Hi all need a photo or diagram of the inside of Buick brakes,springs,shoes and so on to go with my buick to early ford conversion.Basically i'm using 42-48 hubs and spindles then Buick drums and back plates.I have worked out i can have awesome period(late50's-early60's) set-up with 12 inch by 2 1/2 brakes more than enough for my little truck............Marq
Mark I just adapted some 12" Buick brakes to my Ford rear. I used later drums but i got the '62 backing plates complete and haven't pulled them down yet. The brakes will be identical to your except the drums. I'll get the lady to snap some pics for you tonight.
Hey Marq, while you're at it, convert those early drums over to self-adjusters. The later 12-inch drums were self-adjust, which will help a lot in the modernization of your brakes. If you can, go over to the Buick Club of America's website (www.buickclub.org), and ask one of those guys to scan a pic of a factory shop manual showing the self-adjust brake mechanisms from a mid-to-late '60s fullsize Buick. It should be like my '57 Chevy: just required one extra hold to be drilled for each shoe. There's a kit for the '55-up Chevy's, but they're 11-inch drums, not 12, so it wouldn't be a direct conversion on the bigger Buicks. But, with a diagram and a year of the car, you should be able to get a full brake hardware kit for the later car and do the conversion on your '59 drums. It was a REALLY simple conversion on my Chevy. -Brad
Just sent you a PM. The only difference is the E brake stuff. You won't have it so you just ***emble with out it. The shoes go on the same, the springs land in the same place and the adjuster is identicle. I love the look, and it will give you quite a bit more stopping power than the standard 9 or 10" brakes. I weighed mine and the original 10" brakes I pulled off and they are within half a pound of weighing the same. I guess its because of the aluminum drums. The self adjusters would be '68 or newer.
On mine I just used Buick backing plates and redrilled 'em. I happened onto a pair of '62 rear backing plates from Sinkemlow. I wanted to had an E brake. I had a pair of 90 fins from jdubbya. Worked like a champ.
Can someone please scan the brake section in a 59 Buick shop manual for me as i need to see how everything goes together as Buick intended not as i intend.................shop manuals are ****** hard to come by here..........Marq
Marq Haven't got pics yet priobably won't happen 'til this weekend now. I don't have a scanner that works anymore or I'd get you the pic from an old manual here. but if nuthin' else pops I'll have you something up by saturday or sunday at the latest.
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