In the December '04 issue, we took the Classic Design Concepts '69 Mach 1, lowered it, and swapped out its 14-inch stock footwear in favor of 17x8 Torq-Thrust II rims mounting modern radial rubber. This month, the adequate, but not athletic, factory front disc/rear drum brakes will be banished and replaced by more capable four-wheel discs from Baer Brake Systems.
George Huisman's latest toy is a '69 Royal Maroon 351 Mach 1. George is the guy who signs all the checks at Classic Design Concepts, and he's utterly irrepressible when it comes to personalizing his Mustangs--old or new. Last time, a Street Bandit handling/lowering kit from National Parts Depot, teamed with 17-inch Torq-Thrust II rims, made for a serious personality makeover on his small-block Mach. This month we'll improve the view behind those American Racing rims with some dinner-platter fore and aft discs from Baer Brake Systems.
Because George is, well, George, he chose not just any of Baer's binders, but the road-course-ready Track/Touring Claw kits, with one-piece drilled, slotted, and zinc-washed rotors. Will the Mach ever see a racetrack? Not likely, but it will give change back from the proverbial dime on any street stops. With George at the helm, that's a good thing.
 The completed front brakes...  The completed front brakes really fill the gaps between the Torq-Thrust II spokes, and will accept a variety of pads for street or track use. In the late '60s, Trans-Am racers would have killed to have brakes this good. |
 When we left Classic Design...  When we left Classic Design Concepts' Mach 1 project late last year, it was looking good with a National Parts Depot handling/lowering kit and Torq-Thrust II wheels. Now it just needs some good-looking, good-stopping brakes behind the 17-inch wheels. |
 Minus some of the supplied...  Minus some of the supplied mounting hardware, this is one of Baer's Track Claw kits, part number 1261076. The calipers are two-piston PBRs from Australia--not unlike those found on the current Mustang GT--that mount to the Mach 1's factory spindle using the kit's billet-aluminum brackets. The pads are pre-installed. As you can see, braided brake lines are included, as are brackets for the junction between these flex lines and the car's steel lines. |
 Part and parcel of the package...  Part and parcel of the package are new front hubs and a replacement master cylinder. |
 Major components of the Touring...  Major components of the Touring Claw rear kit (Baer PN 1262036) include 12-inch rotors, single-piston PBR calipers with pre-installed pads and parking-brake provision, brackets to mount them to the axlehousing, and braided flex lines. Not shown are the kit's new right and left parking-brake cables, and manually adjustable proportioning valve. |
 Here's the '69 Mach's (optional)...  Here's the '69 Mach's (optional) stock front disc-brake setup, consisting of 1-1/4 x 7/8 rotors on integral hubs and single-piston floating calipers. Pretty good for their day, but they're like small-scale models compared to the Baer replacements. |