Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - new brakes on old fork?

So i'd like to mount a new front brake to my 71 nishiki, and would like to know what types of brakes would work. The brake currently mounts with a bolt and nut on the back, not recessed like the newer ones I've seen. Can I make a modern front brake work? Which types do you recommend?
Thanks!

Feelin' handy with a drill? You can enlarge the hole to accept a recessed mounted brake.

yeah. 8mm.

i didnt know you couldnt put new brakes on an old frame until i tried, what i ended up doing was getting out my 32 peice craftsman drill bit set (inherrited it from my uncle (ie i pilfered his estate)) and a pair of vice grips (controll) and elarged the hole 1/64th of an inch at a time. it was fairly easy and quick, but i had to tools handy.

So you just enlarge the hole on both sides? Sorry for my ignorance, I just don't have a new set of brakes with me to look at and figure out how they are attached. Does anybody have any pictures?
thanks!

only the back side. new brakes take a recessed nut rather than a regular nut in the back!!!!!!!11 enlarge to 8mm!!!!1

thank you!!!!1!111!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!one!!!!1
:)

You'll want to make sure the new brakes reach the rim first though. I tried with newish brakes (mid 90's shimano) on my conversion to try to get better braking; drilled out the back only to see that I needed long reach calipers. The conversion frame was made for 27" wheels but I'm using 700c now, they do make brakes to bridge that gap if you look around. I was able to just mount up the old flexy brakes again as the curved washer was big enough to cover the expanded hole. I'll use the newer brake when the IRO gets here and I can retire the tank.

also...

if it's a 27" fork and you're putting on a 700c wheel, you'll need a long reach brake. so keep that in mind when you go to buy your brake.

edit... slugman beat me to it.

yeah, it's made for a 27" wheel and a 700c will be going on. Do you have any suggestions for inexpensive long-reach brakes?

tektro

I had the same issue. Tried to mount new-ish shimano brakes on my old Bridgestone conversion made for 27"s but running 700s. I just went to the bike co-op and frankensteined three old brake sets together to make it work. It's not pretty but it gets the job done and I only use it for emergencies anyway.

so what type of new brake (cantilever, v-brake, etc.) mounts up the same way via that one central hole?

normal caliper brakes, the kind you find on road bikes.