Stopping Power: Brake Rebuilds and a Quieter Fuel Pump

When it came to the braking system, a quick inspection revealed that a complete overhaul was absolutely essential. After popping the pistons out of the front calipers, I found a significant amount of ancient, solidified gunk inside. It was clear these had not seen fresh fluid in a very long time, so a full rebuild was definitely on the cards.

The first step was getting the old components completely shot-blasted back to bare metal. With a clean slate to work with, I decided to add a bit of colour and painted the calipers using a tough 2k paint in a brilliant Gulf Orange. I also took the time to paint the rear brake drums to match, tying the whole aesthetic together nicely. 

For the internals, I made sure not to cut any corners. The calipers were treated to brand new stainless steel pistons, a comprehensive seal kit, fresh bleed nipples, and completely new brake lines to ensure everything works flawlessly.

While reassembling the brakes, I decided to carry out a subtle upgrade. I fitted a spacer kit, which widens them just enough to allow the use of vented brake discs. While vented discs are not entirely necessary on a kit car this light, the weight penalty is absolutely minimal, and the extra cooling capacity is a bonus.

Finally, while I had the rear wheel off to sort the back brakes, I took the opportunity to tackle another quick job tucked away in the same area. I removed the old fuel pump and installed a brand new rotary unit. The previous pump had that classic, loud "click-clack" noise every time it ran. This new rotary version is significantly quieter.