Brake upgrade

Hi Everyone, I have an 71 early bay with discs on the front and drums on the rear.
I have upgrades the engine to a more powerful unit and am wondering what upgrades members have done to their brakes to get betting stopping power?
thanks in advance.
Ian

Get a remote servo installed. Makes braking a lot easier. Fits underneath between the chassis rails.

I fitted these from Fosseway, 4-pots much better than the old late bay brakes fitted by the previous owner. You do need 15" wheels though.

Are these just bolt on jobs?

The factory 71 onwards discs are very capable if they are in good order. Unless you’re going to be pushing out some serious horsepower I’d just service/overhaul what you have. If you decide you want a bit more stopping power a remote servo as already suggested is what I’d do.

I fitted a complete servo kit from just kampers. I think it uses Brazilian parts and replaces the original master cylinder with a servo version. Not as big a servo as some but works well. I had nothing to lose as I had to replace 90% of the whole system anyway.
this was a useful article from practical motor home

https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/how-to-fit-a-brake-servo-to-a-bay-window-vw-campervan

As above,
the first upgrade to do is fit a servo - it really is like going from Dial-up to Broadband

milfredo said:

Are these just bolt on jobs?

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Yes they come with adaptors to fit the late bay hubs.

hi Guys, trying to get my '68 bay (actually late '67) back on the road and also looking at upgraded brakes too.

the previous owner purchased these brake calipers, hubs, discs etc which I believe to be off a late bay - but not entirely sure.. can anyone give me some indications please?

Brake Calipers ...

They look like standard disc spindles and brakes fitted with 112 to 205 adapters, this set up works but you need to run either modified 14" rims or 15" rims at the original drum 14's won't fit over the calipers

K@rlos said:

The factory 71 onwards discs are very capable if they are in good order. Unless you’re going to be pushing out some serious horsepower I’d just service/overhaul what you have. If you decide you want a bit more stopping power a remote servo as already suggested is what I’d do.

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They are the best classic car break I've ever used. The weight of the West, even fully loaded still stops with little effort (until the engine cuts out towards a junction and then there are almost no breaks).

I hope to go the servo route when I’m back on the road.

milfredo said:

They are the best classic car break I've ever used. The weight of the West, even fully loaded still stops with little effort (until the engine cuts out towards a junction and then there are almost no breaks).

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100%, I feel quite comfortable stopping from 70mph with stock 71 model brakes. Sadly I missed them buy a few months with my 70 bus

To the OP, Rather than throwing a fortune at aftermarket brakes, go through what you have and you’ll be more than impressed with the stopping power.

Graham L said:

They look like standard disc spindles and brakes fitted with 112 to 205 adapters, this set up works but you need to run either modified 14" rims or 15" rims at the original drum 14's won't fit over the calipers

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great thanks - ok looks like I won't be keeping the original 14" 'wide-5' rims then..

but obvious really, as will definitely need to upgrade to a decent vented brake disc / caliper setup as increasing the power output anyway

was thinking about a porsche braking setup, possibly a 944 - pros / cons?

got little inspiration after seeing this awesome early bay at Volksworld.. .. anyone familiar with this brake setup?

If your changing pcd too then fair enough, I think that set up is Porsche 964 or maybe even 911??

Went with 944 turbos on the from of mine as I’ve got best part of 200hp in the back + plus nitrous and I run it on the strip so wanted to be able to stop.



Porsche front hubs
944 turbo calipers which I restored
EBC green stuff pads
EBC drilled n vented discs
Goodridge braided hoses
Caliper mounts, bearing spacers and grease caps (not fitted here) I made

that looks great, awesome setup.. bet it stops on the penny! -Do you have a build thread anywhere..?

So, out of curiosity are you using spacers because you're running smaller rims? - doubt it, but would 15" rims fit on your setup ?

I assume the 944 (non turbo) front hubs fit straight onto my Early Bay spindles:



and then require some 944 brake caliper brackets like these?

1968bay said:

that looks great, awesome setup.. bet it stops on the penny! -Do you have a build thread anywhere..?

So, out of curiosity are you using spacers because you're running smaller rims? - doubt it, but would 15" rims fit on your setup ?

I assume the 944 (non turbo) front hubs fit straight onto my Early Bay spindles:

View attachment 4980

and then require some 944 brake caliper brackets like these?

View attachment 4981

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Yes it out stops my bmw 330ci, I’ve had to weld baffles in the deep sump because it stops so hard the oil light comes on if I stand on them at speed

The hubs fit straight on the stock spindles, you use type 2 bearing but need a spacer which goes in the middle of them and yes you’ll need those brackets.

10mm spacers and my 15x5.5 gasburners fit fine

Brilliant, great info thanks so obviously changing the PCD to 5x 130 ..

do you (and others who have gone down the Porsche route) use existing Early Bay drive shafts (which look the same as 944 rear drive shafts) and just simply swap out to using 944 rear hubs?

Any other tips, when increasing the power output?

1968bay said:

Brilliant, great info thanks so obviously changing the PCD to 5x 130 ..

do you (and others who have gone down the Porsche route) use existing Early Bay drive shafts (which look the same as 944 rear drive shafts) and just simply swap out to using 944 rear hubs?

Any other tips, when increasing the power output?

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Rear discs on the back of baywindow is a pretty involved affair. I’ve not done it, but 1 day I’d like to. Instead I got some CSP rear drums which are drilled for 5x130

How much are you looking at increasing the power by?