I think we've all see the front brake disk kit on ebay for $2027 USD + shipping on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-666525-KITPV-Disc-brake-modification-kit-PV-Front-444-445-544-210-Modifi/122847194468?hash=item1c9a436d64:g:sZ4AAOSwHb9btiXg

My question is - how good is the value of this kit/how much of a premium would I be paying VS scrounging for individual new parts (122Ss are not plentiful in my local pick and pulls c.2019)? I don't mind paying a premium for the easy and to know that all the bits jive, but don't want to be taken to the cleaners.

I also note that it's a lot cheaper on their website (about $1500 USD) which seems more reasonable.

Thanks,
Christopher

thanks for all the comments!

The price of convenience may just be worth it...

I did the conversion on my 1967 P210 several years ago. (~15 years ago?)
Parts were probably somewhat easier to come by then than they are now. I sourced the bits and pieces through eBay over time (several months). I believe all parts except hoses were used.

Rotors and calipers were not difficult to find but at least one rotor I purchased was warped. Heat shields, brackets, etc needed blasting and powder coating. Brackets needed to be modified (location of holes). What I remember most is that it was a real chore to find brake lines that would actually mate with the pieces they would be attached to. You'd think that would be standardized but I went through several disappointments before I found something that would fit.

Note also that this eBay kit from NordicCar includes a booster that would be nearly impossible to source independently. You don't actually need one (my system is without booster and works just fine) but probably good to have.

The biggest problem I had was the brakes locking up when they warmed up. This required pulling over and releasing brake fluid pressure at the caliper. A serious problem! It turned out I had insufficient free play in my pedal adjustment at the master cylinder. Once I fixed that everything worked just fine. Lastly - use silicone based (DOT?) brake fluid!

Best of luck.

KaiS '67 Duett

I agree with the poster who suggested staying with the original brakes. The price also seems high.

I just installed a disk brake kit on a Jeep and was NOT happy. It was advertised as "Bolt ON" but definitely was not. I actually had brake failure 3 times before I figured out the issue.

I have Wilwood 4 piston fronts and 2 piston rears, but I can't remember what rotors I used, vented rotors on front and solid on the rear, I also don't remember what I did for mounts, I probably made them

Thanks for the response!

One quick follow up - do you find the front disk upgrade worth the money and effort?

Have you driven your car very much with the stock drum brakes? I have a 65 544 with stock brakes and IMHO that's all you need. The brakes are oversize (9x2 on all 4 wheels) for a relatively light car. Sure it takes a bit more peddle pressure, but the 544 was built to be driven and with properly adjusted brakes, the car will stop from speed guickly and straight. Tom

I've owned my PV for several years, and drive it fairly often in the summer. For light strolls about they are more than fine, but for spirited sports 'car driving' I find them to be a limiting factor in how much I want to push the car.

I'm sure they are as good or better than most contemporaries, but I'm also spoiled by 4 wheel disk brakes on my other two 'older' cars (240 and e12 BMW)

I've had to do one emergency stop this year - I was driving cautiously but some idiot lady pulled out in front without looking and I thought for sure the fender would be crunched at least, but the brakes and controlled steering saved the day.

Look up the Kevlar brake shoes used on the Wheeler Dealer 544 restoration on YT. They appeared to work well. Don't know if anyone here is using them. The change to discs is often prompted by the annoying habit of pulling to one side when hard braking. Adjustment and shoe to drum diameter matching is vital but not easily achieved. Some people just get lucky and have no problems.

I converted my PV before I put it back on the road in the early 2000's. At the time I was able to scrounge up all the parts required. the caliper brackets came off a 122 as did the rotors. Two years ago I replaced the rotors with ones from VP for around $120 each. I installed a proportioning valve from "Stainless Steel Brakes", in reality it is a biasing valve to control fluid flow to the rear wheels. It has a adjustable valve that with a couple of hard stops allowed me to set the biasing to stop rear wheel lock up. I just need to keep the rear drums adjusted once a year and no trouble since.
I tried the kevlar shoes and pads from Porterfield, I can't say as I notice any appreciable difference

Note
I am currently using 240 nonvented calipers ( I got these from Rock Auto) although 120 ones work too. The 3 piston calipers are now available new from VP along with the rotors and rear drums for $120 each. the flex hoses are available there too.

I rebuilt the 3 piston caliper on my son 123GT and found a supplier in New York state who sells the kits with stainless steel pistons. VP also has these but were out of stock last year when I needed them.

Steve in Canada

what I learned about DOT 5 silicone based brake fluid. My Dad bought a 1982 244GL and in 1983 I began a two year program in Automotive technologies.( I graduated in 95 with an applied sciences degree in automotive technologies
and went on to work for 30 years as a mechanic. anyway back in 83 at scool I flushed out the brake system on the 244 GL flushed it complettly out with alcohol and blew it dry with air and installed the Dot 5. where it remained until 2003. the DOT 5 brakefluid was all the new rage. it had a higher boiling temp thenthe glycol fluids, but what really made it stand apart was it could not mix with water. while glycols are are knowen as a Hydroscopic fluid meaning the readily combine with water.. the thinking at that time was this would make for a "lifetime fluid" never needing to be to be replaced. Ford jumped on the band wagon for a few years as did the US postal service. ford quietly dropped the the Dot 5, while I know the postal service was still useing it in the early 2000's. the way this turns out is that although water did not mix at all with Dot 5 the moisture in the air still got into the brake system and condenced out.not mixing with the fluid it still beins to acumulate pooling in low spots where ever it finds them pure water and the corrosive oxigen it is made of. even flushing the fluid, wont remove all the water now, it cant mix. and dot 5 was basicly abandoned. . well long story short the 1982 GL was passed on to my brother and then in an unloved state I rescued the unwanted car. I went to task to fixing it up, and then I remembered the dot five fluid, was it still in there- yep. did it save the brake coponants, NO. the brake failier light had been on, the pressure differential warning valve had failed, and one or more calipers where hanging up a little. cuiosity was on, i used a glass beaker to and filled it with the 20 year old Dot 5 fluid. it still had the purple color although not as bright as when it was new, but the fluid for the most part looked remarkably uncontaminated. then down the leeder hose and in to the beaker came globs of nasy looking water filled with junk.. turns out having a hydroscopic fluid was an advanted, be performing a fluid flush every two years you can remove vertualy all the water andall but tyhe heaviest of particulats, and with regular flushes removimg water rather then iy building up corosion and the particulats it creats are vastly diminished.

Thank you Brian. That of course wasn't what I wanted to hear but it does appear that consensus opinion has turned away from recommending DOT 5 (silicone).

Your post gave me some thought. I'm working on getting my car back on the road after a ~ 2 year hiatus following a deer strike. Given your comments (and the fact that my DOT 5 brake fluid has been in the car for the better part of 15 years) I decided to flush and replace (likely with DOT 4 or Ate Racing fluid).

The good news is that for the most part, the fluid looked pretty good (though not pristine). The (very) bad news is that the brake pedal went to the floor and stayed there!

Now I'm faced with replacing the master which as best as I can recall wasn't too much fun. I also plan on replacing the front flexible hoses. Any recommendations for a reliable source for custom (made to order) flexible hoses would be greatly appreciated...

Many thanks.

KaiS