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Posted by: URY914 Oct 30 2004, 06:48 PM

I was at a swap meet last weekend talking about light weight calipers.

A follow 914er says to use early 912 calipers on the front. They were used on non-vented rotors of the 912, and are alloy. Lighter than the 914 steel units.

Anyone know about this???

Now I just have to find a couple of +/- 36 year old calipers.

Paul

PS: There is A LOT of BS spit out at swap meets.

Posted by: lapuwali Oct 30 2004, 07:07 PM

Hm. I have a '67 912, and I don't think the calipers are alloy. Let me get a magnet and check. The rotors ARE unvented...Nope. A magnet sticks to the front calipers on my car. Not Al or Mg. Remember, the 912 was supposed to be cheap, so I can't imagine they would have fit alloy calipers to it. The struts are also not the same as 914 struts, so there's no telling if the calipers would bolt to 914 struts, anyway.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 30 2004, 07:08 PM

your car is so light why do you need brakes? put your feet down!

Posted by: URY914 Oct 30 2004, 07:12 PM

I don't really need them, I want them

Paul

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 30 2004, 07:13 PM

have you looked at bicycle brakes?

Posted by: URY914 Oct 30 2004, 07:31 PM

Here are a few ideas:

1. Reduce the rotor outside diameter to just what is needed for the pad to fit on the rotor. If you look at the rotor there is a little (1/8" - 3/16") of material that can be removed.

2. Drill the rotors. I really have too much brake for a 1,500 pound car. I'm never going to overheat the brakes on a autox course. So make them look like swiss cheese.

3. I thought about drilling some holes in the "hat" of the rotor. But this would be a bitch and may not be too safe. It would be a PITA trying to get it set up on my drill press. I would also need to get the rotor balanced.

Paul

Posted by: echocanyons Oct 30 2004, 09:42 PM

They are iron and they are the same as the 356 C calipers IIRC, no weight loss and no better braking.

Posted by: Britain Smith Oct 30 2004, 10:23 PM

I just went out into the garage and checked my set of '69 912 calipers that I took off my car...they are steel. Anyone need a set?

-Britain

Posted by: URY914 Oct 30 2004, 10:25 PM

Thanks echo,

Were any early 911calipers for non-vented rotors alloy?

Paul

Posted by: davep Oct 31 2004, 08:03 AM

The 912 calipers were identical to the 911 calipers "type M". The only difference is the lack of the spaced used to widen the caliper for the vented rotors. They are all cast iron. This basically means that the pads are the same, but the pistons go from 42mm to 48mm when you move from 914/4 to 912. The only "alloy" calipers I know of are the 911S until you get into the later cars.

Posted by: Britain Smith Oct 31 2004, 11:31 AM

So you are saying that it would be benifical to swap my old 912 calipers for those on the front on my 914?

-Britain

Posted by: davep Oct 31 2004, 12:33 PM

Yes, it would probably work well. You may need the 19mm master cylinder as well. I'm not sure, at the moment, if they can be swapped with only the early 914/4 caliper or the late 914/4 caliper. If it bolts up and is centered on the rotor, you are fine.