Thread: were disc brakes avail. on 70' Novas? because...

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Interesting thing guys, went to start replacing bushings and springs etc. on front end. get this, the disc brake setup looks original, the upper ball joint still is riveted in place. But one caliper sits on the front upper side of the disc, the other sits on the back. does that make sense? On my newer cars the brakes are mounted symmetrical. Was this how they did it in 1970?

My other question is this, the rotors are not the same one side to the other, is that normal or did somebody just replace them with the wrong ones at some point?

thanks very much.

Red

I believe that disc's became standard in '70! In '68-9 they had a two piece rotor's and 4 puck calipers, which weren't as good as the '70's with one single piston calipers.
You could have had someone swap the one side setup. Which doesn't matter as long as the bleeder valve is up, so you can bleed all the air out.


You can swap many front disc's to your Nova, but most, you have to swap the spindle also, which is just bolt on. Which could have been what happen to your car, but only one side. But the spindle has to have the steering arms on the same side of the frame cross member.
You can also use these to switch from front drums to disc's .

You can use the disc's from -->

Apollo 73-74

Buick Special 69-72

Camaro 69

Chevelle 69-72

Firebird 69

Grand Prix 69

Grand Prix 70-72

Monte Carlo 70-72

Nova 69-74

Olds F85 69-72

Omega 73-74

Sprint gmc 71-72

Tempest 69-72

Ventura II 71-74

These are not my findings, but I have seen the same list on many sites, and they stand behind them.

Pat

Pat, I think the Vega was the first Chevy with disc brakes as standard equipment. That was in 1971.

the 70 monte came with front disk rear drum standard.

Originally Posted by jyardgirl

the 70 monte came with front disk rear drum standard.

I wonder which cars didn't come with them?
http://www.bing.com/reference/semhtm...p&q=chevy+vega

all the GM A bodys cars mid size cars gto .chevell. monte.tempest grand prix up till 72 or 73 on some used the two pc front spindles.all front steer .the camaro . firebird .apolllo. nova . omega .venrura . were rear steer the A body spindles will work but you need your steering arms off your old spindles they are dog leg in shape they are for rear steer only. GM A body front steer are not the same arms ....this has to do with were the steering box is on your frame front steer tie rods are in front of coss member rear steer in back as well as the steering box. you drum brake spindle arms will need to be re used less you find discs brake spindles for a nova .camaro. fire bird 67to69 .omga etc rear steer .if you get spindles off a A body car and re used your old arm you will need to re drill them as the drums were 7/16 monting bolts and the dics used 1/2 bolts 67 was the first year for discs on A body GM cars many cars did not have them