still cheaping out: front brakes

[Atilla the Fun]

I was about sold on the LeBaron front brakes, except they don't fit the 14" aluminum wheels. I wasn't convinced by the GrandAm deal, but it looks like I'm quasi-close. The front rotors from the '85 Cavalier are about 9.75" by about 7/8", and are vented. I know these won't get me to my ultimate goal of beating an Enzo, but with the LSx not in the car, that's okay. I feel the stock, small bearings are adequate for now. Machining the solid rotors off to allow these will widen the front track by about 1/4"-5/16" per side. This will make the wheels lug-centric. The real consideration is the calipers. I'll report back after playing with this.

[CincinnatiFiero]

I have lebaron front, and grand am rear. The grand ams really aren't better. They just prevent fade because they are vented, your initial braking force is still about the same.

The lebaron fronts are noticeably stronger. I have LeBaron rotors, Blazer Calipers, Will's Brackets, Stainless Hoses, Stainless Lines, Hawk HPS pads, and a Corvette master cylinder. I still have some dead space in my pedal but once they grab, they have a LOT of power. They can lock up my 17s with a good solid jam on the pedals, saved my ass last night when some jackoff panic stopped on a one lane road at 1 am.

Grand ams are cheap and easy, but Lebarons are also cheap. You could just upgrade to GT lace wheels if you wanted stock style wheels. To achieve your ultimate goal you're going to need 4 piston wilwoods, or similar, or better. My brakes kick ass, but they still aren't supercar worthy.

[Atilla the Fun]

you think I could find a way to fit some 175/80R13 tires directly to some 13x1.25" rotors? I'll be going to 13" rotors when the LSx moves this car, but until then.. Part of the appeal of the 14s, steel or aluminum, is they make everyone think the car is stock, slow, boring, and nothing but a road turtle to be avoided, passed and forgotten. And avoided only so they don't ding their own paint. And if I succeed in getting the Cavalier's 2.0L moving the Fiero for this winter, that's exactly how I want everyone to see my Fiero.

[Jinxmutt]

Maybe you can use 88 rotors?

[CincinnatiFiero]

Has that ever been done on the front? Seems like too much work for roughly the grand am upgrade. The rotors are about the same, the 88 caliper just seems to be better.

[Atilla the Fun]

I just get such a feeling of having had fun when I see I did something beneficial for free. Kind of like the feeling right after having sex. Or after stumbling off a roller coaster at Disney or Six Flags. That's my favorite way to kill time when my lady isn't around. So I'll be trying the Cavalier calipers. If it's a no-go, at least everyone else will know before wasting time on it. If it can be done, well, vented is always more desirable than not. And if it takes adapter brackets to mount the calipers, well, you'll be able to buy them, or get blueprints, from me. Blueprints will be free to RFT members, if I end up needing adapter brackets.