So I am running my '32 with stock drums and mechanical brakes for now... I have a set of '40 Ford wheels. What adapter or spacer do I need? Anyone have a picture and a source to get them? Thanks. Vinnie PS: Phase two is to eventually go with juice brakes but have to save up a little.
The actual bolt pattern will be the same 5x5.5, and the wheels should fit over your drums. The only thing I've seen the adapter for is when using Model A - 1935 wire wheels on late steel wheel drums.(like when upgrading to jucie brakes) Putting steel wheels on the old grums shouldn't cause a problem, but I could be wrong. Jeff
Yeah, I have heard putting the early wheels on later drums needed adapters. BUT I thought I saw somewhere that putting '40 wheels on an original '32 also required adapters. Anyone else?
Yes and yes. You need spacer support rings to go to wires on the later drums. Using solids on early drums is a problem. The drums have little stand off's that prevent the wheel from sitting solid on the drum. Antique Auto used to sell outside rings that would support the wheel but the studs are really short for this. The easiest thing to do is cut the stand offs off. I hate to cut original parts. No good solution. I personally would live with the short engagement of the nuts and make the outside rings.
Yes, I have a '32 Ford that is apart, I have another thread with progress pics. And YES, unfortunately I cannot do everything I want to do to the car all at once. So my plan is to do it in phases. I had planned for Phase 2 to be Juice brakes and a dropped axle.
Take a cuttoff wheel in your die grinder, and grind the little nubs just inside the studs down flush. Half hour later, job done. If somebody ever wants to put stock Ford wires on those modified drums, they can then use the same spacers the guys use on the later drums.
No, not trying to be a ****, it's just you cant touch a complete 32 ford for less than 10k, but a set of '40 brakes is probably $250 or so. I'm tripping over hydralics and i'm a poor kid in his 20's but i'd have a very hard time coming up with even a '32 4 dr that i could afford
All the basic parts (backing plates, hubs/drums) might weigh in at $250 or so but you'll likely need new cylinders and master cylinder, hoses, brake lines, relined shoes, springs, adapter kit for front spindles, make up bracketry for master cylinder etc. and if drums are no good add about $400. Make sure rear backing plats have the emergency brake links and levers.
If you are cheap like me it can be done, rebuild the original m/c and wheel cylinders and run the old shoes or reline them yourself. i guess there is a bit of money in brake lines and stuff like that, but if you keep your eyes open it is pretty cheap, i got a lot of my stuff from an old dirt racer that had a stash since the 60's Probably the cheapest way to go would be search farms and find a early 50's ford p/u, take the brakes and mabey M/C off of it, and s**** the rest, with s**** prices you might make money
I put steel 15' Mercury wheels on stock 33 drums and the I swear the nubs messed up two of the rims. They don't run true and I think they're bent them close to the lug holes. I was young and inexperienced at the time. duh. As far as "Having a 32 Ford and not be able to afford hydraulics", sometimes life throws you a curve or priorities change. Been there, done that. Good luck with your '32 project.
The spacers go outside the studs...otherwise wheel can be pulled out of shape when tightened and there is no support from the inner edge of stud circle on out. Cracking becomes very likely since so much of the wheel, almost all of it in fact, is unsupported. Swapping the other way produces less stress because the center barrel of the wire wheels is very stiff and the outer part of the bolt circle is supported. These used to be in practically every Model A catalog...surely someone out there still carries them. Now adaptors for the OTHER way are the common ones...fashions change! And, a '32 Ford in a normal household is equivalent to having 3 extra kids in Harvard without any scholarships. There's no such thing as enough money. $250 might scrounge you the cores for conversion, but you will be in a lot more before any of the stuff actually works... '35 wires will give you a conversion with no problems, but those are no longer a cheap out.
See if you can find a set of '40 Ford brakes to switch to hydraulic brakes. Hit the swapmeets, ask around, see if anyone is upgrading their '40 to later running gear.
put a ad in the cl***ifieds that you are looking for some, I am sure you will have offers. Possibly affordably. With the price of '32 stuff I am guessing you can sell the stock stuff for close to what you will spend on the newer parts.
So does anyone have a parts list of exactly what I will need? I want to make sure I don't miss anything. The guy helping me with the car has some backing plates I can use.
You cannot just grind the stand offs flush as this will give you exactly the same problem you had before you ground them (an uneven mounting surface). The stand offs need to be taken down to the same height as the outer surface of the drum that the wheel will seat against. This is best done on a milling machine as this will get all contact areas true and flat.
So mabey my $250 comment wasnt 100% on, but i did just pick up a full pair of front '39 hydralics drums and all for $20 on sunday at a swap meet, the stuff is out there. It just takes some footwork
Unless you get lucky, to do it right, you're going to have more than $250 in a juice brake conversion..... & if you're going to go to the trouble, why not go with bendix-type backing plates? Yeah, it's a vicious cycle. VinnieCap's Fordor is nice and complete enough that I'd have a hard time hacking it up if it were mine. Eric at Riley Automotove carries the backing plates & drums. http://www.riley-auto.com/LINCOLN_BRAKES.html Someone in California makes a kit to bolt a dual reservior master cylinder to the stock crossmember without having to cut any original parts.... ****! Who was that?!??! KHRS used the kit on a friend's car:
Early V8 Garage is who you are thinking of.Im going to use one of his setups in the frame I am putting together
I priced that setup and it was cost prohibitive for me, $400 if I remember? Not sure, anyway went with '39 pedals instead. Why not get a set of '35 wires and run your 16" tires on those? Switch to '40s when you go hydraulic. Just a thought...
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