Brakes: disk brakes

[K-Hawk]

What would be the most economical way to convert to disk brakes on a 62 hawk. My brakes are fine now, I am just planning for future ?? thanks K-hawk

[Bullet]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say to get 63/66 front disc brakes and rear drums from a donor car. Also upgrade to the power booster and dual master cyclinder. There is always the option of Turner brakes, but you said mot economical.

Others here with more experience will let you know better, I am sure.

Mark

[doug]

I have the whole front suspension from an Avanti II that would bolt right on. Very reasonable, come by and take a look.

[BobPalma]

The most economical way is to use a Turner Disc Brake conversion. That way, you don't have to change the rear brakes.

If you use a whole Studebaker setup, you'll need to change the rears as well and you'll be looking at some pricey parts for a setup that does not work as well as Turner's when you're all done.

And while you're at it, install his dual-piston master cylinder bracket and kit on the car as well. BP

[JoeHall]

I once had a 1963 GT with factory PDB. They worked great, but only after sending the calipers off to WhitePost for stainless steel relining, and the booster off to Florida for rebuild (neither was cheap). Even then, they had a few little quirps. As for your original question, unless you get real lucky and find an NOS factory set, Turners is probably the cheapest. I cannot say which is best, because I've never ran Turners. But if his DB setup is anywhere near as well engineered as well as his dual master cylinder setup, I'd but with confidence; I have installed several of those over the years.

Joe

[53k]

What would be the most economical way to convert to disk brakes on a 62 hawk. My brakes are fine now, I am just planning for future ?? thanks K-hawk

Personally I would stick with the current drum brake system. The finned drums on Hawks or 289 Larks work very well when properly maintained. Unless you are going to do a lot of racing or severe mountain driving, I don't see that much gain with disc brakes. And, IMHO the power booster (Hydrovac) is a troublesome, awkward obstruction under the hood. You have good leverage with your Hawk through-the-floor pedal system. I have both a '64 Wagonaire with Bendix discs and a '64 Avanti with Turner brakes and I have owned two '64 GTs with Bendix disc brakes. Both stopped fine. The Hydrovac was removed from one and it still stopped well. The other had the Hydrovac and stopped well, but the booster was very erratic.

[santa]

Had the Turner disk brake and dual master installed on my '62 Hawk. Best thing I ever did to it.
Well-engineered, straightforward install - and Phil is great with tech questions.

Get the Turner brakes.

[bob1944]

The fastest way is Turner Brake kit, not the cheapest but Turner was helpful got what I ordered and it fit big plus. You can get the caliper and rotors and build your own mounting but takes time. Mine went on my 55 Commander coupe two years and no trouble.

[TXmark]

http://hotrodsandbrakes.com/studebakerbrakekits.aspx

Has anyone used these guys?

[sweetolbob]

What would be the most economical way to convert to disk brakes on a 62 hawk. My brakes are fine now, I am just planning for future ?? thanks K-hawk

As you plan for the future, be sure to add up the cost of replacement parts. That gets to be important with Stude rotors at $200/ea and master cylinders and wheel cylinders adding to the cost significantly.

I'll bet that the Turner system purchased full dress from Jim will add up to less.

I wouldn't start on a new install with used parts unless they had only been recently installed on the donor vehicle.

Bob

[Gunslinger]

I don't know what the current costs on the Turner kit is, but the last price I saw it was $600-$650 for everything...rotors, calipers, pads, brackets, hoses...everything but the labor to install it. When stock type Studebaker rotors are running $200 each plus the costs of calipers, hoses, and everything else, it's far more cost effective to go Turner. You'll end up with a modern system as well.

I'm not knocking the Dunlop/Bendix system...it's simply not cost effective to convert to that unless you get it for free.

[plwindish]

The front pads of the Turner system have about 2.5 times the area of the Dunlap/Bendix pads.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Actually...the most "economical"...way is to build your own. There's a couple of us that have.
Some steel material, a caliper, a hyd. line and a rotor... Mine cost a fraction of the only boxed set available.

But you should be good with your hands and somewhat understand braking systems.

You did say economical...!

Mike

[BrianC]

On my 63 GT Hawk I'm installing a dual master from Summit, complete with proportioning valve. I was told by Summit that i don't need a pedal kit, but i cant see how the existing linkage is supposed to work. What exactly did you do on your Hawk? Did you use the existing pedal linkage? Thanks