Reply to "Early Goose rear Calipers from Fiat Dino?"

Nate,

GLAD to see such progress!!!! You have been a busy beaver!!! All that time off-shore must have sparked sumthin in ya!

FINALLY, I have seen more 12/3 rear brakes than ever before....where was this website when I was trying to get my rear calipers squared away....? Oh that's right....the internet was just being born!

The Dino brakes you have are very close....excepting those funky looking spacer plates.... My guess would be that either the pistons are short, or the pads are thin....and these pieces take up the slack.....

These cast iron rear brakes are not "early" or anything.... they are simply "another" caliper that fit on the cars from what I can tell, as their use is peppered throughout production. 878 had them, and it is square in the middle of production.

I got all of my rebuild parts, including pistons, from John Freeth also. If you need piston numbers etc, ping me. IIRC, the small ones were badly pitted but the large ones were fine....! Pads are E-type Jag, and the e-brake pads are used on several cars.....

To answer your original question, these "Fiat-Girling" "12/3" brakes were used on the Fiat 2300 which really only existed anywhere but the US. It was sort of a sporty larger sedan if you look it up.

Just to clarify on brake info:
Type CR- normal front Goose brake, large aluminum housing, two pistons 2.375"
Type ORA- Normal rear Goose brake, large aluminum housing, two pistons 1.75"
Type 12/3- Occasional rear Goose brake, cast iron two piece housing,marked Fiat-Girling, 3 pistons

There is also, so I am told, a three piston front brake that supposedly some of the last cars were equipped with, that resembles the 12/3. I wonder if it is the same caliper as used on the Group5 Panteras?????

Anyone? I have a seal kit for one of these Group 5 calipers, if you have a 3 piston front caliper....I'll send it to you to see if it fits our cars!!!

Keep on chuggin!!!!

Steve