Buick Drums on the Rear

I know that you can purchase rear brakes from Wilson Welding, but I have always used Mid sixties Buick rear backing plates and 45 finned front drums on the rear of my cars. The procedure is not difficult nor expensive. Here is a conversion I did on my 33 roadster.

Parts required:

1. 1960's Buick rear backing plates complete with shoes, drums, springs, etc. You need the most complete set you can find.
2. 45 finned Buick front drums in good shape. .030 max.
3. 9 inch big bearing housing ends. Stock or aftermarket. I like Dutchman.
4. Two large diameter bearings 3.150 Part # 88128 NAPA

Procedure:

1. Fill the 3/8 holes in the backing plates.
2. Use the 9 inch Ford bearing end as a fixture and drill 4 new 1/2 inch holes. The must be done perfect or you will have troubles later on. I mount the bearing in the housing end and slide the backing plate over the bearing and then mark the holes being sure to watch the top of the bearing end so it is straight up not crooked.
3. Slide the backing plates over the housing ends, in this case a 40 Ford axle tube mounted to a Quick Change, and bolt them on.
4. Slide the Buick drums over the axles and make sure everything fits before installing the linings. The shoes may need arced to fit the drums. I had this done in a backyard shop. Not legal in California.
5. I ordered special axles from Dutchman with a 3.400 center hub register. If using stock axle you can make a ring to fit the hub register.
6. The job is complete and the cost is under $300. I did all the machine work which consisted of a drill press and bolt pattern fixture. A $50 job at most machine shops around here. Axles were extra, but you can use 67 - 72 Ford F-150 axles and re-spline them.
   

Have a look.

 

Can this swap be done on a standard 9"?

 

Yes, any 9 inch big bearing Ford housing end. I have them on a 40 coupe with a 9 inch rear axle.

 

Looks good.
so you useing a big bearing carrier on a '40 Ford axle?
Is the the Hot Rod Works conversion?

Or does Dutchmann the axles to be used with the early V8 diff?

 

Great tech!! I'm doing something similiar on my quickchange but I'm using 49-51 Lincoln rear brakes and axles. They are a bolt on to 9 inch big bearing housing ends...L.B.

 

Good tech info, I did it years ago and I used 57 Lincoln (rear) backing plates to utilize the e/brake cable boss
I cut the center out of a standard 9 inch backing plate and replaced the center of the lincoln backing plate with the 9 inch bolt pattern (lots of hammer welding)
I like your way better !!!!

 

Thanks for the tech post... REALLY helpful, and cool that you still use real parts not repops

 

This thread is 10 years old but I still like the look. The problem is finding the old Buick backing plates. Our salvage yards are almost all gone with vintage cars and trucks. I know several people make new plates that can be used but I wonder if any other later plates could be adapted. I am doing another set right now and gathering the parts.

 

Checking the Rock auto cheat sheet (click on the blue part number and it tells what vehicles the part fits) 60 Buick rear brake shoes fit only Buicks and a couple of Odd ball Pontiacs. Buicks up to 70 Which might mean that up to a 70 rear backing plate will work.
There has to be something a bit different with the Buick setup as most brake shoes fit a long list of different vehicles.
.