Grand Unified Theory - Vintage disk brakes conversion

The axle on a drop spindle is above the balljoint or linkpin mounts on the back of the spindle. A standard height spindle's axle is basically centered between the balljoint mounts or centered on the link pin mount.

Unfortunately, what you have on the car is the real question. Do you have 49-65 link pin, 66 ball joint, 67-68 ball joint, or 69+ ball joint parts? The steering tie rod on the 66-68 spindles has a 17mm nut. The tie rod nut on 69+ spindles are 19mm. It's important because the bearing sizes are different between the early and late BJ spindles. Also, the 49-66 used a single master cylinder, the 67+ used a dual master cylinder. Though if I was going to do it, I'd just upgrade to the dual MC for safety's sake.

Then you need to know if you have standard or drop spindles. Those zero offset wide five kits do not work with drop spindles. And the 7/8" offset wide five kits need a 2" narrowed beam to keep the front track width the same, but sounds like they come with 2 1/2" drop spindles that are compatible, hence the higher price.

Most vw parts places sell one of those two types (technically 4 versions each), you might try some other sites to see if any have some in stock if SoCal and CB are out. Though there's also CNC's version from places like pacificcustoms.com or the version from airkewld, but both of those kits are over $1k.

Thats good information.

Car is titled as a 1974, so I assume it used a 74 pan, though I cant be sure the other components are 74 as well.

I talked to the guys at Airkewld and they have a kit that works with the existing setup and kicks the wheels out 3/8" per side.  Its more expensive than the other kits, but I dont mind spending a little extra for cross drilled rotors, Wildwood calipers, and a kit enginered to work. 

I have that kit on my IM (two piston Wilwood).

Thanks Ron, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Is this a drop spindle as well?

Brad

I did order the brake kit with drop spindles, but I found the 2.5" drop to be too much.  It made the front end look too low and the front tires rubbed on the fenders/body.  I ended up going back to stock spindles.