Brakes: Has anyone changed a Disc. brake hawk to Drum Brakes 1963 -1964

[G T Joe]

Has anyone changed a Disc brake hawk 1963-1964 to drum brakes , if you did , what changes did you do, and why?

[Dick Steinkamp]

I haven't done it, but it makes sense. The self energizing finned drum brakes stop the car quite well and drum brake parts are available and inexpensive. It also give you the opportunity to use a dual MC that you can't use with the stock disc brake set up.

You'll have to change both the front and back brakes since the rear brakes with the disc set up are non self energizing and designed solely for use with the front discs. You should get rid of the troublesome hydrovac since it is really not needed with the self energizing drums and would probably make them too sensitive (just my guess). The stock MC is different between disc cars and drum cars, and you'll need the drum pedal since the geometry is different from disc cars. You'll need a variety of new hard lines since you eliminate the hydrovac, and more if you replace the stock MC with a dual chamber one.

[Bo Markham]

[QUOTE=Dick Steinkamp;661684]I haven't done it, but it makes sense. The self energizing finned drum brakes stop the car quite well and drum brake parts are available and inexpensive. It also give you the opportunity to use a dual MC that you can't use with the stock disc brake set up.

Why can't one use a dual M/C with stock disc brake set up?

[Dick Steinkamp]

Why can't one use a dual M/C with stock disc brake set up?

The hydrovac only allows one in and one out. If you eliminated the hydrovac you could, but I don't know if the car would be drivable without the power assist.

[Dan White]

The PO of my '64 R1 Hawk did this since the old disk were pretty well shot. He removed the hydrovac and put on the big finned front drums, no change on the rear brake setup. It worked OK. I converted it back to Hydrovac/disk, but with an aftermarket disk setup, not the stock Stude version. Have not had any problems with it since converting back.

I would suggest you look at the front disk kits that are out there. Much better than the original, I have both, stock on my R2 Hawk and aftermarket on the R1 and the R1's brakes are far superior.

[Bo Markham]

The hydrovac only allows one in and one out. If you eliminated the hydrovac you could, but I don't know if the car would be drivable without the power assist.

Dick,

I see what you mean. I hadn't thought much about the hydrovac unit used on hawks. I was thinking of my 64 T-cab, Daytona and Avanti with conventional power booster mounted on firewall.

Bo

[Hawklover]

I will do you one better.........Avanti owner Peter Crisitello has removed the disk fronts and installed drums with drum master cyl.

Has anyone changed a Disc brake hawk 1963-1964 to drum brakes , if you did , what changes did you do, and why?

[G T Joe]

Has he posted this swap on the forum ?

[SN-60]

To: GT Joe,---Yes, I did that conversion on a '63 GT Hawk at the owners request. And it turned out fine, but personally I thought it was really a step 'backwards'. I'd straighten out the original disc system, paying
careful attention to the disc booster and it's vacuum hose, or better yet go with modern Turner brakes up front.

[63 R2 Hawk]

SI, among other vendors, has all the parts needed to rebuild the original Dunlop disc brakes, probably for less than what it would cost to convert to drums. My Hydrovac has never worked since I bought the car and it stops with authority. Gonna rebuild it "whenever I find the time" though.

[52 Ragtop]

" Gonna rebuild it "whenever I find the time" though"

SI has brand new hy-dro-vacs! I was hoping to have brand new Avanti style boosters available at the International Meet, but---


Jim

[Gunslinger]

If you're not concerned about correctness and originality, you can install a modern booster and master cylinder. That's what I had done last year after my Avanti was damaged due to brake failure. After the body damage was repaired I asked a speed shop I deal with to look into new, more effective master cylinder and booster. They worked with a performance brake supplier and came up with a good combination...an Allstar Performance 8" ALL 41006 booster and a Wilwood 2604894 master cylinder. The only real extra effort was the mounting bracket for the booster had to be modified some.

There are three different master cylinders in the Wilwood series like the one I had installed...each with a different bore size to make the pedal harder or softer. Mine is the middle size. The booster is available on Amazon.com and the master cylinder is available through Summit Racing or Jegs. There is a write up and photograph of my installation on Bob Johnstone's website http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/...lum210911.html.

While I like to use our Studebaker vendors as much as possible, this was simply too good to not do, but my car is not the least correct and original, which may make this a non-starter for anyone who wants to preserve the correct appearance of their car.

[Dick Steinkamp]

If you're not concerned about correctness and originality, you can install a modern booster and master cylinder. That's what I had done last year after my Avanti was damaged due to brake failure.

This might be tough to do in a GT with the underfloor MC.

[swvalcon]

If a guy realy wants to do it just remove the pedals and install a aftermarket under dash pedal system and go late model master with booster.

[G T Joe]

Is there a possible brake problem , if you retain the disc brake hydrovac, and use the front drums ? , should you also change the hydrovac? what about the rear wheel cylinders?