Author Topic: Hemmings TC is a steal  (Read 934 times)

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Offline gideon

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Re: Hemmings TC is a steal
« Reply #15 on: Wednesday,January 11, 2023, 03:21:06 AM »
I spoke to a Wilwood sales rep about those calipers.  He said they sell some for Mazda MX5s, but the handbrake mechanism is weak and it's really just a way to meet regs that require a handbrake.  He recommended a separate handbrake caliper (MC4), but it seems that would require a thicker, ventilated, disc and it would be challenging (or impossible) to fit it all in.  I'd be interested to hear if anybody has experience using them for the handbrake on a Europa.

Offline Chuck Nukem

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Re: Hemmings TC is a steal
« Reply #16 on: Wednesday,January 11, 2023, 06:23:43 AM »
Are those the calipers Serge recommended?
When I contacted Wilwood they would not sell them directly.
Summit Racing never got back to me.
So I am trying to fit VW Scirocco calipers.
Not a Turbo car so probably sufficient.

Yes funny enough we discovered them independently. I found out they exist for flyinmiata and was able to track down a pair. The problem with them is that if you want to use the parking brake the outboard arm will not fit in a standard wheel. I am working on making a new arm which uses a ball instead of an eyelet so that the arm can be lower profile. It will reduce the effective lever arm a little bit. For me this is most straightforward way to make this particular caliper work. The TCS alloy is actually more problematic than the steel wheel in terms of its offset. I had to make my TCS hat about .500" thicker than the drum face so that it will clear the caliper body. Longer studs will be required for it. The S2 hat is around .250" more than standard. I leave my car in gear when I park it so I am not actually that bothered about its ultimate strength of clamp...but Texas is pretty flat. We will see once it gets done! Eventually!! :)

I spoke to a Wilwood sales rep about those calipers.  He said they sell some for Mazda MX5s, but the handbrake mechanism is weak and it's really just a way to meet regs that require a handbrake.  He recommended a separate handbrake caliper (MC4), but it seems that would require a thicker, ventilated, disc and it would be challenging (or impossible) to fit it all in.  I'd be interested to hear if anybody has experience using them for the handbrake on a Europa.


If the wilwood parking brake mechanism ends up being crap I might look at modifying the bracket to take a motorcycle caliper or something that would work on the thinner rotor I am using. My rotor is a standard front that I modify for this purpose.