Brakes are definetely my number 1 priority of things to fix. What would you recommend? I would like to purchase a complete kit online so i can get it done soon. I also need a new master cylinder to replace the single-pot that i have. Ive got a $1000 budget for this brake upgrade, but i might have to dip into my wheels and tires budget sooner than anticipated.

It has:
Cons:
13" wheels with new tires, do they have to be upgraded to 14"?
Single-pot master with old brake lines.
Potentially faulty e-brake setup, if its all messed up, ill need rear brakes also.

Pros:
I have a 66 dart service manual and at least a 4th grade reading level.

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1966 Dart Wagon /6 225 AT

Do you just want to upgrade to a dual master cylinder and rebuild your existing brakes or are you thinking of adding disc brakes?

Dual master cylinder upgrade is not that big of a deal and not very expensive. Some brake line plumbing if you think you are up to that. Rebuilding your existing brakes isn't either. New shoes about $20 per axle. (or less). Rebuild wheel cylinders or do you want new ones? Rebuild kits are about $4 and New ones are about $8 - $20 each (one on each wheel)

Sorry I know nothing about converting to disc.

Parking brake problems could just be your rear brakes need rebuilt or a broken cable. If your wheel cylinders are leaking they grease up the brakes and they don't work. Dry brakes are always best

Danny

Yup, you're going to need new wheels, 14" or 15". There aren't discs to clear 13" wheels (and your tire options open way up if you go to 14" or 15" wheels).

A pivotal decision is whether to keep the existing 4" wheel bolt circle or move to the 4½" bolt circle. Wheel availability and brake options are both much narrower in the small bolt circle than in the large. That argues strongly in favour of going to the large bolt circle, especially since you'll need new wheels anyhow, though it does mean you'll have to do something about the rear axle which presently requires wheels with the 4" bolt circle. There are no drop-in axle shafts with the larger bolt circle; the usual course of action is to swap in a later rear axle assembly—usually the stronger 8¼" unit to replace the original 7¼", in the process also getting larger 10" rear brakes. So there's a lot more to think about than just what kind of brakes you want; there will be additional effort and expense to do a clean job of it (pick brakes that are easy and inexpensive to service, have one kind of wheel on all four corners so you're not messing around with two spare tires and wheels, etc.).

There is only one factory disc setup with the small bolt circle, a Kelsey-Hayes 4-piston setup used on A-body Mopars from '66-'72 and almost identical to that used on '66-'68ish Mustangs. When in good condition, it works well, but parts availability is on-again/off-again spotty. I have this setup on my '62 Lancer ('66-'72 disc brakes with factory pads and no power booster), and I like it, but I'm not sure I'd choose it as the upgrade if I were starting again.

The A-body got a single-piston floating-caliper disc brake for '73, together with the beefier ball joints and larger wheel bolt circle the bigger Mopars had been using for years. This '73 type setup was used on rear-drive Mopars clear up through 1989, meaning system parts are widely available and inexpensive. I really like this setup in my '73 Dart (big-bolt discs w/factory power booster, upgraded to '76-up calipers, which have a larger piston/bore, with Bendix metallic pads). Changeover of your '66 to this system using later factory parts (some good used, some new or properly rebuilt) is not very difficult or costly if you jump on an ad like this one, and leaves room in the budget for good tires on nicer wheels.

A '66-'72 type 4-piston disc setup is available in either bolt circle from Stainless Steel Brakes Co. You can either spend $1100 for OE type components (cast iron calipers, etc.) or $734 for what look to be nicely machined aluminum calipers; I am looking at this page. All premium components, to be sure. But we're already well past your budget limit if we're buying one of these off-the-shelf brake changeover kits, because we also need new hydraulic lines and valves and a master cylinder and wheels and tires.

If you have no objection to using non-Chrysler parts on your car (and you shouldn't, for it's possible to make great improvements inexpensively by paying attention and adapting the good engineering where it can be done, no matter what company put it out; for example the HEI upgrade), there's the Scarebird option, which uses Chev rotors and Toyota calipers together with apposite bracketry to replace the drums with an inexpensive-to-service disc setup, and without changing the wheel bolt circle—but here again, you'll still have to have 14" or larger wheels, and wheel options are much greater in the large bolt circle. I think the Scarebird setup can be had in the large bolt circle, too, but I'm not certain; check with them.

Master cylinders, booster-or-not, hydraulics, etc. are all easy to spec out once you pick what kind of brakes you want.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Wow, looks like i opened pandoras box!

I guess I will go with upgraded drum brakes for the sake of saving a lot of money.

It does not matter to me if i have toyota-chevy-dodge brakes, as long as they stop the car sooner than this single-pot is currently. I can easily run my own lines, but how would i install another master cylinder?

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1966 Dart Wagon /6 225 AT

Oog. Really? Think about it again. You'll do about the same amount of work, and you won't save much money, and the result won't be nearly as good.
Very easy. Pick which disc brakes to install, first.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

After re-reading your reply while NOT at work, I understand now what you are saying.

I have chosen to go with the '73 Dart upgrade. I am going to inquire on the setup you found for $350, now how about

What should I look for in wheels? I think 14" are fine. Is the bolt pattern 5x4.5?

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1966 Dart Wagon /6 225 AT

Good choice, IMO. That's '73-'89 RWD Chrysler Corp passenger vehicles. One article worth reading is here, though you should not take it as gospel. I (and others) disagree with the author's assertions regarding the unsuitability of non-A-body knuckles. Another reputable writer did sufficiently extensive testing and measurement to determine that in fact there is no problem at all using the non-A-body knuckles, and in fact there are advantages; see here and here
Hope you get it -- if not, a similar package will be along sooner than later, or you can collect the needed parts with some informed searching on www.car-part.com (searchable used parts clear across North America; you can narrow the search to your local area, too).

The advertised setup does not include calipers or rotors. I have a new-in-box set of the calipers you'll need; send me a PM. Rotors are easy to get.
Round ones.
Yes, 5 × 4½". LOTS of options. Stock plain steel wheels can be had in 14" and 15" with a variety of widths, and shouldn't be hard to locate in good used condition. Use the search site linked above; search 1977 Dodge Aspen, Wheel, then on the next page you'll be presented with options. Check out all the options (except the space-saver spare). See what turns up. Search results are in descending-price order. Make sure you get wheels that are in good, round condition. The Mopar Rallye wheels are a perpetual favorite if you like a fancier wheel.

Remember, you'll still need to do something about the rear...!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I like the idea of all new parts. What would you say about this front end kit?

http://www.mpbrakes.com/products/produc ... uct_id=232


Id have to go to 15" wheels with this kit. And i also want to replace whatever else that would need to be regulary replaced (shocks, u-joints, etc...)
Also, am I under my $1500 brakes/wheels budget?

Brake kit 800
Rear end with ebrake ?
wheels and tires ?

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1966 Dart Wagon /6 225 AT

You'd be handcuffing yourself to buying replacement parts through the vendor as long as they choose to make them available. It's a strong argument in favor of using factory parts instead. You'd be using new working parts (calipers, rotors, bearings, master cylinder, etc.), just used hard parts that don't wear out. Remember, "all cars run on used parts"!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

For what it is worth, Ryan is runing the F body(Volare or Aspen) set up on his 72 Dart and it works fine. The nice part about using one of them is that they are dirt cheap in the yards. I got his whole set up for $50 and they took it off the car and loaded it for me!!

Rick

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Stubborncuss: Run (do not walk) over here.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I've heard rumors that the MP Brakes setup is actually a factory F / M / J body setup with some cleaned up junkyard parts. Not sure if this is true or not.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

$300 for the front end setup sounds great. Shipping is going to suck, so i think i will call around the Bay Area junkyards today and try to find the same setup locally. If I cannot find anything, then I will inquire on that setup.

Good lookin out!
Thanks Dan

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1966 Dart Wagon /6 225 AT

So any 73-89 mopar passenger vehicle front and rear end setup will swap right in?

I figure ill grab the booster from the donor car as well. Should i grab anything else?

I will need new pads, maybe rotors. Or should i just buy new ones?

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1966 Dart Wagon /6 225 AT

Any '73-'89 Mopar REAR WHEEL DRIVE passenger CAR (no vans, no trucks). And almost but not quite a direct drop in; read the previously linked articles.
Maybe and maybe not usable on your '66; depends on what the donor car is. The A-bodies won't accept a booster that mounts directly to the firewall. They take a setup with sheetmetal brackets and linkage that space the booster forward and upward relative to the firewall.
Proportioning valve. And rear axle assembly; try to find an 8¼" unit (10-bolt cover) with 3.2 gear ratio -- that ratio is found mostly in cars with manual transmissions. If you can't find 3.2, then a 2.7 will be much easier to find. Avoid the super-tall 2.4 and 2.2 ratios.
You may or may not need new rotors depending on the condition of the ones you might find. You will need new pads and you will want new calipers rather than "rebuildable at best" wrecking yard ones. My offer of new-in-box ones still stands; send me a PM. You'll also want new brake flex hoses front and rear.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.