New 1968 Newport owner - have a few questions about upgrades and mods

Oh for fucks sake
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Re brakes, the easiest & least costly front disk conversion is Scarebird's (ebay). You can buy just the plates (~$120) and source calipers & rotors locally (usually common GM or Toyota PN's). I wouldn't go down the "later factory disk" path since that will soon strand you from lack of parts. Probably OK for A-bodies, but check if you can still buy a new hub-rotor and caliper from Autozone for a C-body.

Do you need disk brakes? Definitely not on the rear, that is just for bling even in modern cars. Fronts maybe. The fed mandate was due to idiots over-heating their drum brakes on long downhills - think FL drivers on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you know to use engine braking (downshift), that won't happen. Will disks stop faster? Tires stop the car, so if you can brake to just the point before they skid, that is the fastest you can possibly stop. Can drum brakes do that, and evenly left to right? Sure, if braking once from say <70 mph and your brakes are well-maintained. Then give them time to cool. If constantly braking, like in road-racing, drums will overheat and fade much faster than disks. Such driving will also give crappy gas mileage. Many people say, "my drum brakes wouldn't even stop, now works fine w/ disks". They are probably comparing worn out ill-maintained drums w/ new disks. Most semi-trucks still use drum brakes, but those drivers know they couldn't make it down I-80 in the Sierras using just the brakes (even w/ disks).
 
Well... The fun with a C-body vert (I have a 70 300 convertible) is driving it... My own car has some personal, but mild, cosmetic and mechanical touches that I like, so I'm not a "purist" as some might be.... Again, personal taste aside.... Go simple and go out and have some fun with it. You will enjoy the car much more.

Disc brakes is a good idea! Lots of threads on the subject here.

John, I like that thinking. C-bodies are best on the road and not as parts on the garage floor. This excludes little work during snowy seasons, though.
 
My Fury has drum brakes and they work good but you will never see a bumper sticker on it that says ."THIS CAR CLIMBED MT WASHINGTON"
 
Oh man, put some white walls (not wide whites) or some Torque Thrust Ds on that car!! Black walls are for cars in the 90s.

A set of Magnums would be a good choice. TTs are about the most commonly seen aftermarket wheel nowadays.
 
I still see them from time to time as bumper stickers.
 
A set of Magnums would be a good choice. TTs are about the most commonly seen aftermarket wheel nowadays.
That's because they look great! I have received more compliments on my car since I installed them a year ago than I ever did in 12 years with the Cal 500s. Interesting.

Even so, I would not say they are more common that Magnum 500s.
 
That's because they look great! I have received more compliments on my car since I installed them a year ago than I ever did in 12 years with the Cal 500s. Interesting.

Even so, I would not say they are more common that Magnum 500s.

I don`t know how`s it there, but in Finland 5-spoke Cragars seem to be at least close to be the favorite wheel choice.
 
I plan on putting airbag suspension on it. I know that doesn't jive well with leaf springs. Thinking about going 4 link in the rear. I assume that's a pretty straightforward conversion from the kits I've seen and convert it to shocks and the ability to add the airbags?

I didn't have this thread for reference earlier, because @Jack-Stand hadn't started it then!

'66 Monaco Resto-Mod

This is a great way to illustrate what it takes to put airbags into one of these cars. I hope this helps you determine if this is something you can do, or have to farm out to someone. Keep us posted.
 
I didn't have this thread for reference earlier, because @Jack-Stand hadn't started it then!

'66 Monaco Resto-Mod

This is a great way to illustrate what it takes to put airbags into one of these cars. I hope this helps you determine if this is something you can do, or have to farm out to someone. Keep us posted.
It's definitely a labor of love... The biggest issue with bagging our cars is the unibody. To do it right means you're going to be adding weight (stiffeners and gussets) to take the additional stresses that the new suspension will put the unibody under. They were never designed to take what some of us make them do.
 
Just bought my first classic car, 68 Chrysler Newport convertible. Its in great shape but needs some work. Going full custom with it and have a couple of questions. I plan on putting airbag suspension on it. I know that doesn't jive well with leaf springs. Thinking about going 4 link in the rear. I assume that's a pretty straightforward conversion from the kits I've seen and convert it to shocks and the ability to add the airbags?

For the front disk brake conversion I see a lot of talk about the 73 spindles. Is that just because its cheaper to reuse that part or is it worth it to just get a kit with the spindles part of it?

In the meantime I'm going to swap the front shocks soon. Read a post that made it seem like it is more difficult than normal on this body style. Anything worth noting before I just assume its a bolt high and bolt low and a quick easy swap like others I've done before?

Doing a lot of reading and getting a lot of good info. Thanks guyz
Hello BiggRedd can you contact me about your car [email protected]
 
I did the willwood disc brake conversion on my 68 Newport. Very straight forward easy conversion uses factory drum spindles and was cheap.
 
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