Brake Upgrade for Early 911

[bavaria911]

Gents,
Has anyone seen this set-up and do they work well?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/911-Porsche-Brake-Caliper-Conversion-Kit-66-73-Calipers_W0QQitemZ8068045675QQcategoryZ33563QQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem

Someone was discussing a spacer / adapter for a 3 inch strut was available to modify to 3.5 inch...well there they are on Ebay with the wilwood calipers. Wilwoods...are they good quality?

Please advise if you know anything on these. I currently have a set of rebuilt 911S alloy front calipers, but must switch out the struts.
TIA,
Bavaria911

[GrantG]

Any brake kit that retains the standard rotors will not increase heat capacity. However, you may (or may not) get better pedal feel, although you probably need to increase size of master cylinder to work properly.

[Laneco]

The Buy It Now on that auction is $1500 and I suspect the reserve is very high also. As you already have a nice set of S calipers, you would be money and aggravation WAY WAY ahead to swap out the suspension assembly and use your S brakes with nice appropriately sized rotors.

Wilwood brake are very good brakes, but so are your S brakes and you already own them.

angela

[Bill Verburg]

Honestly the S and M setup on an early car is perfectly adequate. As is A and M.

as Grant said the only thing that might need enhancement in a fairly stock early car is thermal mangament, in a light relatively low powered car this is done w/ cooling, fresh fluid and appropriate pads.

The result of putting oversize calipers on stock rotors is not better braking, it is increased thermal issues that will eventually lead to rotor destruction

[bavaria911]

Bill,
WTFudge ! That is an ugly sight indeed. Theadapters sold with the wilwood calipers...will they work on the 911S alloy calipers too? Or is there just no way around buying a new set of 3.5 inch struts? I know there is a wide range of newer struts that fit the alloy 911S calipers. So what is a fair price to pay for a VG set of 911SC (Boge or Bilstein 3.5's)
Thanks,
bavaria

[Bill Verburg]

Good used usually goes for ~50% of new unless it is a rare part. Struts aren't rare, but they do wear out eventually and not just the inserts either.

If you want something a little better than A or S, look for someone parting out a Carrera, buy the whole front suspension and brakes. No other changes are needed.

[304065]

Ack! There goes an expensive ATE power disc. That's the car's way of saying "don't put a caliper made in the USA with no dust seals on MY rotor, mister!"

Bavaria, Bill V (as ever) is spot on, see if you can find a complete Carrera front suspension with Bilstein struts, calipers, rotors, crossmember, control arms, hubs, everything. You may want a different master cylinder, however.