Four wheel disc brakes on an A - Is it worth the effort?

Thanks for all the responses! Lot's of good information here.

 

I personally think, with any brake set up in an A, if you have to stop fast your gonna lock 'em up and slide 50 feet into that big *** bumper in front of you.
Brakes is Brakes, use 'em right and you'll be all right.
But hey if you have disks on one side, eh, go ahead.

 

A Model A weighs like 3000 lbs. We had a T-bird driver that was 3500, disc/drum with the small brakes, and I totalled it because I was able to lock all 4 wheels up on dry pavement. Yes, 4-wheel discs are overkill, 4-wheel drums with proper adjustment would be plenty good enough.

They did make those same Blazers with drum brakes -

 

So far the disc rearend looks like the way to go as it's from a 1999 and is $125.00, while the best price I've found on an old 8" ford that needs new everything is $250.00. I'm not against using a drum brake rear end, but I'm not made out of money either. If a nice drum brake rear end showed up for less, I'd use that. Total budget for the car is right around $4000.00. So far I've only got a stock A front suspension, stock rear spring, an unboxed frame and some '42 - '48 spindles and I'm into it for $685.00. I'll use any rear axle someone donates to me for free haha.

 

Lots of good information. I have four wheel disc brakes on my roadster with an adjustable proportioning valve. No power booster. You can adjust the pedal presure by changing the leverage at the pedal. Stops great and the reduced weight has improved the ride I am using coil over four bar suspension.

 

Got them on my 28 rpu. Was built 30 years ago. Fronts are a kit i bought back then from Total Performance. Uses VW type 1 calipers and custom hubs. Rotors i think are motorcycle. Rear is corvette, not hamb friendly, with monster calipers, bit of a mismatch i know, vette master, non power, kelsey hayes porportioning valve to cut down the m***ive vette brakes.

 

Adjustable porportioning valve---What adjustment direction is most restrictive vs. least restrictive to the rear brakes?

 

OP has probably made his decision by now but I will throw out that I undertand the 4X4 S-10 rear axle is wider than the 2WD axle - I am using a 2WD S-10 rear axle under my current 30 coupe and it fits nice (has drum brakes).

Of course the drawback is that I have Ford rims on front and Chev on rear - but not too big a deal since most of us have different size rims and tires front and rear anyway....

 

I have 4wdb on my roadster. They are off a 67 Mustang, 4 piston Kelsey hays. stops on a dime gives 8 cents change. Does not need power. Uses a Corvette MC and a 39 pedal ***embly

 

Go for the S-10 Disc. My Grandson and I did this on his 38 Chev 1/2 truck and added disc to the stock front axle. They work great. Just remember it is not how good and fast you can go ,it's how good and fast you can stop !!! Thats how I feel at 67 years old. LOL

 

I was wondering that too the 4WD rear is considerably wider than the 2wd rear maybe on a sedan it would be fine but thats a bit wide for a coupe IMO

 

I have a 30 model A 2 door with 4 wheel discs.
An 8 inch Ford rear end from a Maverick fits exactly widthwise.
I bought a Wilwood kit and bolted it on..No chasing around junk yards
or scrounging stuff. No machine work involved.

Discs do NOT need power ***ist if designed right.

A model A 2 door sedan, which is next to the heaviest model, weighs very close to
2300 lb. NOT 3000.

People that say you don't need disc brakes on a hot rod, drive like wimps.

Several times when I was in a hurry, the discs were red hot when I got there.
The hotter they get (with ceramic pads) the better they stop.

Brakes are one thing it pays to overkill.

 

That Guy, I realize he's most likely made a decision. I'm looking for help too with experience.
I used the search function to get this far. I am not taking a shot at anybody, just asking for help. And yes, hijacking a thread. Shoot me.