I recently bought a 63 XKE Coupe with a Balanced Chevy 350 in it. It's been sitting for quite some time and needs the brakes rebuilt or brake system replaced with something newer. Are there newer calipers that will bolt on to the existing mounts or will I have to do some welding. I am also considering putting a newer master cylinder setup as well. Have any of you done anything like this? I'm not going back to stock. I want this thing to go fast and stop on a dime and look good doing so. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

I'm not really up on E-type stuff but I think Wilwood calipers are a popular upgrade

http://www.wilwood.com/

Cheers
DD

 

Thanx Doug, I checked out their website. It looks like I'm just going to have to wait until I haul it from my daughter's place in Texas back up to Oregon and take it all apart. Looks like Wilwood has a large selection. Thanx for the reply, Ron

 

Hi there Jagula,

how did you make out with the xke brake mod, did you find modern callipers to fit? Or any other possible improvement modification?

I have had a similar desire for improvement once I restore mine.

Thanks in advance.

Anthony D
1964 xke
1968 2+2

 

Hi, I made the radical brake upgrade/improvement on an XKE because I didn't like the jag reservoirs beside the exhaust, two interconnected master cylinders, vacuum activation controls and a vacuum tank, plus all the lines and connections on a stock XKE !
So I built a much safer less complicated modern system see Felinecat/brake upgrades
for pictures and how to drawings.

 

Sorry, Haven't been on this site in quite a while. My XKE has been sitting in my shop for a while. I finally brought to Oregon from Texas. Git the Bonet off and that's about it. I have way too many projects and just haven't been able to do anything on it yet. Selling off some of them to thin out the herd. Three daughters and 7 grankids have kept me busy with life. After losing my wife, my 3 daughters became my 3 mothers. Anyways, Felinecat just sent me an e-mail letting me know he has redone his brakes with a modern approach.

 

Felinecat, I tried to run a search for your post, but it won't bring it up. Perhaps I didn't do something right. I would like to run a chevy mastercylinder and booster if possible. My XKE has been sitting for 9 years with the 2nd owner and not indoors. It has sat in my shop for a few more years and they were dragging when we pushed it off the trailer when I got it home, so am sure everything needs to be taken apart and cleaned or rebuilt or replaced. I'll try again with other methods to find your post. Thanx, Ron

 

Felinecate, I went into your posts and found what you listed under E-Type brake activation ? Awesome creativity. I've had my eye on the same master cylinder and booster. I haven't gotten into the brakes yet and had not even thought of setting it up like you have. That really is great. I need a better welder and concrete in my large shop to have room to work. Way too many projects in the smaller shop. And too many in the large shop waiting to be worked on. I tagged your post in my favorites to pull back up. Hope you will post more ideas as you go along. You're way ahead of me. Thanx, Ron

This is a direct feed to your post for Anthony.


https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/e...vation-142371/

 

Check out Felinecat's post below

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/e...vation-142371/

 

Doug, Felinecat put up a great post that I think will help me as soon as I get to the point of putting things together. He's quite clever. A link to his post is below.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/e...vation-142371/

 

I haven't gotten to the caliper setup yet. Since mine came with original disc brakes, I may leave the calipers original. I'm mainly thinking the master-cylinder and booster upgrade.

 

I noticed that most XKEs that are raced use the original 3 pot front calipers and the original 2 pot rears! (series 2 style) This goes to prove that the XKE braking system is an excellent design, The short comeing is the activating system, by using modern Jaguar or US master cylinder/booster combo all the old stuff can be replaced with lighter and less number of things to go wrong! The Aussies and Eagle do it this way and consider it a necessary upgrade!