With the fiance having a VW for a daily driver and not having to worry about maintaining the Dart or deal with its issues, she's alot more willing to talk about restoration and upgrading when we eventually get it (her mom's mentioned giving it to us as a wedding gift, which is cool).

One of the thing's we've been pondering is the best way to go disc. I'm familiar with the option of using control arms and other parts from other Mopars, Wilwood's kits, and the kits offered by SSBC (which are for 10" drum spindles, so those are out of the question already) and just checked out the MP Brakes kit (nice, but spendy). What're some of you guys' favorite method of going disc? I'm a big fan of using slotted rotors, so that's a must for me (but no cross drilling. I've seen too many cracked x-drilled rotors). I'd also like to keep all A body suspension components so it'll still be easy to source parts like bushings and whatnot. What I don't want is to have to keep the original small bolt pattern if I can get away from it. What're your opinions?

Her and I are having fun doing up a list of what to do with the Dart. Next up is prioritizing everything

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Well, keeping it all A-body and loosing the small bolt pattern means '73-'76 large wheel bolt pattern brakes. This is my prefered method as it uses all direct replacement parts except for your requirement of slotted rotors. I would (and always do) skip the sloted rotors and put the extra money into a really first rate brake pad like the Raybestos Super Stop pads (SSD84). I used these road racing and nothing else available off the shelf compares including carbon metalic. If you need more stopping power which is unlikely you can use 11.75" late B-body rotors and the taller caliper stands.

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Joshua

How much gets changed out as far as the suspension parts for the larger bolt pattern brakes (it's a 5x4.5 pattern isn't it? I can't remember off the top of my head)? The suspension needs to be completely restored on the car, so would I be able to get a complete suspension & bushing kit for a '70 A body, or would I need some different parts for the front?

I just checked the page I had bookmarked detailing the later model A body parts swap, and the page is gone (d'oh).

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

The difference in suspension parts for the later (73-76) discs is the upper control arm and the ball joint size all other parts I believe are interchangable. You should be able to pick up a front suspension kit for say a 73 duster and be able to get all the necessary parts to rebuild the suspension on your car. Of course if you pick up a kit from say PST and you tell them hey I have a 70 but have upgraded to the 73-76 disc brakes, they should be able to supply you with the correct parts to do the rebuild.

http://www.moparaction.com/Tech/archive/disc-main.html The Mopar Action article on the disc brake swap is here.

http://www.bigblockdart.com/techpages/d ... sion.shtml The big block dart article specific to A-bodies is here.

Brian

Upper ball joints, lower ball joints, upper control arm and spindle are all that needs to be changed on the suspension.

You also need the disc brake master cylinder, proportioning valve, front brake hoses, calipers, rotors, wheel bearings and seals. At least two 5x4.5" bolt pattern wheels, ten 1/2-20 lug nuts, a couple cotter pins, wheel bearing grease, brake fluid, etc.

A quick run down on the swap is here:
http://www.225.ca/tech/jstk003.htm

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Joshua

Thanks for the tips and links guys. They'll be printed and saved for when the time comes to do the conversion. I'm gonna go nuts on that car when we finally dive into it again

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me