MG Sports Cars

Jim, Here's what you need! 94 Lexus LS400,same aluminum calipers as Twin Turbo Supra.12.4" Rotor. Ford pattern though. You could use a spacer that is Ford to Chevy lug pattern.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2011 11:30PM by mgb260.

For stock 4 lug hubs,14" wheels. 86-88 Toyota Cressida rotors like used in TR6 with 86-88 Toyota 4 cyl 4X4 caliper S12W-8 or 86 -91 Mazda RX7 Turbo II aluminum calipers.Here are pics of TR6 with Cressida rotor with Toyota caliper and the Mazda calipers on a Volvo.








Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2011 09:00PM by mgb260.

Cressida rotor center hole must be same size as MGB. Mounting holes would be slotted inward slightly. Mazda caliper ears would be outside MGB mount holes.Simple bracket. Caliper would have Mazda ground off,could be polished. I wouldn't use anti-rattle clips on either,use residual valve. For master cylinder I would use 78 Ford Fairmont 7/8" aluminum cylinder on later MGB and Wilwood compact 7/8" on older.If using Toyota caliper,Toyota lower mounting ear would be above MGB lower mounting area for custom bracket. Good looking setup with vented rotors,4 piston calipers for those who wish to retain 4 lug 14" wheels. A spacer may still be required for some rims.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2011 11:27AM by mgb260.

That's the kind of stuff that I love reading; it's a lot more fun and better than buying expensive Wilwood brake kits. I like the aluminum caliper for their "unsprung weight" value. Thanks for sharing these good old salvage yard hot rodding options.

Where do you come up with all this awesome stuff, Jim?!!

Carl, Just 40 years of street rodding,muscle cars and 4 wheelin'. Old coupes,Jeeps,Gawd don't get me started. Actually I think it's fun! The gears are always turnin'. I am ordering Cressida rotors today. They have 100 mm bolt circle.MGB is 96mm. So 4mm smaller divided by 2. 2mm in. should be easy. I like the Mazda calipers too. Lots on Ebay.Happen to have the larger 88-95 V6 4X4Toyota calipers on hand, a little larger than the S12-8 as all 4 pistons are the large size.They are real popular in Nissan Z conversions.The bracket would be the same though. Would need a 15/16"-1" master. It probably wouldn't work with all 14" wheels. Would work with any 15" though. Here is a picture:




Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2011 06:41PM by mgb260.

Another option, third gen 93-95 RX7 caliper. Same mounting and pads as earlier one. Looks a little more modern. The Mazda aluminum calipers weigh about half as much as the iron large Toyota V6 caliper in picture above. The smaller Toyota above weighs about the same as stock or in between the larger iron one and the aluminum.
Remember these calipers are for 22mm (.88) thick rotors like the Cressida. Also if you grind off the Mazda name, don't grind off the square bump or rib, there is a passage underneath.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2011 12:42PM by mgb260.

Jim,

What rotor is that pictured with the Mazda caliper? I'm all set with the T-100, Mustang hubs, and Intrepid parts but now you have me thinking...

DT

David, The rotor is on a Volvo(stock 10 1/2" .88" thick). Those calipers are for those who want to fit more modern setups under 14" wheels with the stock hubs and Cressida rotors. 38MM pistons compared to 45mm on large Toyota calipers. The Intrepid rotor is 1" thick. Lots of different options.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2011 07:49PM by mgb260.

Does the Volvo use the Ford pattern, or Chevy?

Jb

Neither Jim, The Volvo rotor is just to show the Mazda caliper. Volvo is 5X4.25. I think I'm confusing people with too much info. I'm getting slammed with E-mails on upgrades for stock MGB hubs. So, with stock 4 lug hubs,14" wheels the Cressida rotors and S12-8 Toyota calipers, or Mazda calipers. Jim, the Lexus one up above is a large caliper with 12.4" rotor with Ford pattern,the Mustang hubs narrow the track 3/4" each side so with the 1" adapters you would be close to stock and allow clearance for the large caliper. .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2011 01:28PM by mgb260.

Appreciate that Jim but I don't plan on running adapters. Right now I've got modified wire wheel hubs (they are forged or billet steel unlike the cast steel wheel hubs and are fitted with a 5/8" thick pressed and welded flange) drilled to the Ford pattern. When the time comes to change over I'll just re-drill the flanges for the Chevy pattern and move the studs. So I'll have to match up hats and caliper mounts to get the right spacing. At the moment I don't recall if the hats mount to the front or the back of the flange, probably the back though, it was the standard Mustang setup before they went to one piece replacements. But, with the Jag/Chevy pattern at the rear the front will be due for an upgrade. I'll be running 17" wheels so space is not a limitation. I like the looks of those Mazda calipers. Getting away from the Ford units will drop a good bit of unsprung weight. Then it's just a matter of finding the right hat. Something light would be nice, maybe in a large diameter. I think using the Chevy pattern is going to be the way to go. Wonder what they used on the late model Vettes?

JB

For those interested, I'm working on a simple "how to" based on Jim's combination of Mustang hubs, Intrepid rotors, and T-100 calipers (with his blessing). I have all of the parts on hand (also happen to have the entire front cross-member and suspension out of the car on rack - great for pictures) and just need to squeeze in some time to take a few pictures, make the parts list (a bit more than those listed above), and do a write up. It may be a week or so before I can post anything. I'd also like to add a disclaimer here: I'm aware of Bill Guzman's and Ted Lathrop's brake kits. They are both fine products with solid value. For some (myself included), part of the fun of all of this is seeing what can be done with off-the-shelf or salvage parts, part of it is to see how inexpensively a "big brake" kit can assembled by your typical DYIer. There is no doubt, there will be some trade-offs here over a Wilwood aluminum caliper and a hat/rotor set-up (or similar), weight for one but right now, this about seeing what can be done. Stay tuned...

I think it's a great route to be pursuing. Again, no dis to our vendors, for a no fuss no muss theirs is the way to go. But with all the really good OEM brake packages out there, something has to fit without too much trouble.

JB

Appreciate that Jim B.

Here's the basic idea. Low cost, off-the-shelf or salvage parts, machine work minimal (preferrably something you could accomplish at home), offers a significant improvement over stock, fits 5-lug (Ford in this case) hubs. I want to say right up front, that Jim Nichols is the guy who did all the work figuring this stuff out. I'm just going to organize it, put it down on paper, and make it (hopefully) easier for others who want to follow the same path. Not everyone has $600, $700, or $1200 to spend on a decent set of brakes. With today's components it should be possible to put together a real stop-fast package for $300 or less. That's the goal. We'll see how it comes out.

Well said guys, Jim, those RX7 calipers are light but a little on the small side. They were originally on 11" diameter,22mm thick(.88") rotor for 14"wheels. The Cressida caliper is 22mm thick and will mount behind the stock MGB hub just like the TR6 pictured above. You should check out the other thread in the Handeling section. You could use the newer Camaro rotors and calipers(same calipers as C5 Vette except mounting pattern and less fins) about twice as big as stock MGB and should use the 1" Corvette master cylinder like the Roadmaster. I don't plan on putting a rotor behind the Mustang hub like original,just too many nice slip on rotors out there. I think the confusion started when I suggested you might put the solid early Toyota pickup rotor behind the hub like stock MGB to use the stock calipers. I think that would be a lot of work just to get 5 lugs. You might as well go vented and better calipers.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2011 07:56PM by mgb260.

For my car, I'm thinking a slip-on rotor would be a better choice too. It won't work with 14" wheels because the hub is too big to leave room for the brakes once the rotor goes over top of it I'm thinking. But for a larger wheel application it should not be a problem. So, the newer Camaro and Corvette rotors might be a good choice. As I recall the Camaro used a 16" wheel and the Corvette used 17's for sure. It bears looking into. This puts the wheel flange outboard by the thickness of the rotor hub but that isn't a problem and actually will probably be helpful in making the front wheels a closer match to the rear ones on the Jag IRS. Any caliper mount I can make is going to be simpler and lighter than the existing early 70's Mustang-to-MGB adapters on the car now, they weigh several pounds each.

JB

Great info and a write up would be awesome.

One thought though It has mentioned several times above about 14" wheel fitment, Just my opinion but who is going to change over to 5 bolt or build up a nice brake set up and still run a 14" wheel, just a thought.

Again all, great job, I have been wanting to research all this for a few years now.
Joe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2011 06:29AM by MGB SS.

Joe, I think the confusion is my fault, the 14" setup is for the guys who want more modern brake with the stock 4 lug hubs.Should have started a new thread. All the 5 lug setups would be for 15" -16"-17" rims. Then there is also Ford or Chevy? I think the Mustang hubs/Intrepid rotors for Ford and Chevelle/Monte Carlo hubs/Camaro rotors for Chevy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2011 11:05PM by mgb260.

I would be interested in a complete bolt on 5 lug disc brake swap if that is possible. Small Ford pattern. I also can not go any wider than stock.

I do not have access to machining equipment.