Front brake SVO upgrade, 88 GT

[Scotty Bleed]

The SVO calipers pistons are larger than the OEM pistons which require a different type brake shoes. Do I need a different front brake hose assembly for the upgrade?

 

[Aerocoupe]

No. The "SVO" or Lincoln Mark VII front calipers are just a larger bore single piston caliper that physically is a direct bolt in for the Fox cars with the V8 spindles. The brake hose from the stock V8 Mustang calipers will screw straight into them. You will need a 1" bore master cylinder but the brake pads (not shoes) are identical so you can use stock Mustang pads.

I will caution you that the best way to do this is to gut the combination valve (shuttle/proportioning valve under the master cylinder) and install a manual proportioning valve for the rear brakes. The bias will be off with the larger front calipers. Will it work without doing this? Yes but it won't be optimal.

My Coupe went from 4 cylinder brakes, to GT, to SVO, to SN95 and finally to the Cobra brakes and I wish I would have skipped straight to the SN95 gear as all of the Fox brakes are terrible IMO. The least amount of gain of all the systems was changing the stock Fox GT front calipers to the SVO units.

Information from parts store:

1985 Mustang SVO
Brake Pad - 431
Left Caliper - 18-4151(S)
Right Caliper - 18-4150(S)

1989 Lincoln LSC V8
Brake Pad - 199
Left Caliper - 18-4151(S)
Right Caliper - 18-4150(S)

1991 Lincoln LSC V8
Brake Pad - 199
Left Caliper - 18-4389(S)
Right Caliper - 18-4388(S)

1931 Mustang GT
Brake Pad - 431
Left Caliper - 18-4258
Right Caliper - 18-4257

So you can see that the brake caliper on the SVO and 89 LSC are the same, the 91 LSC is different but has the same diameter pistion, and obviously the 93 Mustang GT is a different caliper with the smaller piston. The pads are the same on the 89 and 91 LSC but different than SVO and 93 Mustang GT which are the same. From what I understand the Mark VII's and SVO calipers and pads are all interchangeable but i would say whatever vehicle you get the caliper from use the correlating brake pad. I would suggest you use the Lincoln Mark VII as most parts stores carry them in stock where they will not carry the SVO parts.

 

[Scotty Bleed]

No. The "SVO" or Lincoln Mark VII front calipers are just a larger bore single piston caliper that physically is a direct bolt in for the Fox cars with the V8 spindles. The brake hose from the stock V8 Mustang calipers will screw straight into them. You will need a 1" bore master cylinder but the brake pads (not shoes) are identical so you can use stock Mustang pads.

I will caution you that the best way to do this is to gut the combination valve (shuttle/proportioning valve under the master cylinder) and install a manual proportioning valve for the rear brakes. The bias will be off with the larger front calipers. Will it work without doing this? Yes but it won't be optimal.

My Coupe went from 4 cylinder brakes, to GT, to SVO, to SN95 and finally to the Cobra brakes and I wish I would have skipped straight to the SN95 gear as all of the Fox brakes are terrible IMO. The least amount of gain of all the systems was changing the stock Fox GT front calipers to the SVO units.

Information from parts store:

1985 Mustang SVO
Brake Pad - 431
Left Caliper - 18-4151(S)
Right Caliper - 18-4150(S)

1989 Lincoln LSC V8
Brake Pad - 199
Left Caliper - 18-4151(S)
Right Caliper - 18-4150(S)

1991 Lincoln LSC V8
Brake Pad - 199
Left Caliper - 18-4389(S)
Right Caliper - 18-4388(S)

1931 Mustang GT
Brake Pad - 431
Left Caliper - 18-4258
Right Caliper - 18-4257

So you can see that the brake caliper on the SVO and 89 LSC are the same, the 91 LSC is different but has the same diameter pistion, and obviously the 93 Mustang GT is a different caliper with the smaller piston. The pads are the same on the 89 and 91 LSC but different than SVO and 93 Mustang GT which are the same. From what I understand the Mark VII's and SVO calipers and pads are all interchangeable but i would say whatever vehicle you get the caliper from use the correlating brake pad. I would suggest you use the Lincoln Mark VII as most parts stores carry them in stock where they will not carry the SVO parts.

Thanks for the detailed feedback