Technical 1959 Ford Galaxie disc brake conversion info wanted

Looking at picking up a 59 Ford. Will need the brakes completely replaced. So my thought is it would be a good time to do a front disc swap.
I know there are kits out there, but looking to see if there any "swap combos" or later vehicle direct bolt on swaps?

 

Late 60s/early 70s (up to '73 I think) Ford full-size will bolt on, but they're not so easy to find these days. Also '72-79 Torino/Montego/LTDII full-frame cars. Some use Granada brakes, but the spindle geometry isn't the same. If you find a OEM setup, look for the later style 'sliding' caliper, not the earlier pin-and-sleeve type as they're known for uneven pad wear, and most if not all OEM setups will require 15" wheels. There's lots of kits available (try Scarebird) that use more 'common' parts and really won't be much more money than trying to rebuild the early Ford stuff and you won't have to change spindles.

 

Crazy Steve,
Thanks for the reply! I was looking at the Scarebird stuff. Not sure if I'm comfortable with the welded brackets.
I'll look into them further.

 

I would use the Scarebird brackets over lots of kits that are floating around. Wilwood makes a nice conversion, if I had to do it again, I'd go that route.

 

btt

 

I used fellow HAMBer's hotrod428's kit on my '62 Merc, everything works really well. It uses Granada rotors with Monte Carlo calipers. Link to his website is below.

http://hotrodsandbrakes.com/Ford_Disc_Brake_Kits.html

 

my FB2 kit will fit your car. I've sold over a hundred of these with no problems. check out my web site.

 

I used the wilwood kit thats a direct bolt on that uses the factory spindles. I was very happy with the instructions and quality of the kit

 

Are the brackets two piece and welded or single piece? Also do they widen or reduce track width. Or stay stock track width?

 

Which kit did you use? The only one I saw listed was for 1960 and newer.

 

I had a lot of problems with your kit. The calipers wouldn't fit the brackets, I had to measure & re-machine those. The welded-on lugs were crooked, 2 of them had to come off and be properly located, then all were welded with more than a tack weld that they came with. The lugs had no positive locating feature, I would suggest turning a shoulder on them so they nest on the brackets correctly.

 

Sib, here is wilwoods part number for the kit 83514013653 it is available just about anywhwere. This is the exact kit that I ordered and was a direct bolt on. Hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions

 

Do you know if you can still use the stock wheels with this kit?

 

You're not going to be able to use the OEM 14" wheels with any disc kit. Some kits will allow (barely) use of 15" early wheels, but if you want to stay with 14s, you'll need to use later 'disc brake' wheels. Look at '68-73 Mustangs, Fairlanes, Torinos, and mid-late 70s Mavericks and Granadas (plus all their same-year Mercury cousins). Pretty much any aftermarket 14" wheel will clear discs too.

 

I am mainly trying to retain the use of the stock hubcaps. Otherwise It wouldn't be an issue.

 

I just use whatever I can find and adapt it. I am not as smart as many but I have a lot of fun in the process if seeing if I can do it.

I have only heard good about @Scarebird 's stuff I would not be afraid to try it at all.

 

Make sure you ask if the kit will clear 14" wheels, because not all of them do. I believe you'll be limited to 10-11" rotor sizes, any larger and you'll have to go with 15" wheels.

This kit will work.... http://ssbrakes.com/i-10092475-disc-brake-kit-front-4-piston-manual-11-inch-rotors-a152.html
... being a reproduction of the optional first-generation discs that Ford used on the 65-67 Mustang and 67 Cougar, Comet, and Fairlane. These are good brakes (better IMO than the cheaper-to-build versions that showed up in '68) but SSB is the only source for them these days and they're not cheap.

 

We do have a version that will clear 14" drum rims, though the rotor is 10" vs. 11.25" for the 15" version.

 

I bought scarebirds kit. It was a very unpleasant experience and the parts did not fit until I took a grinder to the scarebird parts

 

The 68-71 Mustang, 68-71 Torino, 68-70 Cougar and others of that era all will work. I used 69 Torino disc brakes on my 57 and I did have to ream the bottom ball joint on the spindle out.

Not sure if 59's use the same bottom ball joint as 57's though.

 

I don't like these for three reasons; one, the caliper/mount design is poor. These are infamous for wearing the pads/rotors unevenly if you don't replace all the caliper hardware at each pad change. The later 'sliding' caliper design is much better. Two, the spindle geometry isn't the same. They're not as tall as the full-size spindles, have slightly shorter steering arms and different Ackermann compared to OEM. Three, these have been out of production for 45 years and parts aren't common any more....

 

So once you get past the disc part of the swap what are your plans for a Master cyl. and Booster?
The Wizzard

 

Good questions, I had the brake lines re-done so it is ready for a dual master. I have power brakes, so I am not sure there is a kit for that as well.

 

You say you have Power brakes. That must mean you have a Booster somewhere. What style did you end up with? My 59 is manual so I'm not sure if the 59 still used the 57-58 style bellows and Vacc can or not. On my 57 I mounted a later style normal Booster and appropriate Master.

 

Wow! I got sucked into a 41 MONTH old post for just replying to a notification instead of looking at what I was doing. I guess I am starting to show my Age.

 

The 59 style booster is inside the passenger compartment. If it's working, keep it. I prefer to use factory Ford parts to do disc swapping. Ford still used 14" wheels on some full size cars with the disc brakes. Not that hard to find the right spindles and calipers are available over the counter.

 

Where do you get new spindles over the counter?

That said, we now offer a setup that will fit inside the 14" drum rim

 

I didn't say that the spindles were available over the counter, just that they are relatively easy to find.

 

Hi 62rebel , i hope you or anyone else could help me , I have a 1959 Ford Country Sedan and the brakes are not very good . I have fitted a Willwood disc brake kit , new rear drums, shoes ,master cylinder ,braided stainless flexy lines , and i have tested the original type booster and that seems to work , but the brakes still feel wooden with no bite . I usually make up my own disc brake conversions for cars but this is the first American car i have owned and living in England it seemed easier to buy the willwood kit , perhaps the willwood pads aren't that good ..... anyone with any ideas ?

 

Since this thread has had fairly recent replies --
@Pist-n-Broke @59fordyfairgalax500 - have you made progress on your brakes?
I'm also looking at buying the Wilwood front kit for my '62 Ford Country Sedan wagon. What I'm not sure about is which master cylinder to use. Whether it be one from Wilwood (they have different bore sizes available) or a factory Ford disc/drum MC from something like a Granada or Torino (I think those are a bolt-on).