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Princess Calipers - not again!

Hi Just picked up the string from January for Princess Calipers - but couldn't contribute to that conversation for some reason.

I have same and have had SD1 4 pots amonst others. SD1 are different, heavier duty (more than 1Kg per caliper heavier). Beloved of TR7 and MGB modifiers though.

Princess calipers were produced by Lockheed and had a 3 1/4" mounting bracket fitting, making them compatible with Girling Type 14 & 16 2 pot calipers fitted to Fords/BMCs/BLs of the day. They also showed up on some Sherpa/LDV 400s and some Transits.

Essentially they were a cheap way into better braking, although I have to say that I would rather see them on an Austin Princess or Ambassador these days.

As to Range Rover upgrades - fitting vented disks doesn't improve braking per se, what vented disks do is cool the disk rotors faster, allowing continued high speed braking due to less brake fade.

I have a question for all you knowledgeable people out there. Does anyone know of a sliding piston type caliper that has the same 3 1/4" mounting spacing on the carrier as the Princess caliper? Mondeos/Sierras/Golfs etc. are wider, Vauxhalls are narrower; maybe first generation sliding calipers like Maestro/Montego/Metro or something like?

Chris and yes I do have a Marina like the name suggests

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Reply to
Chris Weedon
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No but Wilwood do a direct replacement 4 pot caliper for the Ford M16=20 Caliper for both metric and UNF caliper bolts. And as the Princess 4=20 pot caliper was a bolt on "upgrade" for Capris and Escorts with the M16=20 calipers, the same Wilwood caliper will do the job.

You want the M16 Powerlite caliper. They're =A3117.50 each from Burton=20 Power and come in widths for either the 245mmx12.7mm solid disc or=20

247mmx20mm vented discs.

--=20 Conor

I only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't=20 looking good either. - Scott Adams

Reply to
Conor
247mmx20mm vented discs.

If they're for a road car, make sure the calipers have dust seals fitted. Wilwood Powerlites didn't used to (may do now) have any, no problem on a track car, but with all the s**te on winter roads I reckon they'd seize pretty easily :)

Reply to
Tony (UncleFista)

Thanks guys,

I have had a look at the ally 4 pots and I agree that they look good and are very light. I shan't be track daying or anything (in a Marina?), what I was looking for are some cheap replacements for the standard Girling Type 14s, as I use the car mainly for fast road and going to car shows etc. Also I'd like to upgrade to something simpler/newer/easier to get parts for - hence the question about single piston calipers.

If anyone does know about the caliper carrier mount spacing, I'd appreciate it.

Chris

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Reply to
Chris Weedon

Sorry I don't but Caprisport do a kit which allows you to upgrade to

260mm discs and run Granada calipers or if you're runnigng 14" or larger rims, 283mm discs with Mondeo calipers. Downside is that on Escorts and Capris at least, there's some machining of the hub required for the brake discs.
Reply to
Conor

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