66 Satellite Disc Brake Conversion and Suspension Repair

[Rick]

Starting Project to convert the front drum brakes to disc and upgrade the front suspension.

1966 Satellite orginally a 318 car but sometime in the past the 318 was replaced with a 1969 383 engine.

Would appreciate all comments and suggestions.

Wanting to go midrange in price and upgrade mainly for street use.

So it begins




- - - Updated - - -

Down to upper and lower control arms.

Hardest thing was removing old cotter pins from castle nuts without breaking them off. Getting to old to contort my body to get to everything. :icon_winkle:



Removed upper control arm

Looks like previous owner beat the control arm to hell and welded the ball joint in. LOL

Might be time for new control arms.

Anyone know the advantage of tubular control arms.

Also this car does not have a sway bar

 

[delfinomuro]

Here's the cheapest way to go in my opinion, and I'm doing the same to my 66 belvedere. Buy disc spindles from a 72-76 a-body (duster, demon, etc.) they will mount on to your original suspension as if it's factory(which they are). Make sure when buying the spindles that they come with the brackets. Then after that, you can go to your local auto parts store and buy the disc and calipers for a 72-76 duster or whatever. And BOOM!!! You got yourself a disc conversion. Now as for the master cylinder, I'm still working lol. But I believe if you get a master cylinder for a 74 duster with front disc, it should just mount on as well. Hope this helps and much luck to your project.

 

[OldBill]

Sounds like you are off to a great start. What size wheel rims are on your car? Mine has 14" and I understand that some calipers won't work on the 14" wheels? What about the the power brake booster and the proportioning valve?

 

[Fran Blacker]

I did the conversion from Mopar Action 10+ years ago. I used the big rotors 11.75" you need 15" wheels with them . Parts for that conversion are $$ today. I spent $560 to do the conversion, bought mostly new parts. Spindles were the only used parts. There are cheaper ways now and better part availability now with other parts.