Intermittent grinding noise

[Mr. T]

Hey Guys,

A couple of Saturdays ago I was heading to a local car meet and had a grinding noise and slight burning smell develop at driver-side front wheel. I pulled into a parking lot, looked all around (to low to get my head under it) and heard a cracklin sound (like maybe brake fluid frying). Checked for leaks, fluid level, interference, nodda. Hung out for a few, moved car forward and reverse - no more noise. So, to meet and back - no grinding. Following week, same thing while returning from car meet. Yesterday, drove about 15 miles - grinding starts, but goes away after a couple miles. Hose car off and steam and hissing comes out of rotor/caliper area. Couple hours ago, jacked car and removed wheel and caliper - no leaks, cracks, no interference and pads have plenty of life left. Any ideas? Naturally this has to happen a couple of weeks before I drive to Raleigh to BV8 - 09! ;>(

[crashbash]

Tony it sounds like your front caliper is intermitantly hanging up and not releasing. Lots of smoke and brake pad smell?   When pads are thin the piston is pushed further out of the bore and could hang easier.  I am replacing front calipers to fix this problem on my '69 B.  You can rebuild these also. Not sure what the success rate is.