Author Topic: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero  (Read 3177 times)

Corsairdeluxe

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 811
    • View Profile
    • Email
Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« on: September 08, 2018, 06:25:26 PM »
From the file. I have no experience with them.
Jim Brown aka Corsairdeluxe
#3559
10 Henrys and 1 ALLSTATE
behind me. J less at the moment and having irrational thoughts.

MarkH

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1083
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2018, 07:19:15 PM »
I've got a set on my car. Hope to road test them sometime soon.
Fully restored '54 Aero Lark
Rusty '58 Austin Healey 100-Six
Barely running'74 Chevelle Malibu

Gordie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2495
    • MSN Messenger - gordies1@verizon.net
    • AOL Instant Messenger - Gordie
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2018, 07:30:29 PM »
Your car is going to be too nice to ever even take out of the garage.  They were never that nice when they were new.  Beautiful!!
Member #3151 Since June 1974
Vice President K.F.O.C.I. 2013-2017  President 2018-2019
'47 Graham Paige Frazer                                   
'51 Kaiser Deluxe club coupe       
'51 Kaiser customized convertible 
'52 Allstate serial#39
'53 Aero Eagle
'54 Aero Eagle Custom

MarkH

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1083
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2018, 09:26:22 AM »
Your car is going to be too nice to ever even take out of the garage.  They were never that nice when they were new.  Beautiful!!

Thanks! It's turning out pretty nice but it's definitely going to get driven. I've got three grandsons that have been helping assemble it. Same age I was when I drove it, and we're all pretty stoked up about driving it.
Fully restored '54 Aero Lark
Rusty '58 Austin Healey 100-Six
Barely running'74 Chevelle Malibu

WillysTom1

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 107
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2018, 07:05:05 AM »
  Mark, yours makes my 55 Custom look really shabby. I think that yours and mine would look really fantastic riding around the Sebring racetrack together at our meet this coming March. Think about it.
1955 Willys Custom
Former owner of 1951 Kaiser Deluxe, 1951Henry J, 1955 Willys Bermuda

MarkH

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1083
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2018, 11:10:09 AM »
Well, you'd probably have a greater appreciation of your car's condition if you knew what I've got in my old rust bucket to get it to this point...….. not even my wife knows. Suffice it to say....I don't b*tch about her spending habits....at all...…… no matter what she clobbers me with.

I'm not familiar with the Sebring event you mention but I've been giving a fair amount of thought to seeing just what mine will do flat out after it's well broken in.
Unless someone here can match me, right now I've got the unofficial record for N & S America on the Aero FB group for being the only guy to peg the speedometer on a stock Aero.

I still have a blend of stock components, and a GPS could now show my speed over 100...……….. but my reflexes and risk aversion are much different now than when I was 17.
Fully restored '54 Aero Lark
Rusty '58 Austin Healey 100-Six
Barely running'74 Chevelle Malibu

WillysTom1

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 107
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2018, 04:17:09 PM »
  Mark, on the first week-end of March the Sebring Racetrack hosts classic cars that go onto the track for several laps. I am sure that my Willys will not be doing a 100 MPH, maybe 50 though. The Sunshine Region/ Snowbird Meet will be joining the festivities. We offering a big discount for those who join us. We hope to have a lot of Kaiser, Frazer, and Willys vehicles there circling the track and make a nice video of it. More info later.
1955 Willys Custom
Former owner of 1951 Kaiser Deluxe, 1951Henry J, 1955 Willys Bermuda

MarkH

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1083
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2018, 06:39:17 AM »
Grandsons & I all took turns road testing the Aero yesterday afternoon. Brakes operated normally, never gave them any thought after the first stop.
Steering effort was very reasonable with the radial tires in spite of my lack of youth compared to the last time I drove it.

Still a long way from being finished but we were all excited about running it.
Fully restored '54 Aero Lark
Rusty '58 Austin Healey 100-Six
Barely running'74 Chevelle Malibu

Corsairdeluxe

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 811
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2018, 04:24:52 PM »
Did  you use stock M.C.? Did you use any check valves? Did they fit inside stock wheel? What size are your wheels?
Jim Brown aka Corsairdeluxe
#3559
10 Henrys and 1 ALLSTATE
behind me. J less at the moment and having irrational thoughts.

MarkH

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1083
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2018, 09:01:26 PM »
Did  you use stock M.C.? Did you use any check valves? Did they fit inside stock wheel? What size are your wheels?

Stock master cylinder with the 10lb check valve removed so the front calipers will release. I plumbed a 10lb valve in the line running to the rear drums and skipped the 2lb valve for the front calipers since I have an elevated reservoir that will keep them from draining back into the MC.
My original factory wheels just clear the calipers after grinding a small bit off the outside corners. I shipped all the Aero parts in the top photo of this thread to Scarebird to make sure he could fit something for factory wheels. The rotor hats offset the wheels about 1/4in farther out than stock which helped a lot, but required slight longer studs.
I also plumbed in an adjustable brake pressure proportioning valve to balance the system & keep the rear brakes from locking in a panic stop.
Fully restored '54 Aero Lark
Rusty '58 Austin Healey 100-Six
Barely running'74 Chevelle Malibu

Corsairdeluxe

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 811
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2018, 06:02:00 PM »
Are your wheels 14 15 inch? You do nice work.
Jim Brown aka Corsairdeluxe
#3559
10 Henrys and 1 ALLSTATE
behind me. J less at the moment and having irrational thoughts.

MarkH

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1083
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Scarebird disc brakes for Willis Aero
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2018, 09:42:12 PM »
Are your wheels 14 15 inch? You do nice work.

They're the factory 15in wheels. Thanks!
Fully restored '54 Aero Lark
Rusty '58 Austin Healey 100-Six
Barely running'74 Chevelle Malibu