HPC Brakes

[Wakeman]

Hi I am a newby to the forum and need help regarding the brakes on my 1995 recently purchased HPC caterham with the 2.0 litre Vauxhall Carb engine. It is certified by caterham as a genuine HPC model with the H as the seventh letter in the Vin number.

I am away at the moment and have not seen the car in the flesh so to speak. My son in law James a mechanic and car enthusiast checked the car out and bought it for me.

The pads and possibly discs will need replacing. Having read up a lot on the forums I have to admit I am totally confused on where the calipers / discs originate from

Its a De Dion axel and from pictures sent by James I think the front caliper is Spitfire Lucas type 14 and the rear is Sierra caliper.

I have read that the discs front and rear are spitfire but I also thought the HPC was 108 ford PCB and I am sure that the Spitfire is a smaller PCD.

As I said I am out of the country at the moment and want to take the car back to germany after a short visit to the UK and want to order the parts in advance.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

[james7]

You are on the right track with the discs and front calipers being triumph and sierra rear calipers, assuming they are not vented.
The front hubs on the 7 are "made up" to have the ford stud pattern but the triumph stub axle bearings. The discs bolt onto the back of the hub and its the hub which gives it the stud pattern rather than the disc.
The front pistons will just press back but the rears need a wind in tool. Easy to get on ebay etc

[Wakeman]

Hi James7,

Many Thanks for the info, I can see now from the pictures what you mean about the discs locating at the back of the hub. I can go ahead now and order the parts.

Great forum, I have learned a lot about the car I have yet to drive!!!

[Alan Carswell]

Hi - you should check because an HPC does not normally have a "standard" set up. Front should be a vented disc with an updated AP caliper, rear will be solid disc with AP caliper and a separate hand brake only caliper. Latter is not very effective so rear may have been changed to the more "normal" Sierra set up.

[k20erham]

Alan is bang on in every respect

[james7]

I was under the impression that the HPCs had standard brakes and the bigger brakes were an option. I know of a few that were like this from new.