Brakes

Take it to a shop and have them note the current alignment. After you do the conversion it will need to be realigned. I don't see how disc brakes would effect track but there are far smarter people on here than I.

If you use a disc brake kit that is intended for drum brake spindles, then you won't have to even remove the spindle or the steering arms, etc. In which case the alignment should not change...   Pull the drum and related parts, add the caliper bracket, disc, and caliper then bleed them...

I think I read somewhere that if you do the caliper bracket conversion it spaces out the backing plate on the disc by some unknown measurement as compared to doing the spindle change that keeps the track stock. Does anybody know otherwise?

Karmann Ghia spindles and discs are the same for track (or width) as regular spindles and drum brakes. Most lowered spindles (drum and disc) add 1/2 or 5/8" per side- with the 2 1/2" drop it is necessary to add the width so the lower ball joint clears most 15" wheels. There are a couple different 15" aluminum wheels (Riviera's might be one?) which just touch; some have clearanced the ball joint/trailing arm and I've read about a couple of people reaming the tapered hole so the ball joint fits deeper, and thus clears.

When adding disc brakes to stock spindles (for drums) I think the difference would be the thickness of the caliper bracket.

Cheers, That clears things up a bit. My understanding is if you go to discs up front then type 3 drums on the rear help to balance it all out as they are wider than type 1 drums

Type 3 rear drums are bigger (I"?), the shoes are wider (1/4 or 3/8") and the wheel cylindlers are bigger too (I think). They're especially helpful if you've got bigger tires on the rear. I've used them on a Cal Look bug (135's and Karmann Ghia discs, 185/70's on the back) and a baja bug (7.00x15's front, 28 or 30" tall, 9" wide Mud Terrain's on the back) and both times they've been what the car needed.

See how helpful I am? Just ask the right question and my knowledge I will give...

Very good. If I go to the type 3 drums on the rear will I still be able to put the wheels on and off  with the 4.5 inch rim and especially if I go to a 5.5 inch rim.

There's a lot of room in the front wheel wells so it doesn't matter fit wise.  I had to add 1/2" spacers (and longer wheel bolts) to clear Karmann Ghia calipers with the 2L Porsche 914 Fuchs I'm using plus give room for the wheel bearing alloy cover caps.  

On CMCs (and assume FF since same body) typically wheels are closer on one side in rear than other side.  With 5.5" rims and IRS brakes - there is typically 1/4" (maybe 1/2") on one side (of course depending on wheel off set.  My guess is the T3 brakes would eliminate that needed space.  If swing axel rear you'd have more room to work with.

It will depend on whether it's swingaxle or irs. Type 1 swingaxles come in 3 different lengths-

1966 and earlier axles are 26 11/16" and are short axle, short spline. The cast bearing carrier/bottom shock mount piece  (that's pressed onto the end of the axle tube) is 3 3/8" from the springplate mounting surface to the backing plate mounting surface. The short spline section (from bearing shoulder to spline end) should be 3 5/16".            

1967 (1 year only) axles are 27 13/16" and are long axle, short spline and uses the same bearing housing as the earlier axles. I believe the tubes for 1967 are longer. Type 1 5x205mm drums fit these and earlier axles and tubes. To fit 4 bolt drums (which have wider shoes)- 5/8" needs to be machined off the drum snout (where the castle, or axle nut snugs up against).

1968/newer and all type 3 swingaxles are 28 7/16" long axle/long spline and use the later bearing/lower shock mount that is 4 5/8" from springplate mounting surface to backing plate mounting surface. The 4x130mm drums use different backing plates, bearing caps and brake shoes. Type 1 irs has the same track (wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface width) and uses the same brake assemblies and drums. You can mount 5x205 drums on later axles (swing or irs) by cutting the brake surface 1/4" deeper into the drum and adding a 5/8" spacer under the axle nut. You can also put the later, wider shoes in earlier cars (I believe you have to use the late backing plates).

When mounting type 3 drums and brakes on earlier swingaxles you have to cut 5/8" off the drum snout, and they add about the same to each side of the track, so it will depend on what's in your car as to what wheel and tire will fit in the back. You could have a pair of wheels wheels widened to the inside (if you look there's more than 1" between the top of the shock tower/springplate and the inside of the tire/wheel). 

The pic below is of the long and short swingaxle bearing housings. Al

Great, I believe mines on a 72 pan. Chassis number 1132. The car is somewhere between Arkansas and LA at the moment so I can't confirm or deny anything.

@theron - we should make this a sticky or put it in the Resources section. Totally useful info and a semi common question.

Ted

It could go into the KNOWLEDGE BASE.

It is still not clear to me if Type 3 drums increase the track on an IRS car.

5/8 inch on each side wider is how I'm reading it. That makes it close.

Sorry for not making that clear, Michael; type 3 rear drums increase the track on any type 1 (short, medium, long swingaxle or irs) car. Al

Sounds like my older sister.

Her track width increased quite a bit once she moved to Florida......

@ALB, no need to apologize, I probably just needed to read more carefully.

Thank you for making it clear. It looks like this option is out for me. I only have about 1/4" clear on the driver's side now. That side already has more camber than the passenger side.

So does my sister....

Kinda like, "Five Minutes After Six"....