1959 Ford Galaxie Town Sedan Brake Retrofit

Brakes, using SCAREBIRD brackets. Section

#1
This is our 1959 Galaxie Town Sedan, jacked up and ready for a disk brake retrofit.

#2
I take lots of pictures for future reference.

#3

#4
This car is all original; ball joints, tie rod ends, and sixty years of caked-on grease and dirt.

#5
I'm showing the brake line, here.  It was rusted so bad, I had to destroy the fitting (expect that on any old
car).  Good thing I did, too.  I ended-up plumbing the whole car with rustproof 3/16" brake line.  It
was well worth the experience.  Being in the 'Rust Belt', I used Cunifer (Copper/Nickel/Iron) brake
line.  It won't rust, it flares very easily, and it bends like a pretzel.  I never kinked the new line any-
where, using bending pliers.  It is expensive ($40/25' coil).

#6
Hard to see but the line is now cut. Just a matter of pulling out the 'horseshoe clip' and the hose will drop out.

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#13
I spent a very long time cleaning the crap off of everything.

#14

#15
Notice how the parts that were covered in grease are rust-free.

#16
This is a spacer with a bevel on one inside edge.  It goes towards the inside, so the spindle fillet
doesn't interfere.  Also important to note, the outside circumference is what the new hub seal will
ride on.  It should be very smooth. I polished mine with fine sand paper.

#17
I'm ready to whack it in using a foot-long pipe.

#18
Looks like it belongs there.  Actually, the interference fit is very snug.

#19
Notice the counter bored hole in the upright part of the spindle?  This projected bushing (by my
thumb)  goes into that counter bore, and gets bolted for super stability.

#20
At first glance, these brackets didn't impress me.  After I installed them, they made a believer out
of me.

#21
My brackets don't come with the top bolt (but I understand they do now).  The one I removed from the back plate is 1/2" short for this new bracket.
I happened to have two 9/16" bolts left over from doing my trailer springs, albeit a little long, they are SAE fine thread, they are tough, and fit perfectly. The large washer is VERY important.

#22
Here it is, ready to accept a Mustang rotor (11"), (GM) S-10 brake calipers, pads, and hardware kit.
All those parts are available at every auto parts store.  No machining is necessary.

#23

#24
I was afraid the top bolt is sticking out too far.  Not at all.  The next picture shows the new assembly.

#25
If you see daylight through your guide pins, your calipers have no rubbers or bushings. They are sold as a kit for under two dollars at most auto parts stores.

#26
This is typical of the parts included in the Carlson kit #H5563.

#27
S-10/S-15 brake hoses fit right into the OEM brake line bracket on the frame.
Buy hoses long enough for your application AND 25mm banjo bolts for the back of each caliper if Scarebirds didn't supply them.

I can't say enough about how well these brakes work.  Our '59 Galaxie is a Fordor, and very heavy.
Mashing the brake pedal will put anyone through the windshield, and steering is straight as an
arrow.  This system consists of, a new (MBM), two-stage power booster and a dual master cylinder
(Corvette-style), an old Mustang combination valve, and a ten pound residual valve for the rear drums.
(Rear brakes don't do much to stop a car, so the original rear drum brakes work just fine.)

#28
Here is the LH side done.  I used 15" wheels to clear the calipers.  Other guys on Squarebirds.org
use Granada 14" wheels to clear the caliper without any issues.  Back spacing has nothing to
do with rotor clearance.  Some wheels need front spacers to pull the wheel out far enough to clear
the rotors.  I went with 15" Cragar SS wheels and NO spacers.