1965 Chevy Bel Air Wagon Disc Brakes - Gimme A Brake

Here are a couple of different shots of exactly how the bracket should fit. Notice the arrows pointing to the spacers: One on the top of the bracket and the other on the bottom.

With the brackets in place, pack the wheel bearings in grease and slide on the rotor. Don't forget to add the seals, which we almost forgot to do.

All the necessary hardware such as bearings, spindle nut, and seals are provided in the kit. The grease cap however, was a mere hair to large to fit into the rotor.

You could use the old stock cap, or rap it a few times with the hammer to bend it into shape. We used a hammer.

Now that both sides of the car have the new disc brakes installed, the last part is to install the wheels.

The nagging thought that plagued my mind during the install was "Will the stock 14-inch wheels fit over the new calipers?" Guess what? They didn't. I took a peak at Performance Online's Web site and read that most 14-inch wheels will not fit this application. In the words of Homer Simpson, "DOH!" At this moment the install has come to a halt.

In our next issue, we will install the new booster, get some larger wheels, and test the stopping ability of the new brakes. In the mean time, the wagon will sit in my driveway, on jackstands with no wheels. I'm sure the neighbors are going to label me an "Appalachian American" once they see a car on stands in my front yard. To complete the look, I think I may leave some scattered parts about the yard and maybe an old fridge.