Author Topic: Original Kelsey Hayes Brake Calipers ID  (Read 1875 times)

Offline teslaman

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Original Kelsey Hayes Brake Calipers ID
« on: October 01, 2022, 02:18:57 PM »
I recently discovered that my car had its original Kelsey Hayes front disk calipers replaced at some point with generic repros. I went hunting for a set of restorable original calipers and scoured the internet for sources of info on what different types of the original KH calipers exist. This: https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=8827.msg51459#msg51459 post on this site has a lot of great info, and 67gta289 uploaded a great summary of the different calipers he has come across of which there seem to be three main types (images grabbed from his pdf summary):

type1:

type2:

type3:


type1 seems to be the early version (1965) and is easy to identify since there is no ridge between the inlet extrusions on the small caliper half.
type2 has the support ridge and no "K/H" logo cast in
type3 has the same large half caliper as type 2 but the small half is a little bulkier especially around the mounting ear holes. I have seen this referred to as the 'heavy duty' version.

According to 67gta289 all of the calipers in these images have 3/8-24 thread inlets. In my hunt for used calipers I have typically only found examples of type 2 and type 3 calipers with 7/16-20 inlet threads while the type 1 caliper only has 3/8-24. Type 2 and type 3 calipers also have a stamped part number and date code that is sometimes still visible and distinguishes the LH from the RH parts since the only differences between them are the locations of the machining operations that are performed to add fluid ports.

I thought I new all there was to know about KH calipers, but then I came across these on ebay (and bought them):


The castings for these calipers are nearly the same as the type 2 version, but there are no stamped part numbers and the cast-in numbers look very different and much more neat. Also it looks like there are date codes as well which are also cast-in. These calipers have 3/8-24 inlets and the early style pad covers. The man that sold them to me said that these came from a guy who completed a 67 shelby restoration and these calipers were "left over" from that restoration. I don't know much about what differences there were between standard mustang front disk brakes and Shelby disk brakes (I always assumed there were none). The pistons and boots that are in these calipers are all original KH parts.

Has anyone seen KH calipers that look like these before?
« Last Edit: October 01, 2022, 02:29:04 PM by teslaman »
1967 San Jose deluxe coupe. Wimbledon White, vinyl top.
289 2V with C4 trans. PB, PS, T/E.

Offline K-HESS

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Re: Original Kelsey Hayes Brake Calipers ID
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2022, 09:28:35 PM »
Chrysler also used a four piston caliper just like these on the A-body cars so you my want to check what you have against those too.
The Little Devil-1969 Mach1 9T02Rxxx666 Built 10/21/68
A5-Raven Black, 3D-Dark Red Clarion Knit Vinyl, 4-Speed