1972 510 Wagon front brake conversion

[DreDatsun1972]

Hello there, I have a 1972 510 Wagon that I plan to use for weekend driving. What other cars can I  grab the front brake assembly from that will still fit the original 4 lug 13 inch wheels?

[yenpit]

Not many easy straight forward options.  The most common upgrade is the 79-83 280ZX, but requires a coil spring mod & the original 510 13in steelies will not clear the larger ZX calipers.  Have you considered Z or ZX 14in steelies along with the ZX upgrade?

 

If you simply need replacement 510 calipers, I might have a good set pulled off of a running driving 510 that we did a ZX upgrade on...........??

 

TJ

[datzenmike]

You might also look at the '81-'84 Maxima strut swap. Same platform as the 280zx, big heavy car, six cylinder engine. The Maxima rotor is a mm or so smaller diameter so it's not in direct competition with the zx for bragging rights, but still monster calipers and vented rotors. Both use a  15/16" brake master cylinder, both are the same 10⁰ strut angle as your 510, both have larger wheel bearings than the 510 and both 280zx and Maxima struts are slightly shorter allowing more lowering than you could do on the 510 strut by itself.

 

As soon as wrecking yards hear Datsun 280zx they see $$$$$ so the relatively quiet Maxima flies under the radar. I got mine for free just for asking before it went into the crusher.

 

'84 Maxima wagon strut on my 710...

 

 

These are my spare 280zx struts. As mentioned, your coils springs lower perches and top hats from the 510 will need swapping on...