Make sure you need to upgrade the brakes first. Identify the problem you need
to address, and see if minor mods (or repair/maintenance) will do the trick. If
you can lock the wheels, bigger brakes would just lock them faster. If you're
experiencing fade, maximize the air cooling (front and rear). Make sure you're
using the right pads for the application. Make sure the brake lines are
righteous. Make sure the fluid gets completely bled and replaced with spankin
new every 1-3 years. I hate to slam people in general, but I must warn people
in the strongest possible terms not to use the MiniMania aluminum hub "kit"
with the built-in spacer for Spitfire rotors (the "kit" with just the
cylindrical spacer has a lot less to go wrong with it but you'd have to see for
yourself). I had numerous caliper-to-hub interference problems, and the rotor
bolt holes were so far off they could not be used (and one was larger dia than
the others). The wheel stud holes should have been countersunk, to prevent stud
heads from interfering with the calipers. Even the grease caps did not fit
well... A good mchinist could make a better aluminum hub for less than I spent
on the kit + rework, not to mention aggravation. With either kit, no spacer is
supplied for the steering lever arm, with has to change to clear the Spitfire
rotors. You could bend the arms, but I chose to use a spacer because it's
easier and I could ensure the left and right sides were essentially identical.
The MiniMania spacers are honkin chunks of steel 5/8" thick... All you need are
3/8" thick to clear the rotor (by about 3/16"), and cylindrical spacers 7/8" OD
will support essentially the entire cast pads. Not to mention at a fraction of
the weight. Peter May Engineering offers a kit using Wilwood aluminum calipers.
This is probably the way to go as it would save about 5 lb per wheel. He has
several kits actually, but this one uses the Spitfire rotor. The MGB caliper
remarkably is only about 1/4 lb heavier than the Midget's. Although "my"
machinist's experience is that the Aluminum calipers flex quite a bit and I was
better off with Iron unless racing dictated the weight saving. Plan to include
in your upgrade an adjustable front/rear proportioning valve to replace the
stock thing.
- GT / 73 Midget / Portland, OR
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