Not Imperial, but close. I changed a 1966 Newport to front discs from a 1972 Fury.
I had done everything that I could with the drum brakes. Everything was new except for the proportioning valve which is actually only a brass T. Typical application of the drum brakes on the Highway resulted in change of direction with little slow down. I was also always worried about getting a leak and losing my brakes totally.
The difference with the front discs was dramatic. The car would stop hard and straight without even holding the steering wheel.
A big part of the motivation to purchase my 1969 LeBaron was the fact that it already had front discs. The Budd brakes in this car are even better than those that I put in my Newport. Of course there are other issues with Budd brakes.
Personally, I feel that if you want to drive these cars above 35 mph, front discs are almost essential. Even below 35 mph they may be necessary. I had someone in a Grand Caravan pull directly infront of me while I was driving at 35 mph (speed limit) in my Suburban. I hit the brakes as hard as I could and had I not been able to drive around the back of the van onto the shoulder I would have t-boned him. The brakes just slowed me down enough to avoid the van and that was front disc with ABS at about 6000 lbs.
Good luck
----- Original Message -----
From: dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: 1966 Imperial checkin & brakes
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 0:18:54 -0500
Hi All.....I know I know, "to convert or not to
convert" has been kicked around LOTS on this
list but I have had a number of close calls,
regarding braking distances, when on the
interstates here in southern California. As
anyone who travels these Interstates knows its
almost impossible to leave a 'safe' stopping
distance beween your (Imperial) vehicle and the
ones ahead of you since either 3 people try and
move into that space or you find out real quick
that the other (newer) cars can stop in MUCH
shorter distances than you can! I have heard
many discussions about changing to front disc's
and whether or not its actually going to make a
big enough difference to try it. Has anyone out
there actually changed to front disc's on their
1966 Imperial??? (I have a convertible if
that's any matter, other than the extra
weight).....At one time I tried to keep log of
how many '66 Imperials we had on this IML but
gave up eventually. If you have a 1966 Imperial
(any body style) and would please email me
offline with just a short blurb I will try and
make a case to one of the companies that makes
disc conversion kits (SSB, etc) saying that
there are XXXX number of vehicles out there
that could use this product and see if they are
interested in maybe (?) making a bolt-on type
conversion kit for our year(s). If some of the
experts on this list would also chime in as to
what other years would benefit from this
converion we might come up with a decent enough
total number that a reasonable price could be
gotten from the supplier. I am guessing that
the 1964-65 Imperials might (??) also have the
same front end configuration as my '66 but I am
certain that others of you out there know for
sure what years apply or do not.
Thanks all!...please email me off line so we do
not waste the time of the IML'ers that are not
interested in this thread.
(dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Hope to see a bunch of IML people at the
Northern/Southern Cal Imperial owners
get-together at SOLVANG this coming April!!!
Dan Melnik
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