Perhaps not HAMB friendly, but

My brother (now 85), has a 62 Chrysler 300 convertible. He quit driving it some years ago because of brakes (drum, front & rear). The brakes are as good as they ever were, but he is now used to disc, and has no faith in the drum brakes.
I want to convert fronts to disc. Would anyone happen to know bolt pattern for this car? It has factory 14" wheels. Is there a simple conversion kit? He wants to keep the stock wheels and hubcaps.

Thanks for any help.

Jack

 

It should be 5 on 4.5. Nothibng wrong with discs on an old hooptie and if your brother is more comfortable with them and it will get him behind the wheel than more power to ya my friend.

 

4 1/2 x 5, do not know of a kit, but check www.forcbodiesonly.com these guys should be able to help

 

Lug pattern for the wheels are 5 on 4.5. I'm sure there is a conversation kit but I haven't looked for one. I have been working on a 1962 Chrysler 300 2dr hardtop that has sat since 1978.

Is the convertible a letter car?

 

Not a letter car, but a 413.
Kantor has a conversion kit, as does PST.
Thank y'all for your help. We're ging to tackle her Thursday after the 4th.

Jack

 

You might try a forum called the FORWARD LOOK, it deals with Chrysler products from I believe 1955 to 1962. Very good forum. Hope this helps.

 

Be careful when purchasing a conversion kit. Most require 15" wheels. The 62 Chryslers had 14" wheels with "nubs" that held the stock wheel covers in place.

 

I adapted disc brakes off of an '85 New Yorker onto my son's '66 Neuport. It involved considerable machine work and in general was a pain to do.

The biggest problem is that the old and the new spindles mount differently and since the calipers mount to the new spindles the new spindles need to be modified.

I didn't have to do any welding. I did have a bunch of trouble machining the old steering arms so that they would bolt to the new spindles; I don't know what Chrysler used to make the steering arms but it is really tough!

Berfore I did the conversion I looked around for a kit but didn't find anything that I would be willing to risk my life with. All of the kits that I found looked to be torch cut out of what ever was laying around.

If you can find a quality kit I would recommend using that since as I said making your own is a real pain.

With that said, the disc brakes are a night and day improvement over the drum brakes.

While I was at it I installed a dual master cylinder. It only took one brake failure with a single master cylinder to make me a believer!

 

I just bolted a set of 80's rear wheel drive Mopar spindles to my 61 Dodge. Fit right on! Just had to change the master over to a dual reservoir, disc/drum master to finish the job. And to fine tune, grind a bit off the stops for full turn radius.

 

You might want to check this out, http://www.chrysler300club.com/jhstuff/discbrake/mopar/disc.html

Tom...

 

www.aajbrakes.com

 

I used '77 NYer spindles on my '60 Plym with '77 brake stuff. Had to do a little shortening on the tie rods & ends, but not difficult.

 

scarebird on thre hamb should have what you need , i have used his parts and work great plus easy to do.

 

If it does not have power brakes, a booster may be all you need to make it more driveable.
I don't understand the anti-drum sentiment on here lately. If they are working correctly you should be able to lock up all four wheels without a lot of effort, with drums. Where discs excell is in repeated hard stops they don't fade like drums. But that generally is not normal driving.

~Alden

 

YOUr brother can feel a difference between drum brakes and disc brakes in normal everyday driving...???

I have a late model Cadillac with discs all around...and a '57 Chevy with drums and under normal braking/driving, I feel no absolutely difference...

IF the drum brakes are adjusted properly, there's nothing wrong with them...

R-

 

http://www.chrysler300club.com/jhstuff/62disc/62.html

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=28961

http://forums.aaca.org/f145/62-chrylser-300-sport-216318.html

http://www.chrysler300club.com/tech/techlist.html

 

That the notion he's got in his head anyway?
That is the excuse he keeps giving me for why he doesn't drive the car, so I'm gonna try to eliminate that excuse.

He is 85, so he needs to start back driving the car. If he gets comfortable with the brakes, he says he is going to repaint. Me and some buddies going get it ready for the painter.

 

Send a note to bigblockmopar
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/member.php?u=11628
Your swap sounds alot like his big car.

.

 

At 85 years of age, I'm curious as to why you think he needs to keep driving...??? Why don't you chauffeur him around, then you wouldhn't have to repaint his car...or put disc brakes on it...!!!

R-

 

love the FBBO.. in fact i'd better check in right now!

 

Hmmm, I'm curious why someone would be curious about someone 'thinking someone still NEEDS to drive'.

Sounds like the political problems we're having now. Folks thinking other folks don't 'need'.

 

love them old mopars, keep it going

 

If the 85 year old gentlemen seems to think he can TELL the difference between drum brakes and disc brakes on a 50 year old vehicle ('62 Chrysler convert), then may I suggest HE NEEDS someone to drive him around...cuz I don't think all of his faculties are intact...besides, he may get lost one day while out driving around testing his new brakes and heaven forbid his brother may have to go out and try to find him..!!!

And no, this does not have anything to do with whatever "political problems" we are having today...I merely questioned WHY an 85 year old needs to drive...I've seen too many little old ladies (and too many little old men) that can't even see over the steering wheel, let alone react quickly in case someone pulls out in front of them.

R-

 

Scarebird lists a kit for 1957-1961 Chryslers - I don't know what the difference is for 1962 but you could contact him to find out. http://www.scarebird.com/index.php?id=1

 

Brakes are good, more people should use 'em

 

40Stude, my brother is a very young 85, and has all his faculties in tact and working properly. Also, we live in a very rural area, and his farm is 25 miles from the nearest town, which has a population of about 5500 people.
If he wants to get the car so that he is comfortable driving it, and paint it, I'm going to do everything in my power to do that. He wants it, he can afford it, he's the only brother I have left, and gosh dangit, I'm going to help him, whether he needs it or not, PERIOD......

 

...sounds like an all too common problem of some folks telling the rest of us what they think is good for us...

Be sure to touch base with bigblockmopar on the disc swap.

.

 

Yeah, kinda reminds me of our political leaders.

Jack

 

My apologies to you and your brother...If my brother thought he could tell the difference between drum brakes and discs, I'd certainly question his faculties...but then again, I'd help him, as you are, whether I thought he was crazy or not...

R-

 

Nice to see there is no age limit to what we do here. Best of luck to you and your brother. Hope you get it all worked out.....