An update on the saga of my bird's brakes

After thinking, im just going to subscribe to SCCOA and access that article. If it really is that simple when you get the adjustments right, then it's no use buying a kit that costs more. I'd rather pay $15 to get a good description than pay an extra $400 for hydro boost plug and play. I was under the impression that you needed a bunch of different parts that weren't sold anymore like special proportioning valves and such. I wasn't willing to go on a wild goose chase around different junkyards to maybe find a part.


Welcome to SCCoA!
 
Here is the shop in Ormond Beach where a good friend takes his SC. They have a mechanic there who knows these cars.

Personally I wouldn't take it to a Ford dealer or any dealer for that matter. They will just want to change the whole super charger for just a bad snout coupler and seal. The bearing may be bad but I doubt it unless it has been run without oil due to the bad seal. I've rebuilt a couple front snouts including the bearings and can't say the old bearings were truly bad. The main failures were the already mentioned couplers and seals.


Auto Works of Ormond
309 N US Highway 1
Ormond Beach, FL 32174

Phone: (386) 673-5500
Phone: (386) 872-0386 - Text 24/7
Fax: (386) 673-7744

ken@autoworksoformond.com


Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Bryan
I'm taking the car there as it turns out. Ford just quoted me $2500 to convert the system, saying the hydroboost kit wasn't complete, it needed a bunch of other lines and fittings to work, and that the vacuum conversion wouldn't work at all. Said it was only for racing and that the brakes would work one minute but not the next. I call BS on that xD. I contacted the owner of Auto Works of Ormond and he's done these conversions before, so hopefully he can get it done for a lot cheaper. Thanks for the contact! You're a lifesaver!
 
I'm taking the car there as it turns out. Ford just quoted me $2500 to convert the system, saying the hydroboost kit wasn't complete, it needed a bunch of other lines and fittings to work, and that the vacuum conversion wouldn't work at all. Said it was only for racing and that the brakes would work one minute but not the next. I call BS on that xD. I contacted the owner of Auto Works of Ormond and he's done these conversions before, so hopefully he can get it done for a lot cheaper. Thanks for the contact! You're a lifesaver!


Glad to hear i could help out. Kenny is familiar with Dan's SC (OnequikSC) and it was converted about a year ago to conventional brake system. I believe Dan did most of the work and Auto Works finished/bled the system. Auto Works has serviced Dan's SC for at least 10 years.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Bryan
 
Glad to hear i could help out. Kenny is familiar with Dan's SC (OnequikSC) and it was converted about a year ago to conventional brake system. I believe Dan did most of the work and Auto Works finished/bled the system. Auto Works has serviced Dan's SC for at least 10 years.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Bryan
Yeah he mentioned someone who he helped out with converting it a year or so ago. Does your friend have an 89'? Kenny said that's who he helped out, and was reaching out to the owner to get the specifics of how they did it. I'd be comfortable doing some of the work myself, so it's a relief knowing that Kenny would be able to help me through it if I got stuck. I'm just not so sure about bending around the lines, and bleeding the system. Maybe I can set down the framework, and he can do the bending, reflaring, bleeding, etc.

Again, thanks!
 
Yeah he mentioned someone who he helped out with converting it a year or so ago. Does your friend have an 89'? Kenny said that's who he helped out, and was reaching out to the owner to get the specifics of how they did it. I'd be comfortable doing some of the work myself, so it's a relief knowing that Kenny would be able to help me through it if I got stuck. I'm just not so sure about bending around the lines, and bleeding the system. Maybe I can set down the framework, and he can do the bending, reflaring, bleeding, etc.

Again, thanks!


Yes he is referring to Dan's 89 SC. I'm sure Dan can fill Kenny in on the finer points of the conventional brake conversion.

Bryan
 
Dropped off the car

Yes he is referring to Dan's 89 SC. I'm sure Dan can fill Kenny in on the finer points of the conventional brake conversion.

Bryan
Just dropped it off! I love that mechanic so far xD. He said back in the day he used to work on all the SCCOA members' of Volusia County's cars. Giving them aftermarket upgrades and what not. He seemed like he's good friends with Dan, and when I told him it's an SC, he sighed and said "Another one?". He thought it was the LX brakes leaking, then I said it's an SC and he just quit typing, and facepalmed :D.

Said that he was going to put a vacuum reservoir in with the booster since the Supercharged engine inherently makes less vacuum than normal. Not sure if it's normal procedure or if it's even needed, but it can't hurt. I'll let you know what he says. Needless to say, if he does good work, this mechanic is obviously going in the "Knowledgable SC Mechanics" Forum.

Again, I can't thank you enough. I don't think I would've ever found these guys without your recommendation. :)

Joseph
 
car.jpg
This was the stain left on my garage floor after dripping brake fluid for a week. Yeah, that's under all the kitty litter and newspapers I put down. It's about 3x3ft big. It got so bad that it was leaking all over the exhaust system, and when I shut it off there was brake fluid steam coming from the engine bay xD. I hope that didn't damage the paint too much :eek:.
 
Again, I can't thank you enough. I don't think I would've ever found these guys without your recommendation. :)

Joseph

Glad to help out another SC owner... there aren't many of us left. I don't have any direct experience with Kenny but I know Dan has used him for many years and speaks very highly of his work. I do all my own work. When my ABS system failed last year, I fixed it myself. My ABS problem turned out to be a bad pressure switch.

Brake fluid is very corrosive and will remove most paint. Always be sure to immediately clean it off of painted surfaces. FYI... brake fluid works great as a paint remover for many plastic parts.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Bryan
 
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Hi Joe, I was talking with Dean about your car and the brake job, and I gave him some paperwork on things we've all learned here on Sccoa concerning the brake conversion. Dean knows what to do and how to do it. FWIW, he worked as a master tech at a Ford dealership decades ago when the Supercoupe came onto the scene, I doubt there is a mechanic in Central Florida that knows them as well as he does.

Where do you live? If you are in the Ormond Beach area and want to come drive my car to get an idea for what the brakes will feel like, let me know, happy to assist.

If you P.M. me I can give you my cell # if you'd like to talk.

best of luck either way.

Dan Holleran
 
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Hi Joe, I was talking with Dean about your car and the brake job, and I gave him some paperwork on things we've all learned here on Sccoa concerning the brake conversion. Dean knows what to do and how to do it. FWIW, he worked as a master tech at a Ford dealership decades ago when the Supercoupe came onto the scene, I doubt there is a mechanic in Central Florida that knows them as well as he does.

Where do you live? If you are in the Ormond Beach area and want to come drive my car to get an idea for what the brakes will feel like, let me know, happy to assist.

If you P.M. me I can give you my cell # if you'd like to talk.

best of luck either way.

Dan Holleran
Thanks! Dean sounds like a real nice and honest guy, and I wholly trust him with my car. He said he got all the parts, and that it should be done by Tuesday. No more than $500 all in he told me. That's a HUGE difference from the $3000 Ford quoted me :D) He said he'd also look at the idler pulley after the brakes are done.

I'm right here in Daytona, right up by the automall (hence why I took it to Ford first xD), so if you'd like to meet anytime just let me know :). I have a mostly free summer since school's out.

Again, I really appreciate your help. Dean sounded really impressed with the work you've done with your T-Bird, and I hope that I can get mine restored to where yours is someday. I know a 26 year old Thunderbird isn't the stereotypical "first car", and it's really helpful and reassuring that I have some professionals near by that can help me out.
 
Happy to assist in any way...Dean does indeed know his stuff, and the SC as well. That price is fair considering some aspects of the swap are a ~~~~ to do, and compared to the dealership it's a no-brainer.

When you get it back and you're happy with things, maybe give a shout out to me via p.m. or on the Florida chapter forum, and we can meet up for lunch or just a quick chat if you have some time.

I live over by The Trails in Ormond, off of Nova Rd. so we're pretty close by.

Looking forward to hearing how things turn out, TTYL

Dan H
 
Happy to assist in any way...Dean does indeed know his stuff, and the SC as well. That price is fair considering some aspects of the swap are a ~~~~ to do, and compared to the dealership it's a no-brainer.

When you get it back and you're happy with things, maybe give a shout out to me via p.m. or on the Florida chapter forum, and we can meet up for lunch or just a quick chat if you have some time.

I live over by The Trails in Ormond, off of Nova Rd. so we're pretty close by.

Looking forward to hearing how things turn out, TTYL

Dan H
Well I've got an update from Dean. He got everything together, but one of the pieces he had to source from a junkyard (maybe the proportioning valve) wouldn't hold a vacuum, so they had to epoxy it. The epoxy resin is setting right now, but if it holds, It'll be all set. But if it doesn't he said he wasn't sure what to do xD.
 
I have a ? I was looking at the hydro boost conversion while doing my 460 swap for more room. If I have read correctly in my research, you need a Saginaw power steering pump to get the correct pressure. Problem is the SC has rack & pinion AND Variable Assist Power Steering.The r&p uses a lower pressure, and the VAPS has the orafice to restrict flow to r&p. How would you hook all this together?
Still working on Big Brakes install. Car has been sitting for a while so I'm a little concerned about my ABS also.
 
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