Hello all, I've posted a few pics on the work we do on here previously but as its just about ready to fit, I thought I'd post some pics and information on the conversion we've been working on for our track car using components we've developed to on-sell to our customers.

I realise that this isnt really ford-relevant, but some might find it interesting.

Volvo 240 4 spot front calipers are often the choice of people wanting a cost-effective brake upgrade on project cars, some sports sedans, quick road cars and some kit cars. Calipers are very good, strong, easy to rebuild, etc. Calipers are made of cast iron.

Mazda RX7 series II cars with 5 stud wheels feature a caliper that resembles, visually, the 240 caliper, except that its approx 1/3 bigger, features a single line rather than two (making it easier to bleed), its less prone to developing air pockets in the fluid up high in the caliper, it takes pads that have a bigger surface area etc.
It will allow a bigger rotor than the 240 caliper and therefore more clamping (braking force) due to the caliper being further out from the centre of the hub.

To get these to fit Volvo 240 uprights we developed the caliper adaptor below.



As we use the car as a track day car, as do some of our customers, we had to modify the existing ducted backing plate design that we already have to suit the mazda caliper.

The picture below shows an assembled strut tube with new backing plate and hanging down is our latest design adjustable swaybar link - instead of running from the bottom arm to the swaybar, the link runs from above the bar on the strut tube to the swaybar. This should put more weight on the inside rear wheel mid corner and on corner exit under hard acceleration as the loaded front wheel will transfer weight diagonally across the car to the inside rear wheel.

The Photo also shows the fitted caliper bracket and caliper mounted



And another photo looking forward toward the caliper.



Closer pic of the new swaybar link



Another photo showing the adaptor bracket



And finally one of the completed assembly sans rotor and hub.



Although not pictured, rotors are 11.25" dia, 22mm thick slotted Brembos designed for fitment to a Volvo 740 Turbo. This rotor is ideal for the mazda caliper and if required it will fit under most 15" and 16" Volvo rims as well as all 17" and 18" rims.

whats a volvo?

Wrong forum buddy

Is there a Vovomods web site

Just look at the system and imagine what this could do for your braking if set up properly MIGHT give you some ideas instead of being a smartass

some pretty natty machine work to complete that setup....nice work.

Ash, the engineering work you guys do never ceases to amaze me!
Awesome stuff!
I'm thinking of doing some similar custom swaybar links myself, just have to get off my a***
Shame your not going to make it to Heathcote, would have been good to say g'day.

Some of you guys need to learn to appreciate switched on modifications when you see them.
Perhaps you'd all be more interested on how to fit a BZ mark 23 airbox snorkel to your E-Series

Would you likw a straw with that?!

Good work ash shame you dont apply your technical aptitude to our fords! LOL!

nice work dude!

those calipers look HUGE

*wonders how hard it be to fit em to a auxr6 sI....

Just sick of one-eyed people thats all Neville.
Now go and get uncle chop-chop a beer.

I couldn't of said it better Jared

So many uneducated tools out there

As ash is a good mate of mine i have seen first hand alot of his mods and let me just say his stuff is awesome.

Here are some pictures of his red brick at calder :

Nice A539's..and the volvo as well.

yes couldn't agree more

that is very nice work there Ash keep up the good work

the guy is welcome in here as far as i'm concerned

Imagine larger brakes on the E - series falcons everyone seems to up the power levels of the machines but no stopping power upgrades , think guys


I was at the local wreckers the other day woooooooo the Nissan 300zzzzz's have a awsome set of 4 spot alloy calipers the disc rotors are huge , also considering mating up a set to my EL falcon keep u posted


LOVE the word " tools " Brett what does that mean LOL

cheers

Sure there are...

www.turbobricks.com
www.volvospeed.com
www.brickboard.com

We'd be happy to, but given that we dont have a ford to tinker with, it makes it difficult.

The fact also remains that theres several companies also doing nice ford products and we'd have to put a fair amount of time into some ford-specific learning to come up with decent products. We are happy to do one-offs if theres something specific you'd like done.

At the moment our list of 'to do' and 'in progress' is quite long, so any new components would go to the bottom of our things to do.

I really posted the pics so people could have a look at the engineering side of it rather than being make-specific.

That aside, Ford owns Volvo and has a pretty big interest in mazda, so theres a nice indirect link there.

I had been planning on making the Heathcote drag night but we had something else on instead. So I'll make an appearance next time and run one of the cars.

Ivan, I think I'm familiar with the 300zx calipers youre talking about, as they were one of the options we originally looked at, but would have meant we'd need a custom hat and rotor setup, so it was dismissed for cost reasons.
Our aim is for everything we develop to be a sellable item, therefore it needs to be able to be reproduced and inexpensive as well as working well, high quality, reliable, etc.