should i fix my brakes, or just make my horn louder? hmm...

[Tomakze]

well, I got kyle's calipers today! i will take a look next week to see if they are any good... god i hope they are! wish me luck!

also, i have started the 200sx swap in the rear. found all of the parts other than the e-brake cable! i picked up a pair of calipers from a local junkyard for 20 bucks. i plan to rebuild them (if they are good, otherwise they are cores!) and put all new rotors, brake lines etc in around them. again, i hope they are good, new ones are $244.99 AFTER i subtract the core charge! they cost as much as 300zx brakes!

I will keep everyone posted on this project as it continues to progress!

[DnCrs13]

Good luck Tomakaze!
I got a replacement for the caliper that I bent to crap. Bill set me up and got the cylinder in for me (he made it look so easy!). I had a heck of I time getting the lower line to connect into the caliper. I must have spent two hours on that damn thing. While taking a break, I got the inner caliper out, popped and cleaned. After an hour of fighting, managed to get that one back together on my own. What a PITA!! Only two more to go. Might as well relube the zerks while I am down there. I posted pics on the Dairyland Datsuns Facebook page if you want to check them out!

[Gregs672000]

"i hope they are good, new ones are $244.99 AFTER i subtract the core charge! they cost as much as 300zx brakes!"

Now, please understand I am NOT wanting to rain on your parade, and I sooo understand the love and fun from doing a project that makes your car better/more unique, etc. Done many of those on my own car! However, that being said, putting rear discs on your Roadster will not likely improve your braking power in any significant way... almost all your braking power comes from the fronts, and this is where you will get the most bang for your buck. The weakness of drum brakes is they don't work well when soaking wet. If it comes down to money and you have to limit what you do to the fronts because you have to spend money on rear discs, in my humble opinion, spend the money on the fronts and simply fix the rear drum set up. I have Toyota 4runner calipers and maxima vented discs on the front (a one-off custom set up I did... requires a lot of planning, some welding and patience) and the main difference is that, unlike the stock solid disc brakes, they don't fade nearly as much (if at all). That makes all the difference when you run fast down a hill (like the one at Mt Shasta which I have done with both set ups) and believe me, the car was much more fun to drive fast knowing that it will actually slow down when I hit the brakes! I've seen the shear panic on the faces of owners with stock braked Roadsters on the same run as they try to stop before the railroad tracks at the bottom of the hill... ah, she ain't stoppin!!!

So, no rain intended here, just a bit of experience to pass on.

[Tomakze]

I want to start the hunt for the 200sx rear brake swap... the pmwikitech section says it needs to be an 82-83 200sx. I found someone nearby parting out a 81 200sx, will this not work? does it not have rear disc brakes or something? unfortunately, there is very little info on these cars. (i cant imagine why, its the ugliest datsun ever, imo) also, the 84 and up 200sx's are infinitely more common in the scrap yard. it says the 84 200sx has the correct caliper, but the mounting bracket is different. does that mean i could buy those calipers and fabricate a mounting bracket? as bad as my rear brakes are, i figure this would be a good option instead of spending money on the drums. i prefer disc brakes, as i enjoy spirited driving in the mountains.

i also heard the 240z front calipers can be made to fit, which got me wondering if i could do the swap a lot of 240z owners do and use 84-85 300zx ventilated rotors and 4 piston calipers from a toyota 4-runner. that plus rear discs should make the datto stop like it hit a wall, and keep the dreaded brake fade from happening (i noticed brake fade alarmingly quickly with the stock brakes...) I also understand the stock brakes work fine, blah, blah. I want upgraded brakes, as it sounds like a fun project and also for the "cool!" factor. plus, i see a real benefit to using a ventilated disc over the stock solid ones...

then all this research on brake conversions got me thinking... since the intake will be on the passenger side after swapping the KA motor in, the drivers side will have significantly more clearance... i am wondering if i can use a power brake booster to assist with all these gigantic brakes! (using a 280zx booster and master cylinder. i realize i will probably need to clearance the firewall.) here is my "wet dream" A '68 roadster with 4 wheel disc brakes, 4 piston calipers in the front and ventilated rotors (cross drilled and slotted of course) with power assist brakes... talk about a resto mod! i dunno, maybe it is just a pipe dream.

as i said, I know the stock ones work fine, but i want to reduce brake fade and also, i just like the idea of having 4 disc brakes for the cool factor. as for the fronts, I am planning on using the Spriso 300zxtt front brake setup. I am also doing the rear brake conversion because it will cost me about the same amount of money to do that then what it will cost to fix the drums. i figure, what the hell, might as well upgrade! so no worries, i know what i am doing, and i have evaluated all of my options!

thanks!

[Gregs672000]

Cool, I understand completely! Enjoy the project!!!

[23yrRebuild]

"Cool factors" are definitly cool, IMHO,....but,... it seems the cooler something is, the more it costs.....why is that?...

[Tomakze]

well, i pulled Kyles calipers apart yesterday... and there was more rust inside than the titanic. I am very disappointed. Kyle, thanks again! I just wish they were in better shape. oh well, this is part of the roadster adventure!

so, this means i am pulling the trigger on the 300zx brake setup. i discovered i can buy remanufactured '90 300zxTT calipers at Advance for $55 plus a $25 core! i am using the calipers i bought for the rear (200sx) as cores since i found Checker/OReilly sells reman ones for $39. so, i will have a completely new braking system! I even plan to replace the lines, and may run them through the fender to hide them. I have seen some (very nice) cars on here with that setup.

I feel so ridiculous putting this performance setup on a worn out stock (read slow) 1600! but, considering my plans for the future, it just doesn't make sense to do it any other way! It really doesn't cost much more than stock, hell, in the long run it may actually be cheaper! I plan on doing a full write up on this when i am done, and i promise to keep everyone updated...

[notoptoy]

I wouldn't worry about putting something too nice for the 1600, they all have to stop! And I agree, in the long run, it may be cheaper - if nothing else in time finding parts as they will all be available at the local store for some time to come!
Looking forward to your posts of progress.
Tom

[Skyman]

well, i pulled Kyles calipers apart yesterday... and there was more rust inside than the titanic. I am very disappointed. Kyle, thanks again! I just wish they were in better shape. oh well, this is part of the roadster adventure!

Damn, sorry about that. I guess I should have just tossed them. I guess its destiny. Just think if my calipers would have been good. I don't think you would have been as excited as the above post makes you sound. I think this is the way you have wanted to go all along. Glad you don't have to do it twice.

Kyle

[Tomakze]

Kyle, i would have loved it if they were good. I had planned to install them, do the 200sx brake swap, and drive on that until i could save up enough money for the 300zx swap. honestly, i probably would have waited a year or more! It was a great gesture for you to give those to me, it would have been great if it had worked!!!

so anyway, for those that are curious, I took pictures of Kyle's calipers...







So, i am going to try to do the ENTIRE brake system for less than $1200... we will see if i pull it off!

[dbrick]

Those caliper pistons would make great cores to send in for resleeves.

[Tomakze]

Well, I will pass them on to anyone who needs a set of cores! Free of charge! I mean, I got them for free, so would it be right to do anything else? as a matter of fact, i have 3 sets in total that look like this, lol. anyone want them? (hahahaha...)

[DnCrs13]

Tomakze,
I got my brakes back together. My calipers were not nearly as bad as those. I put some pics on the Dairyland Datsun FB page if you want to see them. I put about 130 miles on the car this weekend and all works well. It even stops between the ditches. Good luck with your conversion!

[Tomakze]

Glad to hear that Dan! I wish i had your luck... My wallet just imploded.

[DnCrs13]

Ouch. My wallet is definitely inside out on a full time basis. I was fortunate to find a good car to start with. I am not surpirsed that your calipers were that bad after sitting in a field for so long. It sounds like you are going to be happier going the custom route anyway (although not so great for the wallet).