Disc brakes on 356A...options?

ArtistAntonio · Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 8:32 am Post subject: Disc brakes on 356A...options?

Looking to eventually add front disc brakes to my 1958 356A. I want to keep the stock wide five lug look. Im sure using 356C disc brakes will work on an A model with possibly wheel adapters for the wide five lug rims...what other options are there for disc brakes on a early 356, possibly without adaptors?
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Flat 4 Subaru & Porsche Turbo powered, 500hp, 6spd LSD, Brembos, Wishbone Suspensions & Safety Structural Tube frames are the future of VW Buses.

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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=377708&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

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PhotoAaron · Samba Member Joined: May 27, 2004 Posts: 168 Location: PHX

Antonio,

My Dad has 2 1959 A's with the CSP disk brake kits. Expensive, but an easy bolt on, the hardest part is installing the dual circuit master cylinder and mounting the fluid reservoir.

http://www.csp-shop.de/cgi-bin/shop2/shop_main.cgi?func=start&wkid=89387019931

Aaron

ArtistAntonio · Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 12:08 pm Post subject:

just under $1600...that is up there, but worth it. the safety of the dual reservoir along with the increased stopping time is what i am looking for. thanks for the link aaron.
_________________
Stock Buses Suck.
They are deadly, grossly outdated & belong in museums.

Flat 4 Subaru & Porsche Turbo powered, 500hp, 6spd LSD, Brembos, Wishbone Suspensions & Safety Structural Tube frames are the future of VW Buses.

The Absolute Fastest VW Buses in the World here..

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=377708&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

.

PhotoAaron · Samba Member Joined: May 27, 2004 Posts: 168 Location: PHX

Antonio,

I think that price of 1600 is for the ventilated version. CSP sells a solid rotor version that is cheaper. They even have a crossdrilled rotor that falls between the ventilated and the solid in price.

Aaron

ArtistAntonio · Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 12:33 pm Post subject:

ill check it out again
_________________
Stock Buses Suck.
They are deadly, grossly outdated & belong in museums.

Flat 4 Subaru & Porsche Turbo powered, 500hp, 6spd LSD, Brembos, Wishbone Suspensions & Safety Structural Tube frames are the future of VW Buses.

The Absolute Fastest VW Buses in the World here..

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=377708&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

.

2true · Samba Member Joined: December 13, 2004 Posts: 1125

Good looking out PhotoAaron.
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356 TY 86 · Samba Member Joined: October 20, 2004 Posts: 34

CSP shop in europe but with euros prices.....
And in english version !
The price for "simple" disc brake aprox 879 euros
FOR cross drilled, 930 euros, for vented version 1180 euros

http://www.csp-shop.de

Rapido
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356 TY 86 · Samba Member Joined: October 20, 2004 Posts: 34

Bis repetita
So sorry.....photoaaron

Rapido
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912 66

Richard Roth · Samba Member Joined: April 03, 2004 Posts: 882

Break out the Mastercard and get these !

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=179748

Shocked

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1966 Empi GTV MKIV
1954 Kabriolett Beetle
1953 Porsche 356 1500S
1957 Cable brake standard model
1962 cable brake standard model
1956 23 window Samba
1960 Austin Healey 3000
1961 Corvair Greenbrier

ArtistAntonio · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:31 am Post subject:

Sean Nguyen · Samba Member Joined: December 04, 2004 Posts: 44

whats wrong with the aluminum drums? they where condidered disc back in the day

BajaSerg · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:58 pm Post subject: Disc Brakes

I'm also looking for front disc Brake kit for my 356A but I have 14 inch porches alloys with adapters will they fit?.....Thanks

Barry Brisco · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:24 pm Post subject:

DocB · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject:

You might like the ones on this site: Airkewld.com

Doc B

Sven Stark · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:24 pm Post subject:

Barry, the post you are referring to is seven years old...
Very Happy

Barry Brisco · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:03 am Post subject:

Thanks Sven, I missed that. Smile

I saw the post by BajaSerg from 09-18-2012 and thought it was a more recent topic.

Regardless, the issue of 356 drums vs. discs never seems to go away. The good news for those who want to keep their drum brakes is that NLA now has new A front and rear drums, made like the originals, which is great because original drums are getting very hard to find in usable condition.

http://www.nlaparts.com/store/front-brake-drum-356356a-p-2514.html
http://www.nlaparts.com/store/rear-brake-drum-356356a-p-2515.html

They also have a limited number of B front and rear drums.

http://www.nlaparts.com/store/front-brake-drum-356b-p-2568.html
http://www.nlaparts.com/store/rear-brake-drum-356b-p-2567.html

I can understand why, in years past, people would consider converting to discs because their drums were shot and they could not find usable replacements. And I understand that some people just want to convert to discs because they think they look cooler. But 356 drum brakes stop the car just as quickly as discs in street use. Obviously for racing discs are much better because they don't fade as quickly.

And keeping a 356 in stock, original condition is more likely to increase the value of the car.
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Barry Brisco
1959 356A coupe #105553
1959 356A Convertible D #86439 (sold)
1964 356C coupe #216966 (sold)
2009 Porsche Cayman (daily driver)

dawerks · Samba Member Joined: September 15, 2010 Posts: 1626

Drums "might" be able to stop as quickly as discs, but only if they are perfectly adjusted. A disc brake on average will out 'brake' a drum brake because they self adjust.

The biggest drawback of discs is weight, unless you have some custom setup they weigh a ton.
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DocB · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:29 am Post subject:

Fronts disc brakes weigh 1.5 lbs. more per side than drums (Alan Klingen of the Stable did the weighing). Not sure about the rears.

If you use lighter wheels it would help compensate for the added weight of the discs.

Doc B

bbspdstr · Samba Member Joined: May 11, 2012 Posts: 464 Location: PA

A backing plate weighs 8.5 lbs with used shoes and cylinder attached, the drum is 10.5 (both within reasonable average)= 19 lbs
The C hub weighs 3.25 lbs, the (new) rotor weighs about 8.25 lbs and an average caliper is about 6.5 pounds= 18 lbs
Spindle weight goes to the drum by a few oz. Hardware and bearing/seals are about the same.
Both worked very well when new, but Porsche must have had a reason to change to discs with the C, huh? (Actually, there were many reasons.)
I do not have CSP brakes to weigh now, but have installed them more than any other aftermarket brakes on a 356. I also have no idea what the two sets shown below must weigh, but the Zim's set on the Speedster were heavy, but far less expensive. Yes, a few other VW derivatives exist. The other end of the spectrum are the Porsche drum/discs, rare but well documented. There is, I believe, another discussion on this topic on the Registry forum. Yes, the less unsprung weight, the better the overall performance of the car. Estimates vary, but I have heard the difference of performance betterment is 4x, unsprung over sprung...saving 1 lb of unsprung (wheels/tires/brakes) is like taking away 4 lbs of sprung (body) weight. I have heard people like Dave Donohue say 10:1 when he was driving for BMW. All I can personally relate is that I was driving my '57 Speedster past junk yards after teaching in '68, hoping to find a wrecked C for the brakes, as my drums were starting to become troublesome and the C brakes were so much easier to work on and cheaper/easier for which to get parts.
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Bruce Baker
www.356restoration.com

Jacks · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:43 am Post subject:

Weight saving may be in the wheels. Wide 5 have less material in the center, about 5 lbs less for stock steel wheels, according to this chart Very Happy

http://porsche356registry.org/resources/tech-artic...ypes-.html
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