i am thinking about going to disc brakes, at least the front, maybe the rear, anyone know about how much the swap costs? is the performance boost worth it front, let alone front and back? i know when i get mags someday that four wheel disc brakes would like nice behind them...ive got manual drums all around right now, i think they are 9in, thanks!

Definitely one of the best upgrades you can do. Cost varies widely whether you go used big bold A-body setup, used small bolt pattern 4-piston setup, or aftermarket. Personally, I'd set aside $400 to $1000, but I'm sure it can be done cheaper. (you might want to replace bushings, etc., while it's apart, though)

_________________
'68 Dodge Dart 4dr Sedan

I also was thinking about making the swap but opted to rebuild my 9"ers. I liked the pedal feel of the drums and it stops great. but a disc brake swap could easily cost less then completely rebuilding all the drums, provided your local junkyard has most of the parts you need.

_________________
64' Valiant Signet 5.9, 64' Dart 170 moredoor 3.7, 67' A100 3.7, 00' Dakota SLT 4.7

Disc brakes stop much better than any drum setup.
In my opinion swapping to front discs is a necessity. I have owned and driven 2 a bodies without and half a dozen with discs. I wont own one with front druma any longer. Aside from the actual disc brakes you get with a later model abody setup you get a larger ball joint as well. That seems more suited to spirited driving to me as well.
You dont have to hunt for much used. Youcan use a set of f body spindles and late a body control arms. Everything else is readily available at a parts store. I also highly recommend the later model aluminum master cylinder. Cheap and readily available at a parts store also.
With the late a body fornt discs,10 inch rear drum and m body MC no brake booster is needed . You get great pedal feel and great stopping ability.
It is no fun to go fast if you cannot stop safely.
________
Vaccinations advice

I agree with 74 Swinger. Manual brakes- 73-76 Discs on front,
10" drums on back- I use it on a race car.
Also, 9"drums are really scary in heavy rain. They get wet and start
pulling, etc.
Really, you might save your car or save your life

Really? 9" inch pulls and 10" doesn't?

73-76 Discs on front,
10" drums on back

The discs pull less than front 9".


There is a world of differece between 9" drums and disc/10" brakes.

In this part of the world 9" drums just are not safe enough.

_________________
Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

About the cost. I just rounded everything up this last week. I spent $145.00 at the junkyard for spindles, brackets, dust shields and upper A arms off of a 76 Dart. That was a nice way to spend a 100 degree afternoon! $90.00 at the auto parts for rebuilt calipers, core charge and new hoses (could have ordered online, but I wanted to see the calipers). The calipers included the hardware and copper washers. $370.00 at rockauto.com for Raybestos "Pg Plus"rotors, Wheel bearings, complete moog bushings and balljoints, including the offset upper bushings, which are a little more. You could go cheaper here and get rotors and suspension parts for less, I have plans that involve heavy suspension and hard cornering. $60.00 for pads and adjustable proportioning valve from Summit Racing(the only semi-metallic pads I could find). $135.00 for aluminum Master and Adapter. You could get new cast iron for around $50.00 or rebuilt for around $20.00 And another $15.00 for things I forgot, dust caps, seals and lug nuts. Maybe your junkyard prices are less and if you can find good rotors and wheel bearings it could be allot less. You can get a suspension kit from PST for $199.00 and it includes outer tie rods. You would have to get them to substitute the strut rod bushings if your car is older than 73. Anyway I got a real nice setup for about $815.00 which includes a complete suspension rebuild (minus steering gear). You could easily do this for about $200 less, so the previous post about $600 to $1000 is right in there. I am doing all the work, except alignment which will add another $50.00. Grab a big bolt pattern rearend when you find a donor car, I ran out of time when I pulled the front end and came back to the yard two days later and both of the big bolt A bodies I had seen were gone. If your going after performance I think it is well worth it to make the change. Disks can supply much more stopping power WITHOUT locking up. The ability to lock the tires is not any kind of braking performance test. Once the tires lock and the rubber burns you lose allot if not most of your traction. The faster / farther you skid the worse it gets. Hope this helps.

worht it. and if you got the KH, get an extra set, even if its $200 and needs repairing.

_________________
63 valient 4 speed over drive, holly 390, dutra duals, power steering, ac, hydraulic roof, KH 4 piston disks, kyb gas adjust all round, sway bars front and rear, 8 3/4 rear axcel and the ugliest green you ever saw

The KH brakes are expensive to rebuild, and the rotors are prone to warping. Ask me how I know...

VM