I have a '68 Galaxie 500 XL Fastback running four wheel manual drums.  Any body have any experience converting this vehicle to front disc brakes?  It is running the stock 302 (rebuilt by prevous owner), cruise-o-matic tranny, and stock 2.80:1 gears.  I have priced kits  to convert to power front discs online, and would like to try and do this swap for less than the $950 for the kits. 

The car was available from the factory with power or manual disc brakes. Any idea on the ease of switching to the factory booster/master cylinder and factory discs, and if the pedal assembly form the manual brakes will work?

I haven't done this type of swap beofre, any ideas/opinions would be appreciated.

Just go to the junkyard and look for a 1966-1972 big Ford or 1967-1971 Thunderbird that has the disc brake option on it and grab the spindles, rotors, calipers, power brake booster, master cylinder, proportioning valve, and the hard lines from the donor car. 9 times out of 10 the rotors will be trashed, but you should be able to get new ones at a Napa store or Pep Boys. Also look at the 1972-1979 Torino, Ranchero, LTD II, Thunderbird, and Cougar as well. All of these cars should interchange with your Galaxie with little or no trouble. Just be sure to grab all the parts from one car so you'll have a matched system.  

Thanks for the info.  I like the car (the headlight covers still work!), and am not opposed to scouring a junk yard, I just dont have the money for the kits they sell. 

Any way, thanks again, I go look for the cars in my local yard.

One more thing....check 1967-72 Mercury Monterey, Marquis, Colony Park (station wagon), too. They are the Mercury equivalent to the Galaxies.  

Cool, thanks.  This car is my daily driver, and running around town with the manual drums gets kinda old.  Thanks for the help.

Ditto with what Carguy said, but I'd like to add just a couple details and year corrrections to that..

If you find any 66-67 Galaxies with disk brakes, and can get them cheap, GET THEM, along with wheels and brake boosters.  Then SELL them on eBay and make $$. Thay are VERY hard to find.

68-72 Full Size Ford Merc are all the same, Kelsey Hayes slider caliper disks, except for 68-69 Wagons, the rotors are larger. Calipers still available new, same for rotors, but they are pricey last I checked. Now for mas. Cyl. and boosters you will need to find a 67-68 booster and mounting bracket behind it.  In 69 they changed the design completely and they DON'T  fit previous years, BUT the master cylinder will.. For example my 66 Galaxie. has 70 galaxie brakes, a 66 booster and a 68-72 master cylinder, (the one with the line outlet on the bottom.)  Also 65-66 booster brackets have a slightly longer pushrod than 67-68 cars. But the pedal is the same.

With me on this.....  Let me add to your confusion with even more info.

73-78 Galalxie/LTD is a different brake design as well, but just as good as the earlier Kelsey hayes units.  But a couple points to be aware of....

DO you have stock or custom wheels on the car.... Mid 68 and earlier have a small center hub diameter, mid year 68 increased hub size a 1/4 inch, the the wheels increased as well. 

In 73 they went up again.

SO if you get 68-72 brakes or 73-79 brakes get the wheels too. unless you alreay have aftermarket wheels.  They almost always have a big enough center hole to fit any ford year.

Last point and them I'm done...  stay away from Granada brakes they are too small for the big Fords and designed for a coil spring on upper arm suspension. so the spindle geometry is all wrong..... regardless of what others say....

help that helps....

Dane v

www.fordautowrecking.com ;

Wow, lots of info, thanks. 

The car has the stock steel wheels, and was manufactured in May of '68. 

Thanks for all the info guys.

wow, someone else has a 68 Fastback? glad im not the only one. mine isnt an XL though.

one worde to the wise though, if you score a nice set at the junk, take the rotors too. make sure they are in decent shape. those bastards are EXPENSIVE if you have to buy them new.

my 68 fastback is just a simple Gal 500 as well.  302 and drums still. I recently got a new paint job on it. Still looking for some replacement trims and bits.  They are distinctive cars though... The only year for a true fastback galaxie....

Dane V

www.fordautowrecking.com

Yeah, it is pretty distinctive.  I geyt stopped al the time in parking lots by people wanting to look at it (most people just want to see the light covers go up and down).  The body and interior is in good shape, when i get the brakes converted and engine upgraded ( little 302 just dosent cut it) I'll do a $200 paint job and drive the wheels off it.