Installing Vintage Venom Four-Wheel Disc Brakes - Snake Stop

Install the caliper-mounting bracket, and using a feeler gauge, check the gap between the rotor and the bracket on both sides. There should be a minimum of 0.040-inch on each side. If not, you will have to shim the bracket out or grind a little on the bracket to obtain the proper amount of clearance-in our case we were fine. Torque the included bolts to 80 ft-lbs.

Here the caliper is shown installed into position. Now the connection between the flex lines on the caliper and the hard lines on the car can be completed. Vintage Venom provides the part number for a new brake line retaining bracket that mounts to the framerail for this juncture. You will also need '99-'04 Mustang front brake hoses. With the front brakes wrapped up, we test fit one of our Bullitt wheels with Kumho tires onto the hub. The large 13-inch rotor fills the opening behind the spokes almost completely. For caliper clearance purposes, a 17-inch wheel is the minimum size required.

Under the hood this was the landscape at the beginning of the project. The cast iron master cylinder will be replaced with a late-model Cobra master cylinder, which has a 15/16-inch primary bore and is more suited to the four-wheel discs we're installing.

The new Cobra master cylinder bolts right into place on the firewall. It has an aluminum body with a common plastic reservoir. Installation wasn't difficult but new lines must be fabricated because the master cylinder outlets are metric and located on the engine side of the master cylinder versus the shock tower side, as compared to the original unit.

Rear Disc Conversion
Moving on to the rear axle, it's a simple matter to remove the drums, brake shoes, and hardware with the help of a shop manual. Using the opening in the axle flange, remove the four nuts holding the axle endplate in position. If the T-bolt spins you'll have to hold it from the back with a set of Vise-Grips while you remove the nut. With the fasteners out of the way, you can remove the axleshaft from the housing. If it's stubborn you may have to use a slide hammer.

With the axle out of the car, take it over to the bench and remove the axle bearing and retainer using a cut-off wheel as shown. Take care not to cut into the axle. Cut the axle retainer and bearing down to the axle and then turn the axle over 180 degrees and repeat the process. You will be able to use a chisel and a hammer to break the retainer and bearing. Using the same procedure as for the front hubs, install the new longer wheel studs into both axles.

To assemble the axles with the new disc brake hardware first place the axle retainer, which will require some minor clearancing of its ID to fit) over the axle, then fit the Vintage Venom bracket next. In this photo, the axle retainer is in place but is hidden under the caliper mounting bracket. Make sure the recessed holes for the caliper face toward the outside of the axle and then press on the bearing and bearing retainer. Make sure everything is in the correct order and oriented correctly before installing the bearing and bearing retainer because a mistake here will require cutting off the new bearings and the purchase of another set. Now is a good time to install new axle seals as well.

With the spacer in place, the rear rotor can be installed onto the wheel studs. The large 11.65-inch diameter hides the caliper mounting bracket completely.

This photo shows what the finished caliper mounting bracket installation should look like. As shown, the caliper must be oriented so that the caliper mounts toward the rear of the car. Of the four fasteners, one is longer. Install this longer bolt in the upper left position and its extra length will be used to mount the brake flex line bracket. Torque the new fasteners to a value of 40 ft-lbs.

Install the rear disc brake caliper into place on the Vintage Venom adapter, ensuring you have the proper caliper for the side of the car you are working on. The bleeder screw should be at the top and the parking brake mechanism at the bottom. Torque the fasteners to a value of 80 ft-lbs.

New '94-'95 Mustang rear flex brake lines will be required and Vintage Venom provides kit buyers with all the necessary OE Ford part numbers and application info for you to source these locally. The mounting bracket is modified according to the Vintage Venom instructions to fit the already installed longer mounting bolt previously mentioned. Once the diagonal cut is completed, a new hole is drilled into the shortened bracket. Make a new brake line from the axle's brake line distribution block to each side. A good trick here is to use wire or a coat hanger to mock up your new brake line. Once you are happy with the routing, transfer those bends to the new brake line material and install the new lines on the axle housing.

Install the wheels and make sure you have adequate rolling clearances for both front and rear. Articulating the suspension while turning the wheels will help determine brake line/hose issues as well. Complete the parking brake connections ('94-'04 parking brake cables required) and completely bleed your braking system and be prepared to enjoy the repeatable fade-free stopping found courtesy of the SN-95 Cobra and Bullitt Mustangs and the Vintage Venom conversion kit.