.81" rotor durability - street use?

[Rick Dorion]

I'm looking at my options for upgrading from manual drums to discs.

I like the 4-piston wilwoods. Looks like the front rotors are .81". How do they hold up in street use? My 69 had a C4 setup/hydroboost which was overkill for my type of use. TIA.

[silver69camaro]

What are you doing with the car?

BTW, there really isn't such a thing as "overkill" when it comes to brakes, as long as they work properly and don't provide any significant downsides.

[Rick Dorion]

Hi, Matt

My car is street driven. I just picked up a 68 from Jake's Rod Shop and it has manual drums, 15" rims, etc so I'm starting fresh with a small budget. If I were to go C5 I'd need big rims/tires too. If I keep the 15" rims maybe I can piece together a nice disc setup that matches my street use. Looking for direction and experiences. TIA.

[BRIAN]

There are options for 15" wheels they just aren't as nice looking as the big wheel stuff. With keeping 15" tires the biggest tire in anything with grip is like a 225 so you will over brake the tire before the brakes become the limiting factor.

Wilwood, Sierra, Outwlaw, etc all make bolt on light weight big bore GM style caliper replacements at about $100-125 ea. US Brake or Afco make a lite weight rotor depending on what set up you use. It is also a common race set up so you can also find 2 piece rotors up tp 1.25" thick. That combo will put some serious stopping power. Evert performance pad mfg make aggressive to race pads for GM style pads.

I also just did a praise dyno brake set up and can tell you it STOPS and there is zero fade under some heavy driving on a wagon.

There are options they just aren't pretty. Buy some cheap 16" rims as nobody wants them and upgrade to the Vette 245 45 15? there are tons of options and compunds in that size.

Good luck!!

[Rick Dorion]

Thanks, Brian

Good point about over braking the tires.

[6'9"Witha69]

0.81 will work fine. I still run them up front on mine. Not great for track days but good for everything else

[68sixspeed]

I use to run the 12" C4 brake setup inside 15" rims with good luck on street and autocross use. (the 'Dave Pozzi" setup) Pretty inexpensive to set up and good parts availablity too. I like that I could pick up a caliper or rotor at any parts store if needed. If you need to test fit rims I still have my 12" setup here.