Question about brakes

[BobB99]

Hello
I don't currently have a Corvette. I am doing some research on brake technology and I have a question about disc brakes on Corvettes. Di the first Corvette with disc brakes (1965?) have ventilated rotors or solid rotors? Thanks for any information you can offer.

Bob B

 

[Hib Halverson]

Vented.

No Corvette disc brake system has ever used solid rotors.

 

[Toms007]

First off Bob, Welcome to CAC! By asking that question, I'm assuming you are considering a mid-year Corvette. They are great cars and pretty good investments (at least they have been). Do your due-diligence in checking out candidates as there are unscrupulous dealers/sellers out there.

As for the specific question you had, I believe that Hib has covered it. If you have other questions don't hesitate to post them, as we have a very knowledgeable bunch of people here who are more than willing to help.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Hello
I don't currently have a Corvette. I am doing some research on brake technology and I have a question about disc brakes on Corvettes. Di the first Corvette with disc brakes (1965?) have ventilated rotors or solid rotors? Thanks for any information you can offer.

Bob B

WELCOME ABOARD, get in the cockpit of a Corvette you will never ever be the same and that smile will b permanent!!
Someone correct me if I'm wrong I was once Even when GM in 1965 introduced disc brakes I thought they were still optional for the rear for that model year? Never seen or heard of a solid rotor for a disc brake at all!!! I think Studebaker Advanti (Spelling?) (1962-63?) had disc brakes 4 wheel available before Chevrolet Corvette. Again I was wrong once so I could be off a year or so!! LOL

-Bill

 

[Toms007]

Bill, I believe that in 65 you could order drum brakes in lieu of disks. I would have to look up the numbers to see how many were actually ordered that way, I know a few were.

I don't believe that, front only, disks were ever offered on the Corvette.

As far as solid disks, many of the European sports cars had them. I know the MGs, at least the Midget my dad owned, had solid disks. As well as an MGB I recently considered buying. I don't know about any American made cars that had solid disks, but there were probably some that did.

 

[Toms007]

The production numbers for 1965 drum brake cars is 316...pretty rare option. If you find a 65 with drum brakes, it's probably pretty good property. As I recall the option was only good until the stock-pile of drum parts was used up from the 64 model year. After that no longer an option. Not sure if they were able to use up that stock-pile or if that was just all the ones that were ordered.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Sorry and I do stnad corrected. . . . . . . . 1965 Model Year and Disc Brake options

Hey I do stand corrected wrong again, but I am getting old too so maybe I can milk that for a while. If I was being truthful maybe the memory thing is the real issue. But it did make me look some things up, and again I was WRONG!!!

This is what I found and by the way 1965 is the year I graduated high school, not that has anything to do with anything, thanks Tom, I remembered something about disc brakes that year, was in fact the first year you could order them. :L Wasn't there a number of vehicles early on where you could get disc on the front but not the rear yet, one that comes to mind because I had one was a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle S/S 396 CI only had disc brakes on the front.

Check out this link Chevrolet Corvette – Muscle Car Club

-Bill

 

[Toms007]

Bill, the "mistaken memory" gets to most of us these days. :L That's a nice overview of the different years, but I think I saw a mistake on the 65 description. It said the hoods from 65 weren't interchangeable with the 63 and 64 (if I read that right), which, of course, is wrong. As lots of guys back then liked the smooth hood and put them on 63-64 cars as well as the big block hood. I loved that domed hood.

As far as disk brakes on the front only, of other models....I don't remember in 65, but in 66, I think, a buddy of mine had a 66 Chevelle SS396 that had them that way. And I know that by 69 and 70 that was pretty common, particularly on the muscle cars. Where I grew up, Mopars were more popular than the GM cars. And One friend had a 1967 Hemi GTX which had front disks. Corvette however had 4 wheel disks.