INTERCHANGEABLE
BOLT ON STUDEBAKER,
AND AVANTI DISC BRAKE KIT
When introduced, the Avanti
may have been America's most advanced automobile. However, the front disc brakes have
always left a lot to be desired.
Since purchasing a 1963 Avanti in
May of 1979, I had been experiencing trouble with the front disc brakes. Some of the
problems were, premature wearing out front pads, pulling to one side, then the other and
squealing.
A good solution would be to
improve the brakes and eliminate these problems by using a brand "X" brake
set-up and have it bolt on to the stock Studebaker spindles! But, every manufacturer is
different in design, so this became a big problem.
I then met Curt Hamilton;
Curt has been manufacturing disc brake kits for street rods since 1963. After
experimenting with different rotors and calipers, and with many weeks and hours of
research and development. We finally came up with the best combination, both in effective
in stopping and ease of installation.
The TURNER BRAKE kit for the Avanti and all 1953 through 1966 Studebakers uses 1968 through
1969 Mustang or Cougar rotors and grease seals. It also employs 1979 through1995 General
Motors A body calipers, (Malibu and El Camino) brake pads, and G.M.brake hoses. This
design utilizes stock Studebaker spindles, wheel bearings, dust caps, and disc brake
wheels. (or Ford 5 1/2 inch wheels)
The convenient part of the
changeover is simply, no permanent modification needs to be made to the spindles, master
cylinder or rear wheel cylinders. However, on non-disc brake cars, the residual check
valve must be defeated, and possibly an adjustable proportioning valve installed in the
rear line.
The installation of this kit will
require a general mechanical background of automobile Mechanics, and should take
appropriately four hours to complete.
The results are FANTASTIC, no more of the
aforementioned problems and the brake pads are about two and a half times larger then the
stock Avanti pads.
Others have tried to copy the TURNER BRAKE unique design, and have not been able
to maintain the quality and precise manufacturing standards!
Have a GREAT day!

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