RAD Ideas : Mustang GT and Cobra brake adapter bracket update

[Bob Andrews]

Hey, Tom. Good to see you here. People as smart as you are a great asset to the club, and to the hobby in general!

[jlmccuan]

You might check with the offroad Jeep folks for the Dana 44 model. They do more mods than everyone else combined. I got a fantastic rear cover with bearing support from DTS in Louisville.

[Mangusta1969]

Tom,

Glad you are still on the case. The CAD drawings are beautiful.

My new 17" Cobra wheels are now sitting in the garage next to some rebuilt and powder coated 03/04 Cobra 13" front calipers/brackets that I just purchased from a local racer friend of mine. Please keep me on the top of your list when you have some disk brake conversion brackets ready for sale or prototype fitments on my 63 Avanti.

[sbca96]

Hey, Tom. Good to see you here. People as smart as you are a great asset to the club, and to the hobby in general!

Thanks Bob, there are many here that contribute, I am just doing what I can.

You might check with the offroad Jeep folks for the Dana 44 model.

I thought that too, I contacted Dynatrac since they make custom Dana 44 and Dana 60 axles
for offroad use and have screenshots posted in some online articles that show a 3D software,
but they didn't even reply back! It bugs me when a Vender has a website and a contact email
and dont bother checking or replying. What I was asking for isnt am intellectual property of
theirs, they use the Dana housings. I am moving slowly up the chain of command at Dana ..
so hopefully that gets me something.

Glad you are still on the case. The CAD drawings are beautiful.

They are coming along ... just hate the center section, its just a basic rough-in. I did some
e-brake cable models based on info provided by Karl Sparks. I had stalled on coming up with
something and Karl is a crafty guy so he made a bracket that uses one of the caliper bolts. I
am going to incorporate a bracket that uses its own bolt, so that torquing the caliper bracket
isnt affected. I made a prototype for my Avanti, but the use of the caliper bolt you have to
balance tightening with keeping the bracket from rotating - quite frustrating.

Tom

[sbca96]

Just a note that I am still working on this, though its been slowed from job search and I found
that I have a hole in the roof of my house!! A rain storm (yes RAIN in California!) let me know
about this in early December. I have a tile roof, and its near the chimney so when the wall on
the side of the fireplace dumped water under the carpet, I knew I had a problem. Trying to do
work on the roof during California's rainy season really sucks. First the temp patch, now its all
torn up and piles of tile on the back porch. Home ownership is the American dream?

The front redesign has been completed now for a while, the rear is slow going as I keep trying
to make something that can be used for either GT or Cobra and the hole distance is different.
I also upgraded my PC RAM to handle the models better, but the new-to-me awesome video
card took a dump. If I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all.

Hopefully the next post has a completed rear design! I contacted a few water jet CNC shops
to get an idea of the process for a quote. No word back from either Dana or Dynatrac on the
Dana 44 solid models.

Tom

[Mangusta1969]

My Avanti is quietly resting here for the winter season, but she is still looking forward to sporting a set of SBCA96 disk brakes and 17 inch Cobra wheels when you have completed things in 2015!

[sbca96]

I got a response back from Dana .. unfortunately its not the one I wanted :

Hi Tom,

I have been instructed that this type of information cannot be provided as Dana does not provide drawings and/or models as they are the intellectual property of Dana Holding Corp, and it is against our corporate policy.

Regards,

[karterfred88]

Just an out-in-left-field idea for sourcing your 3D files for the rear axle--have you tried Currie or another after marker axle housing manufacturers? They might be a little more sympathetic as you won't be making rear ends and they might have what you need already since they make aftermarket parts to fit the Dana 44 already.
I'm waiting on the front adapters to start my conversion, but think shoving a late 90's Explorer 8.8 with rear disks will be good enough for the rears, too much to do to the original tapered axle rear to make it cost effective. For the cost of flanged axle conversion, disc rear brake conversion and time used, I can put in 3 good used 8.8 assemblies and just put new perches and traction bar brackets on them.

[sbca96]

Yes.. I tried Dynatrac, they make custom Dana 44's for offroad use.

Tom

Just an out-in-left-field idea for sourcing your 3D files for the rear axle--have you tried Currie or another after marker axle housing manufacturers?

[sbca96]

I have a preliminary rear bracket design, one which fits either side, takes in account the shims,
and has a swappable piece to work with GT or Cobra. Next step is to make sure that it will be
comparable with both flanged axle kits on the market. I have an email into Phil Harris, and will
be emailing the other source today. Pictures will follow.

Tom

[sbca96]

As I mentioned above, I have a preliminary two piece bracket, one part replaces the old backing
plate and re-enforcement plate. This design places the seal in the right location on the tapered
hub, and a second piece bolts to it which makes it GT or Cobra. Here is the GT version.





Both parts are flat plate with no machining over the shape and holes. There is also no right/left,
since they just get arranged differently on either side, and it bolts to the outside of the shims, so
there is no difference from side to side other than manufacturing tolerance. Now to confirm they
work with the two aftermarket flanged kits, and the later Studebaker flanged axle. Forward!

Tom

[SScopelli]

Tom,

Great job and the will for sticking to this project.

I used Tom's 04 front brackets for the 61 R1 lark.


And with Tom's help I, Like Jim, made my rear brackets.


I'm doing two more cars and look forward to getting this setup again..

[Mangusta1969]

Tom,

Thanks for continuing with this project. Keep us posted! Maybe I will have a Spring surprise for my Avanti!!!

Steve

[sbca96]

Tom,

Great job and the will for sticking to this project.

I used Tom's 04 front brackets for the 61 R1 lark. And with Tom's help I, Like Jim, made my rear brackets.

I'm doing two more cars and look forward to getting this setup again..

Thanks, and yes you did some beautiful work on that project and the rear brackets you ended
up with. I have wanted to offer a rear setup for some time, though I admit the interest in rear
disc is less common on Studebakers. Granted, that might change as the younger crowd moves
into Studebakers as a base for modifying. Again, beautiful work on that Lark!

Tom,

Thanks for continuing with this project. Keep us posted! Maybe I will have a Spring surprise for my Avanti!!!

Steve

Steve,

I am doing what I can to make it happen, today I am painting boards to put my roof back
together, its been a frustrating effort finding the lack of quality in a 20 yo house! Still not
a peep back from Fairborn or Studebakers West on their axle designs.

Tom

[sbca96]

I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news: the project stalled for the time being.
The good news: I got a job after a year and a half search! The economy is really poor right
now so I am glad to have received an offer from a company that moved to my area. I sounds
like a great opportunity and so far is going well.

Prior to the stall, I did get contacted by Fairborn and found out that Studebaker West simply
copied the Fairborn design. The bracket that I designed for the tapered axle will not work in
the flanged axle design, ONLY because the bearing is pressed onto the axle shaft and has the
chance of being ruined by removal. So back to the inside of the axle flange - again!

Tom