I need new drums cause mine are rutted and starting to get over-worn. My problem is that I found out that new ones for the 10 in. are $88(both sides), 9 in are $96(both sides). This isn't the problem, the problem is that I found out rotors are $96(both sides), calipers are $18 (both sides), shoes are $20, and the master cylinder is $31.99. For totally new parts it's only about $200, which, I figure is actually a cheaper figure than if you had disc brakes and wished to converted to a drum setup. I'm guessing I'd need new wheels(I have a small-bolt pattern), but I'm guessing that with getting mostly used parts I could get this done for $150(including tires), and since I want to do the conversion I really am hard pressed to pay the $96 for drums. I have change my brake fluid soon anyway, so it would be a perfect time, I'm just wondering if their's anything else I need other than the:
Master cylinder
Rotors
callipers
brakes
other than that is all the plumbing the same?

Is there any way to retain a 14 in small bolt pattern when doing the conversion or are wheels a must?

I wanted to do this conversion later, but I figure that paying $88 on drums when I plan to change the setups pretty dumb.

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

You will also need:
-Upper control arms
-Spindles
-Caliper brackets
-Lower ball joints with steering arms
-Splash shields
-proportioning valve
-wheel bearings
-seals
-brake hoses

Hmmm, I think that's all...
All from the appropriate car or cars of coarse.

I have been collecting all the necessary parts for the conversion, and I have spent a little dough.

I got the spindles, caliper brackets, calipers, rotors, master cylinder, proportioning valve, and splash sheilds from a '79 Cordoba for $100.

I got tubular UCA's from Bill Reilly for $300.

I had the rotors turned and traded the old calipers in for remaned units for $50.

I got new brake pads, brake lines, wheel bearings, seals listed for a '79 Cordoba for $50.

I got new lower ball joints that come mounted in a steering arm listed for a '75 disc equipped Dart for $80.

Once I got that far I realized it would be good to replace the shocks. Gas adjust KYB's $60

Grease, primer, paint, blah, blah... $30

I spent more than I anticipated. I hadn't actually tallied it up. Now I'm scared to. I think I should get new tie rods (I think that's the part that connects to the steering arm) and the car will need an alignment once it is put back together. I'm not sure on price, but I think I have about another $75 to spend on it.

On the bright side, I did score a free rear end and a set of four wheels and tires to make the bolt pattern match up.

Just wanted to put it into perspective for you. If you can find UCA's from a 73-76 disc equipped Dart, you can save a lot of money. My car has been on jack stands since the drums crapped out, while it took me a couple of months to buy all the parts. Now I just need to find the time to put it back together. Good luck!!!

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'71 Dart Swinger

You could also find good used ones, and turn them.


nationalmoparts.com has trailers full of 9" stuff.

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I've been calling it as i see it for my entire life and that's not about to change. Take it or leave it.

Well, your post did something odd to me. It's made me determined to do the swap . Strange yes, but I realize that I need my front end realigned, have to get the fluid changed, and of course, need the drums. I figure if I'm going to be under the car that long, I might as well make it worthwhile. I've checked out a little and the UCA's appear to be the same for a disc and a hub car(I've got a late production model 73). From NAPA I can get a 20% discount on a lot of things and should be able to find some of the parts in the junk yard with a little bit of looking. For the spindles is Dart the only way to go? And as I understand it you can use Volare parts for the rotors and spndles, correct? Are their any other potential "victims". I don't plan on doing anything performancewise for now and just plan on changing it to a stock disc brake setup. Oh, and I'm guessing that the bolt patterns not matching up would not cause any problems other than a little confusion.

You'll want:

Spindles from a 1973-1976 Dart/Sport/Duster/Valiant
(These aren't easy to find, but are the most painless swap in)
Your UCA's are fine (most pre-73 owner's forget that mopar was 'cost cutting' and standardized a lot of things during the last throws of the A-body...like your '73 Dart)
Your car may have the correct metering block (the 1974 and up ones are hollow and have no prop. valve)
You need a disk brake master cylinder (small front reservoir)
You can get junkyard 'hardware' and rotors from any 1973-1976 A-body with disk brakes, or 1976-1980 F-body (aspen, volare), or any M,J body (Diplomat, etc...) All 'late' disc brake rotors are Large Bolt pattern and 14" rims so you'll need those....
An optional 'swap' is to find a 1975-1978 'B' body (cordoba, Fury) and find the sliding caliper setup and big discs off that, they bolt right to the A-body spindles and provide better braking, but....you'll have to have a set of 15" large bolt pattern rims for those to work (take them off that same car...)


After that you can get remaned items like the calipers, new pads, hoses, bearings, etc for a few $$$, don't forget to get a manual that shows you where everything goes and give you the torque specs and assembly proceedure....

-D.Idiot

Well, though sort of strange, I have the disc/brake master cylinder. Which is odd, because I don't have dis/brakes, but oh well. Thanks for the suggestion on the different vehickles, that should be of immense help. Guess I better make sure my car doesn't have any other components(with my car I don't rule out anything ). I was wondering what a metering block was? Thanks for all the help!

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

Oooh, and I just realized I don't have the gasket for my master cylinder either. God my car's been loved in it's lifetime

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

Well, I researched this topic for months before I began gathering parts. I spent about twice as much as I planned. Things always come up. Here are some links to sites that I used for reference.

http://www.moparaction.com/Tech/archive/disc-main.html

http://www.bigblockdart.com/dbconversio ... rsion.html

http://www.bigblockdart.com/spindles/spindles.htm

Of coarse this site was also a huge resource. I printed a bunch of threads from this site for my info packet. I believe it is a worthwhile conversion, good brakes are very important. I just hope it all goes together well. I will post with results once I get it back together. Good luck.

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'71 Dart Swinger

Another good reference is Tom Condran's book, Performance Handling for Classic Mopars. He really gets into the nuts and bolts of how to find, pull, and prep the parts for a disk brake conversion. Of course, he thinks you should do it as part of a complete front end overhaul, while you've got it apart.
http://www.moparpages.com/suspension_book/

Thanks for all the info., guess I have to decide if I want to go for the A body spindles or the B body. The reading was very helpful.

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

I just finished putting a pair of Porsche 993 twin turbo calipers and 13.15 x1.250 rotors onto a pair of A body knuckles. Now that was a cool setup!

Ive never changed the prob valve on this swap. As long as you are using a master cyl for a disc brake car you should be fine.

Where did u find new 9" drums for under a 100 bucks? Around here in CT they are $75 EACH!

At Schucks, $48 a piece and probably better designed. Spokane Washington. I love Schucks, haven't found a place I like as much yet. For $18 you can get new unloaded calipers, at NAPA it's $32. Even with the ability to get a %20 discount at NAPA from friends Shucks is still cheaper . NAPA also never seems to have anything in stock... hard to pay for over-priced parts when they're not in

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.