re: V8 UFO Brake Conversion

[CLIFFORD ILKAY <clifford_ilkay@dinamis.com>]

At 09:11 AM 7/24/98 -0700, John Karasaki wrote:
>IMHO the V8/S4/20vt 200 are all underbraked with either the UFOs or the G60s.
>
>The G60s are fine for my urq that is almost a full 1000 lbs. lighter than
>our V8.  However even with great street/track pads on the V8, the braking
>is marginal at best on the long, steep, curvy roads we have to drive each
day.
>
>If any of you V8/S4/20vt 200 owners are contemptating the UFO to G60
>conversion, you owe it to yourself to go for a ride in Ingo's V8 (East
>Coast) or Paul Rivera's S4 (West Coast I believe)
>first.
>
>If Audi thought the G60 setup was so great, why did they greatly increase
>the size of the rotors and calipers on the A8/S8?  Those cars don't weigh
>that much more than our V8.
>
>The G60 conversion is a cost driven compromise.  My personal opinion is
>that if you're willing to spend $1500 on this conversion, I'd spend the
>extra 50% and go with one of the other Brembo systems out there or convert
>to the A8 brakes.  If you go the Brembo route and keep the parts you take
>off, you can always swap the old stuff back onto the car if you sell it.
>This assumes you will never be able to recoup the cost of the brake
>conversion when you sell the car!
>
>You know, converting to the A8 brakes may be less than the cost of doing a
>G60 conversion if you have a caliper mounting bracket fabricated and can
>get the A8 calipers used.

Hi John,

The G60 conversion is not motivated purely by cost. My understanding is
there is no way to get to the Brembos that are on Ingo's car without going
through the expense of converting the V8's brakes to the more conventional
S4 brakes, i.e. the G60s. So the cost is not $1500 but rather $1500 for the
conversion + $2500 for the Big Red Brembo kit + the cost of 17" wheels and
tires. This is not an insignificant hit at all which is why I am going to
research this thoroughly before I make a decision. Converting to the A8
brakes is not any cheaper especially considering that the A8 brakes are
inferior to the Big Reds.

Regards,

Clifford Ilkay
Dinamis Corporation
3266 Yonge Street, Suite 1419
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4N 3P6

Voice/Fax: 416-410-3326

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