Drum brakes use to be much better than they are now. The shoes contained asbestos, were arched to the drum.
That does not happen today. The drums are all made in China and quality control may be an issue. You
are risking a lot by driving with a brake system you do not have confidence in. Pete

Prestige Thunderbirds in Santa Fe Springs California has IMO perfected a disc brake kit. It uses 4 piston front brake calipers and can use your existing vacuum power assist unit if you want. He includes a correct master and definately knows what to do with with your rears. I discussed his unit on a full sized car and he suggested I complete the 8.8 replacement (drum rear) first since I already have it ready. The owner has a vast knowledge about the baby birds...

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Thanks for the input.  I bought this TBird about a year and a half ago.  I have gone though it making it as reliable as possible. New front end, aluminum radiator, brakes, new engine, clutch, gas tank, universals Etc.  I put a dual brake master cylinder on it for safety.  I drive the car around town and to the local cruises.  It's a blast to drive.  It needs better brakes.  It stops OK, but I worry about panic stops.  I am partial to Casco.  Everything I have purchased from them so far worked.  Their disk brake kit is a bit costly, but I'm sure it's complete and it works. Disk brakes are on my list.

To add to my previous comments. I bought the front disc from a tbird suppler back in 1999. Best I recall they were a spacer on the spindle, bearings, Granada rotors with the hub turned down (for the smaller center hole in the old wheels), brackets and calipers. Some related hardware and a dual master. The calipers were an early Fairlane unit, but the year escapes me and I don’t have my notes available. The kit moved the front wheels out maybe 1/8”, but did not result in any clearance issues. They’re still on the car, and the front rims are 7” and still clear.

The Granada conversion is nice and lowers the car. I’m using Aerostar springs on the front, and someone here used those with the Granada spindles and had to go back to stock springs as the car was too low for his driving conditions.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Ideally, you need a certain amount of line pressure for discs to work as they should.  Power assist makes that easier to achieve but is not absolutely necessary.  A smaller master cylinder bore, higher pedal ratio and your own strength can make that happen.

I don't have that pressure spec handy but the manufacturer of the brakes you use should be able to guide you.



Lawrenceville, GA

Phil, on my 55Tbird I converted to non power front disk brakes. I bought a kit from Master Power Brake in 1998 or so.
When I contacted them later to get some information about which calipers and rotors they used I was told that
because they had gone through a bankruptcy and new management was in charge NO RECORDS were
kept and they did not know me or my order. Oh dear.
 You asked if was worth it. YES. My cars stopping is order or magnitude BETTER than drums. NO FADING after
high speed stops. I had new drums and shoes but the braking was poor. No more one side grabbing after going
to the disk brakes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a heavy car like your Tbird. Pete

Phil, I have non power front only disc's on my 55 Bird and see no need for power. The difference in stopping is way better. I used a kit that mounted the callipers on the stock spindles, I don't remember who's kit it was right now.

  Vic Correnti

I have a question for those who have converted to front disks.  Do you believe this swap was worth the cost and effort?  How good are non power front disks?  My 55 TBird has stock drum brakes with a dual master cylinder conversion.  Everything is new.  It stops, but I wouldn't take it on an expressway.   Will front disks allow me to feel better about doing this?

i used 1979 Granada Spindles on the front ,the only modification is to ream the lower balljoint hole out to fit the 56 ball joint .on the rear i narrowed a 2001 ford Explorer rear end 2 7/8  inches .its much easier than it sounds . and along with disc brakes you get a tracloc and 373 gears and 31 spline axles   

When You convert to front Disc Brakes its very important to keep the rear Drum Brakes properly adjusted. I added self Adjusters to mine using Adjuster Kits from later Ford with same size Brakes. Disc Brakes do a very high % of the Braking but if the rears are not properly adjusted it can cause the back of the Car to "fishtail" for want of a better Description when the Brakes are applied in a hard Stop.