Hi Guys, I tried to ask this question a month ago and maybe I didn't ask the right questions..so i will try again. I am trying to gather up the parts to get my brakes redone in the Spring, I plan to swap to the newer 51-52 bendix style drums in front, and the rear end is out of a 54 Chev. The master/booster should be coming from ECI, in the stock location, and yes a power booster would be nice!! The problem is I have a hopped up I-6 (235) with Fenton headers, and the headers and pipes made it impossible to use the stock parking brake, so it had to be removed and i would like to use something in its place. I have used the chunk of wood, or old rust part long enough and for safteys sake I would like to use something better, especially since I will be going through all the brakes soon. I have looked around and found a universal kit from lokar, but it could keep me out of the Hunnert and any type of billet proof show, even though I don't think its billet... My fab skills are limited at best, and would like a universal type kit, if there is one out on the market. So I guess the great questions is-what have you guys done, or used to fix this problem simply???? i have no issues putting a brake handle on the floor, as putting a GM style foot brake might be a problem of mounting, release, etc... So Please let me know what you guys have done to fix this & Thanks again!!!
that has been a thought, and honestly I haven't decided for sure if I am going disc/drum or drum/drum....this is a cruiser with a 6, not a gasser with a blown big block, so I need something safe, but not overkill....
my stock 54 brakes give way to much excitment when going over 35mph, the car stock motor /powerglide goes real good, but does not stop well unless slow and planned, it just does not have enough period , got a chassis engineering disc/brake conversion planned for 2011
i dont understand. i can lock up my front tires. if your wheels are stopped how can you get any better. your going to skid with any other brake set up as well right? if stock brakes are bled and adjusted properly why isn't this enough?
You can move it over to where the key hole is, and should be able to clear everything, I saw some one post that they made it work. I'm just going to use an s10 foot pedal, but I have an s10 rearend now. gotta recommend the ECI brake kit. Once I got my mastercylinder sorted, I was able to stop so much better. remember, modern cars will cut you off and brake check you on purpose. People suck. Good braking force, pedal feel w/o locking them up is better with discs locked tires aren't braking, that is not the ideal situation.
Dimebag: Look at the handle/cable assy. out of a 60-65 Falcon . I think you could adapt that pretty easy. EMS : I think you need you understand how drum brakes are set up correctly then make yours match. Put many many thousands of miles on a 54 Chevy with no great drama stopping. Good lining corectly fitted to the drums works wonders.
/\ agreed. I have asked many a lowrider-bomb owner how their parking brake linkage was set up after installing Fenton duel exhaust manifolds and not one has given me an answer. its funny actually, I get the cold shoulder, no response, or the ever popular " figure it out yourself" I have even posted this question on chevybombs.com in the tech section and my thread went un-answered. I have many many miles on stock brakes also. get good or new drums. turn them and insure they are true. keep the shoes adjusted and they work just fine.
locking the brakes is not a good indicator of brake performance, it is the ability of the brakes to absorb roatating energy which turns into heat. when you lock the brakes the abilty of the brakes to absorb energy goes to zero and the friction of the pavement and the tire are the only place energy can be absorb and this is not that great of a condition. this is one reason disk brakes became std equipment superior heat dissipation.
I think I have a couple of questions that could go with this thread. I'm also converting a 1950 Chevy to 1951 brakes. I'd like to know what I'll need for the conversion before unbolting, so I can keep it rolling as long as possible. Do the '51 front hoses bolt to the '50 lines? Can I use the rear axle brake lines from the '50; do they bolt to the '51 cylinders?
For the front you will need the Hubs, brake drums, backing plates, bolts and spacers from a doner car. The 51 hoses will work if the 51 hoses have the right size fitting where the hard line hooks up. The '50's had 1/4" hard lines and some where in the early 50's they changed to 3/16" hard lines. I have a whole set of bendix brakes with NOS USA drums, hubs with good bearings, new seals, new brake shoes, backing plates, bolts and spacers that I had put on my '50 sedan delivery but took off recently when I decided to go with discs. I pull a trailer and although the bendix brakes worked good I decided the discs would be better for stopping the extra weight.
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