Recently got a solid 1963 Grand Prix. Super solid find. 421, automatic, 4.10s. Was an older drag car turned circle car. I am wanting to lose my 8 lugs (I know blasphemy) and am looking for a full swap. I know its been covered a few times, but if anyone knows exactly what I need or HAS what I need, I am not planning on keeping the 8 lug stuff and am more than willing to trade. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. More pics to follow!
You just swap out the brakes for Pontiac brakes with 5 lugs. Anything from th era will swap, no problem. I wish I had the stuff I would trade you right now and drive up with the pieces. I can't even count the old Ponchos that got thsoe 8 lug wheels pulled in favor of 5 lug American's when I was young.
Yep, like Beaner said, it's a simple swap. No different than what you'd do during a brake job. The rear is the easiest. The rear 8 lug drums are held on with regular lug nuts. Just pull the lug nuts, pull off the 8 lug drum, slip on a regular cast iron drum, get a 5 lug wheel and bolt it on. The front will require a set of cast iron drums with hubs as well as all of the bearings and another pair of 5 lug wheels. Those 8 lugs are worth money, don't just dump them.
Carefull when removing the lug nuts. If it still has the '63 drums, there will be left and right hand threaded lug nuts. 1963 was the last year for it.
Thanks for some feedback already guys. I think the 8 lugs are cool as hell, just not my thing. Pork, I wish you had the stuff too, haha. Id meet you in the middle!
I'm going to look and see if I can find something to trade you. 62 Catalina should work well. I have a neat scar in my eyebrow from the console mounted vacuum gauge of a 63 GP. I was about three years old when that happened. Lots of jokes about that incident being the moment cars got into my blood.
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