1961 Lincoln maximum wheel width

[1Bad55Chevy]

The Wilwood set up is nice but not necessary. These have gotten popular in recent years due to shift in the industry from pro street to pro touring builds. If you want disc brakes there are cheaper ways to accomplish it. Like said above you could switch to later model factory units and leave the rear drums but if you want rear disc the cheapest option is a late model 8.8" rear axle conversion. You have to remember if you can lock the wheels up with factory drum or factory disc brakes switching to a 6 piston unit will not improve stopping. The larger brakes actually makes it worse because increased clamping power will throw it into a slide sooner. I think the most appealing part of these brakes is that they look bad ass behind a 20+" wheel.

I have never had an issue with factory brakes. My dad has a 77 nova with the factory brakes on it and it will run a 8.90@160mph. It's actually running on single piston metric front calipers and drum rear brakes. He dosen't upgrade it because drums have a lot more holding force so if he wants to run a foot brake class he can run it up further on the converter. It does have a parachute on the car as per safety regulations but he has never pulled it.

Ultimately the goal of the car is what matters, if this is a car show build where you want to be able to say "no expense spared" then go for it!

[Chris Australia]

All very valid points thank you gents. I will consider everything raised.

Regards
Chris

[1Bad55Chevy]

https://www.littleshopmfg.com/lincoln-6 ... brake-kit/

$2,365 for Wilwood front disc conversion.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284960004261?m ... media=COPY

4 wheel CPP Disc conversion w/ drilled and slotted rotors, master cylinder, booster, hoses, proportioning valve, etc .... $2,200

[TonyC]

Be ready for some lecture about load ratings. People here tend to hate anything besides original!

Yeah. I'm one of them. Load rating is a critical point, despite attempts to trivialize it, both in wheels and in tires. It hasn't become a fad-controlling factor because about 90% of cars put through this fad are already so light they could roll on anything that's round. But on vehicles like these Lincolns, that's not the case...and I have observed the consequences of riding just tires that were not rated for the load they wound up carrying, never mind fancy wheels.

Those wheels, I'll admit, are nicer-looking than most wagon-wheels on the world market. But are they really up to carrying that load? And what about the rubber bands that attach to them? How much can they handle? I seriously would ask for disclosure of those dynamics before committing $4–10g's on a looks-only drivetrain conversion. If they are in fact capable of carrying these cars on the highway as well as the OE wheels, if you can afford them, and if you like the way they look, then go for it. If, however, the company cannot or will not disclose those dynamics, well...sure, you can still put your car at risk if you want.

Buyer, beware! That old cliché does not necessarily mean, "Don't buy at all"; it means to use caution and good sense in a purchase, in the absence of reassuring factoids regarding the purchase.

---Tony

[bd94s10]

Ali at Isotope should be able to answer this for you. If not, I'd suggest going with Colorado Custom Wheels. They are the BEST in the business (billet wheels) plus have amazing customer support. Michael can give you the specs including ensuring the wheels will work with upgraded brakes.

https://coloradocustom.com/premium

I ran a 17 with a wide white wall and Michael set me up so I can upgrade to a larger disc brake in the front of '64 if I want to.

Project Smuggler’s Blues by Jason Ballard, on Flickr