As far as "big brakes" goes, cautions understood. I would also add that the big rotors need to be indexed, and a micro cut put on the rotors on the car to minimize vibration, because of the mass of the rotor.
The 1.25" thick rotor was used, yes, as far as I know for the heat build up reduction.
Do I need 500hp, big brakes, a Penthouse Pet of the Year? Good question. "We" all create our own problems, don't "we".
This year at Virginia International Raceway at the SAAC Convention #36, I saw the Trans-Am Mustangs go through four sets of pads and rotors in "Practice" before the race. That says a lot. Mostly, I'm glad it wasn't me?
The front caliper weights, although part of the total equation, seem to be the minor part. The major one is, what to do with the rotor?
Looking at the rear, the first thing noticed was the lack of clearence to the upright. Noted BossWrench...I see it.
It may be the Wilewood calipers are the best rear solution. Let me just say that I don't like the overall sizing of the fasteners and am concerned that the "adapters" for the calipers are going to be the weak link, or more concerning, the "fuse able link". Especially with the additional torsional stresses applied to them with this level of braking. Particularly in the front.
No question on a proportioning valve. Absolutely necessary.
Bosswrech. Do you know what calipers were used with the 1.25 front rotors at LeMans?
Looking at the front setup (and having the parts here), it does look like the Trans-Am Mustang caliper adapter will work on the front of the P car if the existing caliper mounts on the bolt on rack adapter is machined off.
In 1972 if I was involved with any of the Ford teams and was sent over to Detomaso, that is the way I would go, i.e., and use the Lincoln calipers, which were already extensively race proven, plentiful, and relatively cheap.
The rear? Well that's another story as we already know but that same Tbird rotor does fit up back there. The question would be what calipers to use.
You could go with something like the Boss 302 stage III set up with front calipers mounted to an adapter with no parking brakes? But I think I am guessing here.
Holman-Moody was involved in Pantera racing back then in Europe at Fords request...or maybe that was at their insistence?
There is definitely an American influence or involvement in finding race solutions out of the existing Ford inventory of production parts.