First I want to just say, the stock calipers on the front of the first gen BRAT have to be the dumbest design I've ever had to deal with on a car. Awful.

 

Secondly, I found the passenger caliper is completely frozen and the drivers one is rotten (the rubber and seals) do any of you guys know of or have done a different brake setup on these using the stock rotor/hub assembly? Maybe calipers from a gen 2 would work? If all else fails I'll just order new calipers to replace them but just wondered if a different cars would work?

 

Thanks everyone!

I think the later EA81 cars are pretty similar with a worm drive mechanical parking brake. They are really an ancient technology 60s-70s caliper with those and retaining shims/clips. I don't think there's much to be gained with bolt-in newer calipers other than vented discs, which would be a good upgrade for cars with more power or more tire. I do some 'spirited' driving in the local mountains and haven't really overheated my calipers much, and they are original to the car. 

Edited June 15, 201510 yr by djcommie

I did bolt up 84 Brat calipers, hubs and rotors to my 74 sedan using 79 Brat spinals. So I know they bolt rite up.....I might have actually used the 79 Brat hubs now that I think about it.

So if you gotta replace them you might as well upgrade.

Thanks dudes, I'm not concerned about performance so to speak because i am leaving it all stock I was just thinking gen 2 calipers might be easier to get haha. Rock auto has a left and right for only $52 each but I've noticed a trend with them if sending parts that aren't correct. So we will see!

Yeah those calipers suck. Especially if they're really old and have a ton of wear on them. I struggled for about 30 minutes on one just to get the damn pad retaining portion of it off because they were so stuck. I bought a refurb (I think from rock auto) to replace one and it went together so much smoother. Wish I had bought two. I will when I do pads again, most likely. Anyway, moral of the story is while the tech is ancient and pretty silly in today's standards, a new caliper isn't nearly as much of a pain as trying to work with a 30 year old one barely clinging on to life.

Yeah, I'm just going to buy two brand new ones and be done with it. Plus, brakes are pretty important.

So rock auto shows two different part numbers for front left and front right calipers between the years of 1979 and a 1980 BRAT. What the hell. Shouldn't the calipers all the same on first gen GLs?