77 brake calipers

[Russell Fulks]

Hello all,

I am a "newbie" to corvette restoration but have a good project on my hands. My first order of business is replacing all of my calipers. I have priced Delco calipers from Corvette Country in Houston, TX for >$200 each. I know that I can get them cheaper on-line at places such as precision engineering at http://personal.mia.bellsouth.net/mi...ionindex.html, but I don't know what quality these calipers are. Could anyone please let me know of a good-quality, reasonably priced place to buy these calipers.

Also, www.ocvette.com promotes a 12% discount off of any current published corvette parts catalogue. Has anyone had experience with them? Do they send you the exact same part that is listed in any vette catalogue?

Thank you in advance for your experience.

I can't wait to get out on the road.

[ERIC FAIRCLO]

Re: 77 brake calipers

When i replaced mine last year i bough ecklers brake overhaul which included (they said ) all ac delco calipers but in all actually 2 of the caliper halfs were not ac delco i think they were moraine. vetbrakes.com says they have all ac orginal ac delco brakes but you should call and make sure. vetbrakes is where ecklers buys their brakes the sell so ytou cut out the middle man. Thanks Eric

[ERIC FAIRCLO]

Re: 77 brake calipers

When i replaced mine last year i bough ecklers brake overhaul which included (they said ) all ac delco calipers but in all actually 2 of the caliper halfs were not ac delco i think they were moraine. vetbrakes.com says they have all ac orginal ac delco brakes but you should call and make sure. vetbrakes is where ecklers buys their brakes the sell so ytou cut out the middle man. Thanks Eric

[Russell Fulks]

Re: 77 brake calipers

thanks for the tip Eric. However, the $430 that vettebrakes charges is still alot more than the $295 at vettepartsonline.com, and their system comes with SS brake hoses.

[Russell Fulks]

Re: 77 brake calipers

thanks for the tip Eric. However, the $430 that vettebrakes charges is still alot more than the $295 at vettepartsonline.com, and their system comes with SS brake hoses.

[Joe L.]

Re: 77 brake calipers

Russell------

High quality, stainless steel sleeved calipers can be purchased from many of the Corvette vendors for about $90/each EXCHANGE. The core charge is usually about $40-50 each, but is refundable upon the return of a rebuildable core.

Personally, I only recommend calipers that have been rebuilt by KNOWN, HIGH-QUALITY manufacturers. These include Carter's Corvette and Brakes of Livermore, CA, Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation of Clarence, NY, Vette Brakes of Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL, and Dr. Vette of New Philadelphia, OH. Any of these are are available for about the above-referenced price, either directly from them or through vendors which carry their products.

Recently, NEW reproduction calipers have come on the market. These are licensed GM reproductions and carry the Delco-Moraine script and logos. They are a great way to go, too, and sell for about $125/each without core charge. They can be obtained with or without stainless steel sleeves already installed in NEW castings. They are detectable from original castings as far as appearance, but they are very close. GM or Delco never sold complete, NEW calipers. Only the caliper halves were available and to obtain a complete NEW caliper from GM, one had to "build one up" from SERVICE parts, including 2 caliper halves. A VERY expensive way to go. All of the GM caliper halves are now discontinued, though, so that's no longer even an option.

[Joe L.]

Re: 77 brake calipers

Russell------

High quality, stainless steel sleeved calipers can be purchased from many of the Corvette vendors for about $90/each EXCHANGE. The core charge is usually about $40-50 each, but is refundable upon the return of a rebuildable core.

Personally, I only recommend calipers that have been rebuilt by KNOWN, HIGH-QUALITY manufacturers. These include Carter's Corvette and Brakes of Livermore, CA, Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation of Clarence, NY, Vette Brakes of Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL, and Dr. Vette of New Philadelphia, OH. Any of these are are available for about the above-referenced price, either directly from them or through vendors which carry their products.

Recently, NEW reproduction calipers have come on the market. These are licensed GM reproductions and carry the Delco-Moraine script and logos. They are a great way to go, too, and sell for about $125/each without core charge. They can be obtained with or without stainless steel sleeves already installed in NEW castings. They are detectable from original castings as far as appearance, but they are very close. GM or Delco never sold complete, NEW calipers. Only the caliper halves were available and to obtain a complete NEW caliper from GM, one had to "build one up" from SERVICE parts, including 2 caliper halves. A VERY expensive way to go. All of the GM caliper halves are now discontinued, though, so that's no longer even an option.

[Russell Fulks]

Re: 77 brake calipers

Thanks for your info Joe. I do have one more question. The vette brakes catalogue offers a standard caliper and also a "patented O-ring Piston" caliper. Should I upgrade to the "O-ring" caliper?

[Russell Fulks]

Re: 77 brake calipers

Thanks for your info Joe. I do have one more question. The vette brakes catalogue offers a standard caliper and also a "patented O-ring Piston" caliper. Should I upgrade to the "O-ring" caliper?

[Russell Fulks]

NCRS accepted?

Joe,

vettepartsonline.com states that their "caliper 2000" design is NCRS accepted. Is there any way to verify this, and does it mean they are good parts?

Thank you again for sharing your experience.

-Russ Fulks

[Russell Fulks]

NCRS accepted?

Joe,

vettepartsonline.com states that their "caliper 2000" design is NCRS accepted. Is there any way to verify this, and does it mean they are good parts?

Thank you again for sharing your experience.

-Russ Fulks

[Joe L.]

Re: 77 brake calipers

Russell------

Although I wasn't always of this opinion, my opinion now is that you should convert to the o-ring caliper.

[Joe L.]

Re: 77 brake calipers

Russell------

Although I wasn't always of this opinion, my opinion now is that you should convert to the o-ring caliper.

[Joe L.]

Re: NCRS accepted?

Russ-----

I can't speak with authority on whether there exists a "judging penalty" for the use of o-ring type pistons in NCRS judged events. Actually, although the configuration of the pistons is slightly different than the conventional pistons, I don't see how anyone could even discern this with the calipers mounted on the car and the wheels installed. So, I really think that the issue of whether they're NCRS-accepted or not is rather moot.

However, NCRS is not an entity that certifies or otherwise endorses the quality of parts for reproduction OR functional purposes. So, if the pistons are generally accepted for judging purposes, that would have no bearing whatsoever on whether or not they are "good parts". However, I, personally, would advise that BRAKE PARTS or services provided by Vette Brakes are high quality and I would have no hesitation using any of them.

[Joe L.]

Re: NCRS accepted?

Russ-----

I can't speak with authority on whether there exists a "judging penalty" for the use of o-ring type pistons in NCRS judged events. Actually, although the configuration of the pistons is slightly different than the conventional pistons, I don't see how anyone could even discern this with the calipers mounted on the car and the wheels installed. So, I really think that the issue of whether they're NCRS-accepted or not is rather moot.

However, NCRS is not an entity that certifies or otherwise endorses the quality of parts for reproduction OR functional purposes. So, if the pistons are generally accepted for judging purposes, that would have no bearing whatsoever on whether or not they are "good parts". However, I, personally, would advise that BRAKE PARTS or services provided by Vette Brakes are high quality and I would have no hesitation using any of them.