As you may or may not know......1974 was the first year for disc brakes. I have heard/read that the disc brakes were different for 1974 than the 1975-1977 variety. The car I just parted out had disc brakes, so i thought I would take some pictures and see if there are really any differences. This car was built in October of 1973, so this should be early enough to have the "differences". Here is a picture of the back and front of the spindle assembly, with the calipers. Does it look any different to any of you? Looks the same to me.
Here are pictures of the prop valve. I have heard/read that in 1974...this was actually just a distribution block...not a prop valve...and that they used the same block on drum brake cars as well. My 1974 manual brake car is in storage...and I don't have access to look and see if they are the same or not. Anybody have any insight? The first picture is with the master cyl lines still attached.
This is the line that goes from the prop valve to the front drivers side brake. It actually threads into the back of the prop valve. Look any different that the drum brake cars? It is probably longer to go more towards the front of the car along the frame rail.
My guess is that the hub is smaller on the earlier rotor. Would an early model wheel ('70-'73) fit over the hub? On my '74 parts cars with drum brakes, I noticed that they both had the disc brake master cylinder. (Un-equal chambers).
Also, looking at your pictures, it looks like there is another years rust on the dust shield in comparison to the '75 models.
I have heard that the only difference is the calipers (I think it was Charlie who said that and I have no reason to doubt him), and that the spindles & rotors are the same. I know that the distribution block is the same for the '71-'73 drom-brake cars...
The hub looks just as thick as the rest of them but the calipers look like they mount different. Got a side view? Does it use the spring clips and wedge?
The hub is just as thick and takes the wheels with the bigger "hole" in the center. I will try and get a picture of how the cailper mounts. I seem to recall they mount the same.
I had always heard that the calipers were what changed. '74's used Mustang II calipers and '75-up used the larger Granada calipers. Don't know if it affected the caliper mounting bracket or not.
Here is the master cylinder. It has a fitting screwed into the back reservoir that the brake lines screws into. Maybe this is a "disc brake only" thing. Does your have this fitting, Doug?
Here is an ebay auction for a 1972 Ford Maverick prop valve. This would be a manaul drum brake car. It looks just like the one I took off of this 1974 disc brake car. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4506357120&category=34199
Correct me if I'm wrong. I still don't have my other '74 at home, but as I recall the thread is different on the line fitting for the disc brake master cylinder. I'm guessing that the brass peice adapts the drum brake line to the disc brake master cylinder in this case.
Funny you should mention this. I have seen reference for 72 comets that came with disc brakes as well. Not mavericks, all parts are obsolete. My dad told me his buddy had a 72 comet with disc brakes, I said no way that did not happen till 74. So i started looking in some brake catalogs and saw a listing for 72 comet. However like mentioned before all parts were obsolete and could not be found. So I have no idea what it looked like.
