Increasing Brake Size

[MarkRHayes]

My brother recently bought a 72 Opel GT. He just got deployed to Iraq. Want to fix this up for him in his absence to surprise him when he gets home. I'll have lots of questions. First one is: Has original 13" rims and tires and brakes. Wanting to increase to bigger brakes, rims and tires. As I am new to this - need some guidance from experienced Opel owners. ARe these standard parts? Do I need to retrofit? What's involved? What do I need to know before I start this???? Please help.

[BQS4]

Mark;
A very quick way to improve the brakes is to get a set up from the front of a 75 F.I. Opel or the same set up from the 77-83 BMW 320i with ATE brakes. Then get 3/4" rear wheel cylinders from OGTS and he'll definitely notice the difference.
Gene

[nobody]

The BMW rotors won't fit but you can get new Brembo ones pretty cheap. The BMW calipers can be had used pretty cheap and work fine. You may get into a master cylinder issue, but not too likely.

[kwilford]

Actually, the BMW rotors do work, with the correct calipers and a bit of machining. There are a number of threads to be found at:

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/performance-suspension-braking-upgrades/

and especially at:

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/performance-suspension-braking-upgrades/1094-bmw-77-320i-front-disk-brakes.html

Another option is of course to use the '75 Opel (Girling) calipers (or BMW ATE calipers from a solid rotor model) and the matching rotors. I have found that the early Lotus Esprit used the same rotors. The Parts Stores will still stare at you when you ask for them, but at least they might recognize "Lotus" more readily than "Opel".

And I believe that OGTS sells the big rotors as well.

HTH

[nobody]

I looked at the BMW rotors and still have a pair but found to get them turned down was more than the solids from Autobarn. The BMW Girlings do fit by the way. That's what I found and put on mine without modification to use.

[Strider1970]

I work at a parts store, and unless the rotors are super large or somthing like that, there should be no price variation. We turn rotors at my store for $10 each. To me I don't care if it is a Corvette, a Pinto, or a Beemer vented rotors are even easier than solid to get a clean cut. Thats becouse we do not have a good silencer at my store to reduce vibration for the solid rotors.
JMTCW
Shawn
P.S. Thanks for the heads up on other rotor and caliper choices for parts I might have available to me.

[nobody]

the problem is brake lathes are meant to turn the surface not the diameter.