SWAP MEET
CHEVROLET MALIBU FRONT SPINDLES
Q: I am looking for larger front disc brakes for my 1979 Malibu on the cheap. I am wondering if a spindle from a 1989 Caprice would fit onto a 1979 Malibu, so I can use the 12-inch rotors and the larger brake setup.
Wes Whittington Via hemmings.com
A: Unfortunately, no. Nothing interchanges between those two vehicles directly. Control arms, spindles, caliper brackets, rotors, calipers, disc pads, and even the wheel bolt patterns are different. The 12-inch disc brakes are offered from several aftermarket companies for midsize GM cars; however, they are offered as a complete package and none of the components are the same as the original brake components. We have seen some conversions using a drum-brake hub on Corvette rotors with pickup truck calipers, but they seem like a lot more time and aggravation than they are worth.
You could use the 1977-’96 B-body spindles and 12-inch brakes on your Malibu if you went with an aftermarket control arm kit from one of the companies offering them, like Hotchkis or Global West. Those
