New here...intro, questions and apologies

[jdmorg]

What's up everyone.  Some friends and I recently scored a to-good-to-be-true 1970 510.  It's a 2-door that's in autocross setup right now.  Potent L18, stock trans as best I can tell, R160 LSD, adjustable shocks, and much more.  

And then...some pretty plain looking brakes.  Front disc and rear drum.

 

Our plan for the car is one of the upcoming "crapcan" endurance races.  We have a ton of spares and part of me wants something to go so we can not only get deep into the motor, but do it in the pits.

 

But my question revolves around the brakes for now.  The previous owner autocrossed it and ran some time trials and claims that the brakes are fine as is.  However, in an ideal world, we'll be running the entire time...last year (in a different car obviously), that was 360 laps and about 6 to 8 hours a day.  How realistic is it that a set of endurance pads up front and new shoes and an adjustment will get the job done?  

 

Now, admittedly, my google-fu isn't the weakest, but I'm struggling finding much more than the 200sx and Maxima upgrades and nothing cross-references endurance racing.  Anyone here have some experience in this department?  Or have an idea of where to send me?  I hate seeming like someone who comes onto a forum and asks others to do all of the heavy lifting, but I don't get the facetime with my computer like I used to.  

 

So, if you have anything, let me know.  Pics should be forthcoming and we're already looking into heading out to Carlisle in May to meet Peter Brock.  If I can't get questions answered then (and hopefully a blessing/autograph on a BRE theme), then I'm messing up. 

 

Thanks all.  Looking forward to getting into it with everyone.

[datzenmike]

First, the front brakes.... are they single or vented rotors? They may be stock, in which case you could swap in some 280zx or Maxima struts. They are shorter and have monster calipers and vented rotors.

[Z chopper]

rear brakes the Maxima(?) disk bake upgrade seems to be a popular one with the combo of disk barkes up front and rear stopping hard and quick shouldn't be a problem

[Ratwagon1600]

Pull the wheels off, post pics of your front and rear brake assemblys and I'll happily throw my two cents worth in.

 

FWIW, for years I ran a Rally (Autocross) car with 240K twin piston front calipers on a 200B (610) strut with 240Z finned alloy drums on the rear.

 

Car was running a 180B (610) booster with a 7/8 master cylinder off a ?????

 

Secret was, custom brake pads on the front and custom composition shoes on the rear.

 

Sure, there are definitely better brake setups, but, at the time this worked fine for me.

[jdmorg]

First, the front brakes.... are they single or vented rotors? They may be stock, in which case you could swap in some 280zx or Maxima struts. They are shorter and have monster calipers and vented rotors.

 

Plain jane rotors...single, not vented. 

 

Ratwagon: I'll have to get onto my other computer to post the pics, but I have them.  Will have to post them when I get home.

 

Am I adding a boster at this point?  That's not something I've done before (but I am comfortable working on and disassembling brakes).

[hobbes_the_cat]

No booster necessary for the 280zx brakes. You will need a bigger master cyl for the brakes to feel right. 280z master if keeping the rear drums or a 280zx master if going with disk rears. Lets see some pics of this 510. Hopefully it's not too nice looking if it will be a crapcan racer. ;)

[jdmorg]

Hey all...sorry I take so long to get back to these...don't normally have time.

 

Here are some pics of what I'm working with.  

 

hobbes...she's pretty, but not "classy" pretty.  Besides, we're gonna be painting her prior to the race and--in a perfect world--she'll be made street legal and proper again one day after the fact (we'll see).

 

 

0316130946a by atlanticfive, on Flickr

 

0316131011 by atlanticfive, on Flickr

 

0316131045 by atlanticfive, on Flickr

 

Looking forward (to future posts, but figured I'd pitch it in here):

 

A new fuel cell with duel pick-ups (preferrably larger than the current 4gal cell)

The roll cage

New floor pan passenger side, potentially driver side as well (OLD posts talked about a guy who used to fabricate them...anyone know if that's still around?)

 

We also have plenty of spares to play with, including 2 engines, a transmission and an L18 block.

 

In the meantime, let me know if the pics shed any light on what should be the next step or if they clarify what's already been said.

 

Thanks again all!

[Ratwagon1600]

Yuk, single piston floating 240K calipers by the looks of things.

 

The 240K also came out with a twin piston caliper (see my previous post) which is a much better option.

 

280ZX front struts seem to be the preferred thing North of the equator, mightn't hurt to look for a set of these.

 

A booster will not increase the clamping pressure of your brakes per se, moreso it will decrease the amount of pressure you need to apply to the pedal.

 

My two cents worth is to, no matter what setup you go with, to get good quality pads and or shoes (basic brake systems can perform very well with the right brake pads and shoes).

 

Three major things you want with brakes (allowing for stuff like your wheel size, budget, etc) are:

 

1. Swept area i.e. the bigger the area the brake pad contacts on either the disc or drum (swept area) the better,

 

2. Multiple piston calipers (two or more) are by far preferable over single piston floating calipers as they apply a much better clamping pressure across the face of the pad (swept area), and

 

3. Vented calipers will allow for better heat dissipation and ultimately better clamping pressure and pad wear amongst other things.

[Dirttrack510]

Cool car... I loves me race cars ;)

[hobbes_the_cat]

Those look like bone stock brakes to me. I would do a 280zx strut upgrade. A lot of guys just run really nice pads with stock clipers and rotors, but usually only because of class rules.

[jdmorg]

Yuk, single piston floating 240K calipers by the looks of things.

 

The 240K also came out with a twin piston caliper (see my previous post) which is a much better option.

How likely am I to find one up this way? (Northeastern US). We ran a '99 Accord last year. Probably still close to 2800lbs when stripped out for racing and pretty bone stock, including the brakes, except for a set of Raybestos pads (ST-43) all around, brakes lines and DOT 5 or 6 fluid. Plenty of brakes for that car on the track we raced, which is going to be the same this year.

 

280ZX front struts seem to be the preferred thing North of the equator, mightn't hurt to look for a set of these.

No idea what's on there now.

[Ratwagon1600]

How likely am I to find one up this way?.

Don't know mate, I'm a llloooonnnnggggg way away from the USA :)

 

Some American Ratsuners might be able to give you a better lead!

[The Taterhead]

Qwik510 is up in Mass. and sells parts from time to time. PM him & I'm sure he can put you on the right track. Those do look like stock brakes so I would do a 280zx strut swap. You may get lucky & find one at a junkyard local to you. If so, grab the strut assembly (rotors, calipers, & struts) and master cylinder as well sans booster. The springs won't fit in the tower without cutting so I wouldn't bother with those.

[jdmorg]

No idea what's on there now.

Not true...I do know. We have 5-way adjustable Tokicos on their now. I have no experience with these...are the 280zx struts still considered an upgrade?

[hobbes_the_cat]

The reason 280zx struts are an upgrade is because they allow you to run big, vented 280zx brakes and they are about an inch shorter. The 5-way tokico inserts are nice but unfortunately the stock length inserts for a 510 will not swap over to the zx struts since they are shorter. So you can keep the nice inserts you have and the stock brakes or get zx struts and keep em stock or buy 5-way tokico inserts for zx struts.