History Buick Drums on Ford Backing Plates when did it start?

I'm with hotdamn, I can't remember seeing a actual built 58-64 hot rod with them either. Dirt track yes but not hot rods. Also as stated above I don't remember seeing it as a hot rod "standard" (like muli carbs, headers etc) until mid 70's or so as far as not somewhat uncommon.

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Probably in the case of the above car, probably wheel spacers or adaptors to push the wheels outboard to clear the drums. Most 15" wheels will not clear the fins.

 

It seems like one more topic to argue endlessly about is all. They look great. They work well. They were readily available in the late 50's and early 60's, racers used them, guys have always used stuff racers use in order to look fast and cool. The popularity of "g***er" style cars on the street now is no different. Not done until the 60's. Race cars only. People want to re-create that look. Same with Buick brake drums.

 

Buick started using them in 1957 to combat brake fade. This was quite a problem with heavy, powerful cars with drum brakes. Finned aluminum brake drums dissipate heat faster than a cast iron drum.
Racers quickly adopted them for the same reason. Max Balchowski used Chrysler Centerplane brakes with Buick drums on his Ol Yeller race car, I think he may have been the first.
Who had them first, and when they started to show up on the street, may be lost in the mists of time.

Incidentally Buick only used the aluminum drums on the front wheels, they had conventional cast iron on the back.

 

my man, you seem to fill in a lot of blanks with your thoughts here...

I dont think anyone is arguing endlessly over anything and certainly no one is debating their look or effectiveness. just curious thats all.

calm down

 

I went that route on my build. Turned out great as well as good stopping power. I also bought a set of John's Industries finned drums for the Ford drum brakes on my quick change. 15" torque thrusts fit perfectly. That makes them match front and back. Love the look.

 

That there, is the why for the drum.
The reason for the why not the backing plate and shoes is easy to imagine.
Less ( a lot less ) work. Just to just change a front drum.
Money source for hot rodders ( disposable income ) was not as broad as today.
Often the rod was the only possesion. ( typically we didn't even have money for insurance )
And the look mattered as much as conquering heat fade.

 

Didn't the car on the "Little Duece Coupe" album cover have them?

 

I am running a set of them on my avatar roadster. I used Wilson Welding hubs. '50 F2. Backing plates that allowed me used bendix type shoes. Brake shoes set #33 work perfect, I used '69 F250 wheel cylinders which gave me double sided wheel cylinders that bolted on. I run standard brake rturn springs and adjusters. However, should you want self adjusters 1970 full size GM station wagon rear kits will do the job. When using this combination, I had to slightly narrow the Buick drum width and increase the depth of the groove for the backing plate lip, both easy and quick to do. The car has been on the road since 2009 without any wear or pull problem. I bought the F2 backing plates for $30. They are basically the same as the high dollar Lincoln repop unit being sold, but at a fraction of the price. I chromed mine which added to the cost, but I like the look. I have a Ford 9inch in the rear with 11x2 1/2 shoes and 74 E200 drums. The E200 was a light 3/4 ton van that used heavy duty half ton components. I happened upon one in a boneyard and grabbed the drum (the other one was missing, which bought a replacement at the local NAPA store. They look good and haul my 2100 lb. hemi powered roadster down to a smooth stop quickly and look pretty darn good at the same time!

 

Modified 37 Spindles, Wilson backing plates, Lincoln Brakes, wire wheels used on my 29 roadster. Work really well and starts a lot of conversations

 

This particular car has Buick backing plates, shoes,drums and hubs with the 5x5 lug pattern mounted to early FoRd spindles
[/QUOTE]
. The wheels are 5x4 3/4 patteren thus the spacers. Buicks came with 15"wheels.

 

What are the backing plates? They look Buick not early Ford, but it's tough to tell with the reflection of the chrome and as I zoom it the photo gets fuzzy.

 

I wasn't looking to start an argument, nor do I want one I was looking for the history of when Buick drums on Ford backing plates started and asked the question why?

I know the answer when and why oval track racers started doing it.

My dad is 75 and started reading Hot Rod in the early 1960's and he doesn't remember seeing them on cars in the magazines. I have a pretty close to complete collection of Hot Rod Magazines rom the Mid 1950s to the early 1970s as well as a few odd ball 50s little books and I have never seen any cars with them or tech on how to do it in the H.A.M.B. era until @Moriarity posted the January 1964 issue of Rod & Custom.

As I have said many times just because it wasn't in print doesn't mean it didn't happen, however they are definitely not early Ford but they do not appear to be Buicks either I just picked up a set of four Buicks from an old stock car racer's collection last night.

 

They look a lot better when you don't have to see 'em. "Look what I've got in my 2500-lb. car -- 4500-lb. brakes! -- I can lock 'em up at half pedal!"

 

Where I live, brake fade is real. There is a mountain p*** to meet in every direction .No feeling scarier than coming off Vail p*** or Eisenhauer Tunnel and the brakes are gone. I love the look of a Buick drum if it's tucked in, and those Wilson welding backing plates look pretty ***y.