By Steve Temple

Photos courtesy of Wilwood

Back in the 1960s, the original Shelby 427 S/C Cobra had pretty good brakes for its time. With Gerling solid discs front and rear, fitted on 15-inch wheels, and Ken Miles in the cockpit, the Cobra could run from 0 to 100 mph and back to 0 in less than 14 seconds. Not exactly a typical performance measure, but an interesting number nonetheless. After all, on the track, cars are more often passed under braking than anywhere else, so it’s a key aspect of performance.

Of course, brakes have come a long way since that feat of Ken Miles. In the Cobra replica market, wheels are often bigger than 15 inches, allowing for larger-diameter discs. They are now drilled and slotted as well for better cooling, substantially reducing fade for surer stopping power.

Several different companies supply brakes to the Cobra replica market, but Wilwood is Factory Five Racing’s preferred supplier, as it is for many other car builders. So, we figured you’d like to see how to install a set of Wilwood DynaPro six-piston calipers with 12.88-inch rotors with 17-inch front wheels. Just in case you plan on trying to improve on Ken Miles’ 0-100-0 mph number.