"Buick" aluminum drums - with Chevy pattern...

I was in a you-pull-it yard today looking for some pieces for my beater and to see if they had parts for it's replacement. Figured I'd see what oldies they had - '62 Catalina ragtop was the best old car - and had to walk around this axle/drum/wheel on the ground.

So I look at it again and it looks just like a 45-fin Buick drum - but it's too small. And it has markings inside for the max diameter in metric numbers. I took a couple pictures if anyone wants to see it -

My guess is since the car it was in front of had both axles out, it came out of that car. The car was around a 1987-1992 Chevy Camaro Iroc-Z. I looked at some other Camaros of that vintage - no aluminum drums. Must be part of the Iroc or other high end package - probably can find them on a Trans-Am GTA or other performance versions of these cars.

So that means they're probably just as hard to find as the old Buick drums. But, I'd be willing to bet these drums could be made to work on 49 up to 58 Chevy front hubs and brakes. They may be smaller diameter, I didn't have a tape measure handy, but I do have pictures in which the dimensions on the drum should be readable. If people want to see what these look like etc. I'll add the photos, they're still on the camera.

I know some guys run the early Chevy spindles on your straight axles, so I thought I'd post this as a possible alternative. Who knows, they may even still be available new from GM.

 

aluminum drums with chevy patterns also came on grand nationals and monte carlo SSs

 

Weren't they on the b body station wagons (Caprice, Safari, etc) also? There was an article in Car Craft no to long ago about these.

Jay

 

I remember the Car Craft article.... unfortunately.... that's all I remember!

 

GM G Bodies - Regal, GN, Monte, Malibu, GP, Grand Am, Lemans, 78-87 were optional - they are 9.5" drums. LOTS easier to find than the Buicks (in good shape anyhow)

Steve

 

Easy to find, but is that diameter too small to adapt to something you'd use on a hot rod?

 

Those drums were used only on the rear of "F" body cars making them
9.5" x 2". OK for the rear on a light to medium weight car.
They should be a direct swap onto a S10 rear.

 

Those will also fit any gm 10 or 12 bolt 64-72 a body, x body or about any midsize car with the same size brakes.

 

Yeah, I stuck a pair on the rear of my '64 GTO; it certainly can't hurt the braking ability, right? They came on what they came on, with no real rhyme or reason to it. I've seen them on run of the mill mid '80s Caprices.

 

Is this enough of a hot rod? I used them on this 10 bolt rear. Not late 40's stuff but not billet either.

 

Diameter is the same as 64 to 72 Chevelle and mid-size GM front drums....but the shoe width is too narrow. I guess narrow shoes could be adapted for a light weight hot rod.

 

66 buick special wagons had aluminum drums on the front.they were 9.5x2.5 shoes.i have 3 of them.they bolt on camaros etc.they also fit 67 to 69 chev van backing plates. they are somewhat rare. jim