MK1 front brake differences

[sahtuning2000]

I see that's there are a couple of different options for MK1 front brakes,i want to replace the pads and discs,maybe the calipers,i see theres always a 350" or 500" option,what does this refer to?
My car is a facelift August 68 MK1.

[Dave B]

0.350" & 0.500" refer to the front brake disc thickness. Early Mk1 had 0.350" discs, later mk1 & all Mk2 have 0.500" discs. Not sure of the change over date but probably an Aug '68 would have 0.500" discs, but I could be wrong. Simple enough to measure though.

[sahtuning2000]

Great help,i did think it was the thickness but wasn,t sure 100%,so if I have 500 are these the same pads/discs used on MK2s?

[johnnydog]

Dave,
I believe the larger discs and pads (i.e. Mk2 setup) were fitted from around chassis no MB104,000. When I put my 1969 Royal Blue Mk1 back on the road after years of being laid up, the replacement front discs I fitted were from a Mk2 PI (I just fitted the whole disc and hub for ease) and the calipers were new Mk2 Lockheed, with new Mk2 Lockheed pads.
If you compare an early Mk1 pad with the later Mk1 / Mk2, the early ones pads look tiny in comparison.
If you do need the early smaller pad / discs, just get in touch as I have a good number of nos boxed new sets!

[sahtuning2000]

Had a look at my chassis number and its MB102,... so this must mean it has the early brakes?,it was made and registered mid Aug 68,but the pads appear to be the later MK1/MK2 items,can you actually fit these to earlier discs?they are the same pads as I removed,still have them,Lockhead items.

[Clifford Pope]

I have had great difficulty obtaining the correct pads for the earlier M1. Even the ones I got from CW in the correct NOS Lockheed box were still not quite the correct profile. All the kind I have been able to obtain have too rounded a profile at the inner hub end, so rattle in the slot in the caliper. The brakes are very prone to judder, which can be cured for a while by jabbing them to re-set the pad position.
These are for the thin disc, but are still wrong.

Also any springs I have managed to get are the wrong ones, being too wide and obviously meant for the thicker discs. I have managed to cut these down using tin-snips, but they are not very good.

Long ago I posted photos in another thread of the two kinds of pad, but I don't seem to have kept copies and can't find them here now.

[Clifford Pope]

Here we are - just found it;

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5146&p=42079&hilit ... ads#p42079

The correct pads have a squarer profile at the bottom.

[johnnydog]

Had a look at my chassis number and its MB102,... so this must mean it has the early brakes?,it was made and registered mid Aug 68,but the pads appear to be the later MK1/MK2 items,can you actually fit these to earlier discs?they are the same pads as I removed,still have them,Lockhead items.

The easiest way is to remove the front wheel and measure the disc thickness, or the gap between the two halves of the caliper where the disc rotates. The latter should be 5/8" for late Mk1 and Mk2.
As you have stated in another topic that your engine rocker cover and air filter box are black, I would guess you have the narrower disc and smaller pads - the change over was around chassis no MB104,000, when the rocker cover and air filter box changed to silver.
I wouldn't fit late calipers to an early disc - the piston will have to come out further and in the extreme risk popping a piston when the pads wear down. Highly dangerous!!