USING MUSTANG ROTORS

Larry I trust you will photograph every step of the way? Pictures are perfect for me since I can not read a word.

Gotta do the rears too. I gotta see that one. The vented rotors should be worth the effort I would think.

I can't wait. How soon can you get started? In case you haven't noticed, it's already winter.

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In case you haven't noticed, it's already winter.

Yeah, yeah....

I DO plan on full documentation of this. It will make a good POCA newsletter article, a good Panteraplace item, and good for posting here.

Will likely tackle the rears first,as I want to install my Wilkinson stub axles and new bearings. No timetable yet, though.

Rear should go pretty smooth as I already have Quella's tapered bearing conversion so it should just be remove parts (No 700 pounds of torque on a tapered conversion), press out wheel studs, modify calipers?, install.

Yea, that's it. Should have both sides done some morning before lunch.

BWAAAHAHAHA

Larry

Are these vented rotors the correct width to fit the OEM rear calipers?

Maybe not so applicable in your case Larry with the easily dismantled tapered bearing conversion, but for others with stock bearings why not move to a more modern rendition and move the hats outboard so that you don't have to strip the carrier/axles to replace a rotor. Aftermarket rotors and hats are relatively cheap, the cost in brake kits is the calipers.

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Are these vented rotors the correct width to fit the OEM rear calipers?

Yes, so close as to not be an issue.

Larry

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for others with stock bearings why not move to a more modern rendition and move the hats outboard so that you don't have to strip the carrier/axles to replace a rotor.

Well, my thought is for owners that are willing to go for a low-buck swap like this, their priorities are probably cost first, future ease of replacement later?

Going to new hats with rotors on the outside is a great upgrade in terms of future rotor replacement, whether you keep stock calipers or upgrade them, too. But those new Mustang rotors are going to last on a street Pantera rear for how long? 30-50,000 miles? Why incur the expense (to get easily replaced rotors) for something that you won't be revisiting for many years?

And the stock rebuilt brakes, SS hoses and good Porterfield R4S pads have given lots of owners very good braking with stock everything.

To get far enough to do a hat/rotor swap, you've already taken everything apart. At that point, you just put everything back together with the Mustang rotors and total expense is about $150 plus some machine shop press costs. Can you get two hats and rotors for near that cost?

Larry

No not for $150 total, maybe for $150 a side using Wilwood parts.

In many cases going to the effort of stripping hub carrier/axle is going to result in replacing bearings, new axle nuts, maybe also axles in some cases. I suspect many owners would have this done at a vendor due to the torque specs invloved (that is a $350 a side cost), then it's worth consideration.

If you decide to upgrade calipers at a later date then you are ahead of the game. Just a thought.

Julian

Now , Now, Calm down fellas !! we can all play in this big pool !!
Not that I drive my pantera hard ( I am bit of a wimpy driver !!) are the brake discs an issue ? or is it for track days ? As mine seem ok, but when they wear out I may upgrade to vented discs if i can.
Being from 'down under' we have to make everything fit !! It's scary when people are saying I am the pantera expert !! Shows how little information we have on these beatiful cars !Lucky I am a hot rodder!!

Ladies, must we have a hissy fit over this? I for one am still running 15" wheels. It kind of limits the possibilities.

I have sleepy 300 horse car and my stock brakes work great...

Here my ongoing nightmare experience with the Wagner rotors:

I purchased a set of the Wagner BD60209 rotors twice. The first time they came in as a one piece rotor. The second time they were two piece but the disc was .91" thick. The stock Pantera rotor is .81 thick. The .91" rotors are too thick and the caliper will not fit on them. So I called Wagners tech line and they said the 60209 is for a'68 Mustang. He said the BD60208 were the right ones. They are a two piece seperate hub and rotor and the disc is .81" thick. So I ordered those. They came in .81" thick but one piece and made in China. I won't put cheap ass made in China rotors on my car, so they got returned.

My parts guy said he located some BD60208 rotor discs only (no hub) so I have those ordered and I am going to see if I can get the Pantera hub to fit on them. It looks like I may have to widen the center hole on the Wagner disc to fit the Pantera hub, but I won't know until they come in for sure. Of course this way I can use my original detomaso lug nuts. I had to special order these so this time they are mine and not returnable. Hopefully they are right.

Today I found a company who sells Disc-Italia brand rotors and they suposedly have sloted or sloted and drilled rotors only (no hub)for the '66 Mustang. I think they were like $240/pair plus shipping. If the Wagners don't work out I will pursue these, but I will not order unless I can talk to someone who has one in his hand and can describe them and give me dimensions. But I will let everyone know what I found out either way.

I would strongly recomend that you don't order the Wagner brand rotors because you don't know what you are going to get. You may get the good two piece, but more than likely your going to get the cheap Chinese ones. You are better off going with a better quality American brand like Stainless Steel Brakes or EBC from England

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better quality American brand like Stainless Steel Brakes or EBC from England

I apologize for getting this thing started. Based on what I had been told from one who had been there, done that,I was pretty sure my info was valid.

This has been kicked around a LOT on the POCA forum, and experiences have been all across the board.

I do know the SSBC units are one piece; I strongly suspect they are made in China. They will work, are the correct thickness but will require front lug nuts to be switched to SAE. They will also need a new dust cover to match what came on the Mustang.

I have a Quella conversion to Wilwood Super Lites using stock Pantera rotors. In my case, the calipers are for a thicker rotor, and to make them work on the thinner Pantera rotor there is a metal spacer plate behind one of my brake pads - this was Dennis' solution, not mine. For me, and any others with similar conversions, IF the Wagner rotors are too thick, I intend to mill / fabricate a thinner set of spacer plates to solve the problem.

Again for those of you who have been playing buy/return/buy roulette, I'm sorry.

My intent was to provide info on an easily sourced, replacement rotor for those with stock systems. Didn't quite work out that way.

Larry

OK. Larry. What is the application for the part number you specified? Is it a '66 Mustang or a '68? Everyone is talking sideways here.

Go with the '66 Mustang rotors they will fit fine but you must use SAE lug nuts. The 68's are the exact same dimensions all around but the rotor is thicker and will not fit stock Pantera calipers.

Ian

Why do you need to change the studs? Are the holes in the Mustang rotors larger then the Pantera's?

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Are the holes in the Mustang rotors larger then the Pantera's?

Yes, so I've been told.

Larry

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The 68's are the exact same dimensions all around but the rotor is thicker and will not fit stock Pantera calipers.

Correct, so I've been told.

Larry

yes, the Pantera studs are slightly smaller and will not fit into the Mustang rotor. Also the Paantera studs are made for a two piece rotor and they wouldn't work anyway. I will try to post some pics of what I have later tonight.

Ian

Okay I know I've said it before, but why wouldn't you purchase a set of Wilwood hats and rotors? With all the uncertainty of the Mustang units, then added cost of replacing studs etc. you've almost bought yourself a set of Wilwoods, hats are around $100 and rotors $80 and it's a bolt on upgrade.

In your case Larry it'd be pretty crazy not to match the Wilwood calipers with a decent set of rotors. I can't understand why Dennis didn't do it originally.

Just my 2 cents,
Julian

Well maybe this is a good place to determine all of this. I'm still on my original rotor and brake calipers. I'm collecting information here that will help me know what to do when it is time.

I would make one comment on the Wilwood vs the Mustang. The Mustang is not likely to be the flash in the pan in ten years.