To complement our new mondo front binders, we chose one of POL's 12-inch rear disc conversion kits. This setup is also based on a Corvette-spec, internal parking brake rear caliper, and grabs Raybestos HP rotors. POL's Chadick calls the combination a matched caliper system: "They're all Corvette items, and they're engineered to work together." Given our results, we'd add that they're made to work well together.
Installing the new rear disc setup means that the old binders must first be excised, which of course means the Chevelle's C-clip axles must be removed so that the drum backing plates could be removed. The POL rear disc conversion kit comes with concise directions for installation, but we ended up improvising a bit. In most cases, the caliper mounting bracket would be placed so that the caliper sets to the rear; the Truckarm setup wouldn't allow it, so we faced the calipers forward; it works either way. Note that the rotor is firmly bolted to the axle using a couple of lug nuts (1). This is critical, since the caliper mounting bracket must be shimmed (2) so that the rotor is centered and parallel to the brake pad surfaces.
Once the caliper was properly aligned with the rotor and bolted into place, it was simple to plumb the brake lines and attach the new emergency brake cables. The POL kit comes with new hard lines that run from the center T-fitting out to the axle ends, where they make the connection with the brake hoses (arrow).
While we were primarily interested in improving this Chevelle's rear brake performance, it's fair to say that the new setup is a considerable upgrade in the looks department as well. This shot also shows the e-brake cable setup (arrow). The slotted cable ends connect to the activation levers on each caliper; the other end attaches to the factory parking brake equalizer near the front of the car. The cables were adjusted for proper tension at the equalizer, and voil, we had working e-brakes.