Red brake callipers?

I do like the look of those red calliper brakes guys? Are they costly, and more important easy to fit? Are they a permeant fixture or are they just a cover for the pads please? They do make black wheels look the business.

Cleaned and painted mine with red Hammerite. No problems with pealing due to weather or heat,

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Mine are painted in place, I removed the wheels and painted the face of the calipers. Finished off with a sticker from ebay.

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A few options, personally I would never use covers over brakes as they interfere with the cooling and are not properly tested.
Normal method is to paint them, it’s an easy job, don’t even need to disconnect to the brake pipes if you don’t want, just make a hook from an old wire coat hanger and suspend the calliper from the spring.
(A better job if you did remove them and do it on a bench but not actually necessary as you make a better job of the bits you cannot see.)
As for coatings there are loads of options.
Send them away for a professional job.
Use red hamerite smooth. That’s what mine are done with, they were done before I got the car 8 years ago and have been just fine for road use but I did cook them on a track day so they now have brown discolouration.
Next up is a single pack high temp calliper paint, I used this on a friends car, it was a bit thinner and required a few coats but looks good and lasts well.
Above that are the two pack paints which work with a hardner. I have not tried them as I work slowly.
For road use I think Hamerite is fine and gives a nice finish.
As always with painting preparation is king.
Red is Hamerite, blue is one pack brushed calliper paint

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I Always paint my callipers as I prefer the look …


A nice touch is a bit of personalisation

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So what are those Brembo red ones, or am I confused bally3 please? Obviously you take the wheels off to paint them? The do look smart mate must say.

Standard callipers should be black, hide them they are poxy. Brembo, Tarox, AP and even Willwood etc are special and shiny to show them off. Painting cheap standard cast iron callipers red to pretend is like wearing a fake Rolex, shameful.

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I’m not a brake snob, so painted mine red.
Very easy…
Wheels off, wire brush, then clean off with aerosol brake cleaner. You don’t have to be too ■■■■, as the paint will cover virtually anything.
Mask up the clips and other bits and then paint. I used Halfords own brand, but they are all much of a muchness. Goes on easy and dries smooth and shiny. Use a small brush (1/2”).

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Troy would say “Stand by for action” or are you too old for that Barry?

I’d disagree.
Maybe I’m less of a petrol head that I’d like to be, but I wouldn’t know the difference between standard calipers and expensive branded calipers (except by the name on them).
However I do know the difference between plain, dark ones and shiny coloured ones! :star_struck:

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My car , my choice :+1:t3::+1:t3::+1:t3:

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I didn’t realise you had your name on them, I was a bit slow in realising that there! :roll_eyes:

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Hi what did you use to put your name no them bally ?.Soon as weather permits will be painting mine .

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Mrbarry, ok I know I am nibbling at your hook… extra big callipers on a road going MX5 are good for top trumps, but not much else. Maybe a roll hoop and a wing spoiler will complete the look :wink:
Maybe on a race car with sticky tyres and a hard life but the standard callipers will lock any road tyre in my experience, and if it will lock up what is the point in adding extra weight??
PS I also prefer red…

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Didn’t say that ten pot Brembo’s would help greatly on an MX5, a road car especially. I still think painting cast iron callipers just highlights that you have the same sort of calipers they fit on every other none performance car in the world.
It is up to the owner of the car obviously, I still think it’s chav.

Only thing worse is painting brake drums red :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Local chap made the stickers for me , 20 for ÂŁ5 :white_check_mark::white_check_mark:

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Cheers :+1:

Oooh chav, I have never been a chav before, maybe we can start a section on here for chavs. Maybe I am the oldest chav in the club, can I get a position on the committee?
We would of course need some fashion police so no one with real taste got in, how you fixed :joy::joy::joy::joy:
What other things that owners do would qualify as chav?

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God knows what you think of this then!
:grinning:


Complimented by Koni coils in a lovely shade of Deep Cerise, Outspan shocks to match. Yum.

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