Another 911 E-Brake Conversion Options

[Eric_Shea]

Being 9/14 it seems like a great day to post the progress of my version of the 911 hand brake conversion. First off, many thanks to Timo and Wilco for their posts which gave me the direction to get started on such a task.

I just switched the rear control arms on my 911. I got a pair of aluminum control arms and they came with both hubs and hand brake assemblies. Lucky me... I now had a set of 71, 911 hubs for my 5 lug conversion (just got the stub axles from Mittlemotor) and a set of 911 hand brakes.

My front struts have been replaced with the Koni struts and S-Calipers. I had the spindles raised on the struts by 18mm. For the rears I needed some stopping power to match both my S-Calipers up front and the 220hp six that will be going in the car.

Current status after this weekend:

Control Arms off the car. Hand brake cable mount was cut off. Rear shield mount ground off. 2mm ground off the extensions on the rear bearing housing. 911 hand brake assemblies rebuilt. All parts glass bead blasted. Hard parts painted with POR-15. Mechanicals replated in silver zinc. Reassebmled and test fit to the 914 control arms.

What's Next?

Control Arms go off to get sand blasted. Boxed control arm kit welded on. Repaint with POR-15. Mount 911 front M-Caliper. Mount vented rotors. Rebuild CV's and Axles.

Here's some pics:

[Eric_Shea]

Shield tab ground off...

[Eric_Shea]

Backing plate test fit...

[Eric_Shea]

Rebuilt 911 hand brake assembly...

[McMark]

Keep the pictures comin'! I'm sure everyone is very interested in how this turns out.

[Eric_Shea]

Test fit of the complete assembly. Next the control arms go off to the sand blaster.

I'll keep you posted!

Eric

[ArtechnikA]

I just switched the rear control arms on my 911. I got a pair of aluminum control arms

been looking at doing the aluminum trailing arm conversion myself - do you know if they'll fit a '71 ?
i know there were a few dimensional changes in the '74 cars and 'm just starting to research this...

[Eddie Williams]

Good Luck... I started down the same path, got just about as far as you, but gave up, let me know if you find a source for the cables. Maybe I'll go back down the trail.

[Eric_Shea]

Rich,

Dimensionally they look identical next to each other. The only problem I know of is the 14mm lower shock mount bolt verses the 12mm shock mount bolt on our 71 cars. I got the 74 variety with the ball mounts for the sway-bar. You'll need new shocks with the 14mm sleeve

E-mail me off the list and I'll fill you in on any problems I run into while installing these . I've heard the shock holes in the chassis are different and you have to remove your dust covers but others mention this isn't a problem.

We better stop talking about the 11's or the teeners are gonna whack us!

E.

[Eric_Shea]

Eddie,

I plan to go a slightly different route than both Timo and Wilco. I want to use a 911 hand brake lever on the tunnel ala some of the factory rally cars. Doing this for two reasons; 1) I have the extra hand brake handle, 2) I have a roll bar that lands in the stock parking brake cable location.

I'll use stock 911 cables. If I need to have them shortened or lengthened that's the route I'll go.

E.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

...We better stop talking about the 11's or the teeners are gonna whack us!

Next time please make sure you establish in the title or subject line that the material is off-topic. I am now thoroughly confused as to what vehicle your discussion is about (911? 914?).

Maybe a new forum is needed for non-914 topics. I'm seeing a decent amount of non-914 topics and all they do is increase the signal-to-noise ratio.

[ArtechnikA]

Next time please make sure you establish in the title or subject line that the material is off-topic. I am now thoroughly confused as to what vehicle your discussion is about (911? 914?).

Maybe a new forum is needed for non-914 topics. I'm seeing a decent amount of non-914 topics and all they do is increase the signal-to-noise ratio.

off-topic ?

look at the pictures.

911's don't require 911 E-brake conversions, they already come with 911 Ebrakes.

there are no aluminum 914 semi-trailing arms. i do not understand your confusion.

non-914 topics ? which 914 is this again ?

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Unbunch your panties, dude. I know VWs, not 914s. It sounded like a conversion/swap of 911 parts for a 914. I do know some 911 parts fit the 914 and I figured, since I'm somewhat new to the 914 scene, that this was the situation. If people put BMW brakes and Chevy engines on the 914 how far off could some suspension components be?

Uhm, as for the avitar, so what? I see others on here that aren't even close to 914 content. At least Porsche had a part in the Type III on VW's request and the engine was the precursor to the Type IV.

[ArtechnikA]

...It sounded like a conversion/swap of 911 parts for a 914.

yes. exactly. which is why it is a 914-related thread.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)
Thoroughly confused now. Would someone please give me the baby-steps version of what the hell is goin' on?

[seanery]

If you do a 5 lug conversion with 911 brakes on the rear you lose your ebrake, unless you do the mods as shown above.
There are a couple of variations out there, but this one is gaining popularity or so it seems.

[ArtechnikA]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)
Thoroughly confused now. Would someone please give me the baby-steps version of what the hell is goin' on?

sure, no problem, i apologize if i contributed to the confusion.
sometimes i forget that the world here hasn't followed along with Eric's progress since it started getting coverage in another forum...

the standard issue with using other calipers on the back of a 914 is that it's hard to retain the parking (Emergency) brake function. 914's use cable-operated mechanical pressure on the inboard pad. 911's have always used a completely separate, fully redundant E-brake system - with two little bitty brake shoes working on a drum integral with the rear disk. cool system.

Eric has started down the challenging path of utilising the 911 drum (E-)brake mounting plate on a 914. there are 'issues' but it looks like he's got most of them addressed.

anyway - Eric posted his progress, including what modifications must be made to the trailing are, and how the 911 Ebrake mounting plate bolts up.

and mentioned in passing that he was doing the aluminum banana conversion on his 911 - the rear suspension parts that came with the brake parts he wanted. i was interested in that because i'm planning on doing the same thing on my early 911. this was probably where most of the introduced for which i apologise.

being able to use the 911 EBrake parts on a 914 would be very cool, because there are lots of attractive calipers people would like to be able to use on 914's - especially track cars and those with HiPo engine conversions - but an EBrake is A Good Thing - and required by law for street cars in many jurisdictions. having a completely redundant EBrake system a la 911 would be a tremendous step forward, because 911 EBrake parts are plentiful and 914 rear calipers - especially the higher-capacity 914/6 calipers - are in short supply.

[McMark]

Short version...

911 E-Brake conversion going on a 914
Aluminium trailing arms going on a 911

[campbellcj]

As Rich alluded to...even though my particular car is driven more on the track than the street, and is "barely street legal" (I'm being optimistic but no law-enforcement hassles so far), it would be a big plus to have a reasonably simple, lightweight e-brake.

Don't ask me why I came to realize this , but suffice to say I live in a very hilly area and I keep folding wheel-chocks in my glovebox now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[914Timo]

Looks good Eric !!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif)

I am happy you decided to do it. Congratulations. I am also VERY interested in about your plans of center mounted hand brake. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)