going
down a hill. Luckily my handbrake worked enough to slow me down and
eventually pull up. I suppose that could happen to anybody with any
braking system but it scared the wits out of
me.
Chris Wardle
1958 Imp Crown Coupe
PS: If you decide to go the way of an AAJ
kit Roger is a very nice man and can answer any questions you
have
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 8:03
AM
Subject: RE: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for
1957
Going back even further I recall a feature article in Car and
Driver (I think) about 1963 where they did a comparison test between a 600
Mercedes,a Lincoln,a Cadillac an IMPERIAL and a Rolls.When it came to brakes
they rated the Rolls as having the best brakes.Guess what? Drums all round
while the Merc Im sure had discs. Ive probably got the details
wrong but the brake result Im sure about.
Geoff Simpson
> From:
jdlpdx@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:
Re: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957
> Date: Sun, 9 Dec 2007 09:28:36
-0800
>
> Back in the '70s when I was using my '60 as a daily
driver I was not known
> for "gentle, responsible driving" (looking
back, I wonder how I reached 60
> and stayed out of jail). Needless to
say there were times when the brakes
> were put to some rather extreem
tests - tests they never failed - which is
> more than I can say for
the brakes on some GM products I've owned.
> Aside from the periodic
adjustment, the stock brakes were/are as perfect as
> four wheel drums
can be (my opinion). Even the adjustment is easier - done
> with a
small ratchet rather than the annoying "star wheel" tool that I found
>
to be a real pain.
> If I were going to use the car for daily driving
once again I might consider
> consider a dual pot MC, but I wouldn't
obsess about it. I thought about
> doing it this summer when I brought
the brake system back to life but in the
> end went with the full stock
set-up.
> Properly set up and with "normal" driving, the stock brakes
will do just
> fine.
>
> Jim L. in OR
> '60 Crown
4dr Southampton
> '62 Crown 4dr Southampton
>
> -----
Original Message -----
> From: "Kenyon Wills"
<imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>
> To:
<mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, December 08,
2007 4:30 PM
> Subject: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957
>
>
> > Everyone that has done the brake conversion
seems
> > quite pleased with it, and AAJ seems to have the
>
> solution at a fair enough price.
> >
> > That said, I
personally think that an awful lot of
> > unwarranted and negative
noise has been made about the
> > stock brakes, and the pattern that
I think I see is
> > one of people that try to apply common sense and
past
> > experience on other brake systems to this one and
then
> > have to acutally read some instructions, if they
read
> > anything at all. The other thing that seems to go on
>
> is that people faced with clapped out, 40+ year old
> > brakes
are facing replacement costs and then try to go
> > out and
re-engineer their car WITHOUT ever bothering
> > to try a correctly
functioning set of stock brakes,
> > presuming that they must be
awful without confirming
> > that to be a fact.
> >
>
> In that situation, you're bound to hear reports about
> > how
awful and difficult things were for a person,
> > especially if doing
the conversion was subsequently
> > easier.
> >
> >
On the other hand, if you read the MTSC booklet that
> > goes through
the steps one at a time as posted on the
> > site, follow the
instuctions, and expect the sort of
> > brakes that were available
back then, well, I doubt
> > you'll be disappointed.
>
>
> > Note that Chrysler was never sued for having
> >
inadequate brakes, there was never a recall, and aside
> > from the
obvious differences between disc/drum, unless
> > you plan to do
aggressive driving, the stock stuff
> > should be just fine.
>
>
> > One complaint I have is with the "organic" material
>
> they use on brake shoes. I heard someplace that it's
> > gound
up peach pits or something.
> >
> > I got a set of shoes and
had "original" material put
> > on. The kind that was involved in
lawsuits awhile
> > back and starts with an A. Well I told the kids
up
> > the block not to lick the brakedust on my car wheels
>
> and everything works better now that I'm using them.
> >
>
> So: New shoes + inept installation = complaints, and
> >
normally complaints travel around the world before
> > good results
get their shoes tied.
> >
> > I say stay stock if you plan
to do anything aside from
> > gentle, responsible driving.
>
>
> >
> >
> > Good luck, and thank you for
writing in.
> >
> >
> > -Kenyon
> > ---
ahogangoat@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> >> Hi
Everyone,
> >>
> >> I have been a member of this
online club for many
> >> years but in the last several years I
have not
> >> "spoken" via email at all. I have been checking
in
> >> from time to time and always find interesting and
>
>> informative conversation going on. What a
> >> wonderful
group of people Imperial owners are!!
> >> I have recently sold
cars leaving me with only my
> >> '57 Imperial. Now I am going to
concentrate on it.
> >> Right now it needs some brake wheel
cylinder work.
> >> I was wondering if anyone has done an
AAJ
> >> conversion on a '57 or similar pitting on disk
>
>> brakes and eliminating the factory front drums and
> >>
the factory master cylinder. I want to convert the
> >> system to
a dual circuit master cylinder if I'm
> >> going to do a
conversion.
> >> The first question really is, however, with
modest
> >> driving, is it possible to get the factory brakes
to
> >> be reliable without constant fiddling and
adjusting.
> >> I've heard stories of these "total contact"
brakes
> >> being very fussy, especially on Plymouths and
Dodges
> >> etc. I won't need extreme brake response as I
will
> >> drive the car gently anyway. My car is really in
>
>> excellent condition as it has only 25,000 original
> >>
miles and has been treated well all it's life. The
> >> biggest
brake problem to date has been hydraulic
> >> leaks at the wheel
cylinders. Some of the problem
> >> surely has been due to non-use
and that condition
> >> will improve now.
> >>
>
>> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Tim
>
>>
> >> -----------------
http://www.imperialclub.com
> >> -----------------
>
>> This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing
> >>
List. Please
> >> reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and
your
> >> response will be
> >> shared with everyone.
Private messages (and
> >> attachments) for the
> >>
Administrators should be sent to
> >>
iml.webmonster@xxxxxxxxx
> >> To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to
>
>> http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
> >>
>
>>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
____________________________________________________________________________________
>
> Looking for last minute shopping deals?
> > Find them fast with
Yahoo! Search.
> >
http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
>
>
> > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com
-----------------
> > This message was sent to you by the Imperial
Mailing List. Please
> > reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and
your response will be
> > shared with everyone. Private messages (and
attachments) for the
> > Administrators should be sent to
iml.webmonster@xxxxxxxxx
> > To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to
http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com
-----------------
> This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing
List. Please
> reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response
will be
> shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for
the
> Administrators should be sent to iml.webmonster@xxxxxxxxx
>
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
>
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! MSN
Messenger
|
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network