Hey everybody, Quick question. I'm going to tackle the disc brake conversion on my 1974 Maverick with some discs, spindles and all from a 1980 Granada. I'm not so much worried about that but what's bugging me is that I have a set of 4 Cragar SS wheels pending that are 14x7 that I want to buy on craigslist but now I'm worried that perhaps the Granada discs and all might be a little to tight on a 14 inch wheel. Do you guys think this would be a problem? Am I better off looking at a mustang II's disc brakes or something? Thanks in advance, Jon.
The issue that I ran into in the past was running 14x7 factory Magnums on the front with disc brakes. They are very close to the caliper, and at the weld joint on the rim, one rubbed. This could have been corrected by grinding the weld a bit or perhaps grinding on the caliper housing a bit. Both ideas seemed a bit sketchy, and I also had 14x6s on hand, so it was very easy to just use the 6s. Hard to say if the Cragars would rub. That inner rim might be a bit different shape and be fine, or it may be worse. Also, the offset could be way different, too. The only way to know for sure is to mock them up. If you have the spindles, you could bring the assembled spindle and brake assembly along when you look at the wheels. I think a bigger issue now is that less tires are being made in a 14 inch size anymore and the selection of performance sizes is getting thin. There is a huge selection of 15 inch tire choices out there, and if you run a 15 inch rim, the added diameter means they clear the caliper with ease.
Yea that's exactly what I'm afraid of. I was originally going to go with some 15x7 magnums but I found these cragars for $100 a wheel and didn't have the heart to say no to those sexy wheels, haha. You are completely right about the tire issue too! That didn't even occur to me until now I may just have to look at 15's after all, which I have no problem with, but these cragars are so awesome looking and so cheap! Haha Would it make a difference you think if I were to use all the parts from a 77 Maverick, I.e. Spindles and all the assembly, that it would make any difference? Or perhaps that from a mustang II or am I looking at the same problem no matter what?
Mustang II brakes won't directly fit, or at least I have never heard of anyone doing that swap with just the spindles ... change over to the entire suspension works, but that is re-engineering the whole car. Maverick/Comet disc brakes (from 75 to 77) or Granada/Monarch (75 to whenever was the last year of that body style, 79 or 80) are the best direct swaps. The spindles go right on the Mav ball joints, and you just want to be sure to get a set of tie rod ends that match the spindles. Torino and Mustang should be the same deal but not sure on years. Probably harder to find too. Ironically, if you find a Lincoln Versailles, (very much like a Granada) those have a different upper ball joint. As far as I know, the caliper is the same for all of those. Those 14 inch wheels are likely for sale for the same reasons I am trying to talk you out of them. If you like Magnums, look at Wheel Vintiques. I believe they use factory centers and mount them into new rims. I have 15x8.5 rims on the back of mine from them, and the price was decent. You have options for offsets, too. The fronts on mine are factory 15x7s, which are kind of hard to find anymore. Mustang guys hoard them.
Those are exactly the Magnums I was looking at too! Haha, under $150 from Jegs along with the Spinner center caps with some cooper cobras was the plan. I guess I'll just stick to the original plan, thanks again for the advice, it's greatly appreciated. 15x8.5 I bet looks amazing! What size tires are you running with those and the 7's? I couldn't justify going that wide until I do the V8 and axle swap later down the line. And thanks for the heads up on the Mustang II, I thought it was a direct swap too.
15 " tires are getting harder to find. Collin is going through this right now. He is wanting a new set of rims and finding the tire he wants in a 15" is not out there.
My tire combo is 265/50 Cooper Cobras out back and 205/60 fronts. The fronts need to be a bit taller to fill the wheelwells better, so looking to change to perhaps 215/70s, and maybe cutting the springs (again!). Tire brands play heavily into actual vs nominal tire size .... Coopers tend to run small, BFGs tend to run big and my 265s are only about 1/2 inch wider than a BFG 245, so getting the actual dimensions is important. My rear tires are still to close inboard, and I run a 1/4 inch spacer ... the raised letters inboard can rub the wheelhouse while turning into an angled driveway entrance, etc. What would be perfect on my car would be a Granada rear axle .... 1.5 inches wider (3/4 per side). That would place the tire perfectly centered in the available space. So, ordering wheels with more backspacing would accomplish the same thing. I ordered mine with close to factory backspacing ... don't recall the exact number .... this was years ago. Stinks to hear 15" tires are diminishing, too. I kind of expect that a bit, but would hope that there is enough musclecar applications out there to keep a decent assortment alive and kicking.
seems 16"-18" are the new 14"-15"... Coker has the "stock" restoration 14"-15", the performance tires are the ones going away.
Wow ... I just went to the Firestone site and cycled through a couple dozen "performance" tires that they sell .... virtually no 15s there at all! ... Depressing!
