Muscle Car Brake Upgrades – How to Design, Select, and Install

Author: Bobby Kimbrough Published by: Car Tech ISBN: 978-1-61325-271-0

You only have to read the car features in

Classic American to see that despite their generous sizes and fuel-guzzling tendencies, even decades-old American cars are still reasonably practical forms of transportation in the 21st century. They may be cosseted and tucked away safely during the winter months, but many owners put thousands of miles on the odometers each year. Nevertheless, while these classics can more than keep up with modern traffic, can they stop as efficiently? Sadly, in the majority of cases they cannot, especially muscle cars, where their performance is not matched by their braking efficiency.

This is where this new book will be particularly handy. While it’s nice to keep a classic 100% original, upgrades such as brakes, which are largely hidden from view, do make the cars more usable. Given the complexity of this subject I was pleased to see a logical progression, starting with a brief history of the evolution of muscle cars and their brakes. It provides information on the theory of braking systems, stability, steering and stopping distances, how upgrades affect performance and how modern brake systems can help improve both safety and ride characteristics.

After a chapter on typical components and what they do, followed by a general brake upgrade overview, it moves in turn to GM brake conversions, Fords and Mopars. All are different and there is no generic system that can be bought and retro-fitted. The text is accompanied by clear and informative photos. If you are considering a brake upgrade for your Sixties and Seventies muscle car you are sure to find useful tips and advice here.