Hi all. I understand from my searches that Wilson Welding is no longer in business. Is that correct? I have a pair of Buick drums that I want to adapt to fit my original Ford splindles - is there anyone else out there producing the kit I need? I am from the UK and have been unable to find anything suitable over here. Thanks Mark
Find some 42-48 Ford hubs like the cavemen did back in the day. The ones that fit outside the drum. Then drill and tap them in whatever bolt pattern you want and use grade 8, 1/2" bolts as wheel studs. Will require you open up the center register hole of the drum to fit the hub, then a little trim of the aluminum lip just outside the iron liner.
Some tips in here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/can-it-be-done-buick-drums.1284091/#post-14749039
Long ago, someone on this board made and sold several sets of adapters that allowed the use of Buick drums and bearings on early Ford spindles. I can't recall who it was.
I seem to remember seeing something about Pete and Jake's offering new hubs for Buick drums? You might want to look into them.
The bearing adapters were made by 29Rat long ago. I used three sets and have been looking for another for two years without success. It's a good route to take as long as you can live with the 5X5 bolt pattern. Plus it saves truing up the drums after a hub swap. I still have some drums that mike out in the +0.030" range. The factory limit is +0.060, but many don't seem to care about brake shoe fit. With suitable original drums getting harder to find, I have to admit I have looked at the Speedway Buick drums that fit right on Ford 5X5.5 bolt circle hubs out of the box. I am considering making a set of bearing adapters for my last drum sets, but after that I am not sure what direction I would go.
I've done this conversion in recent years using the early Ford hubs for Buick drums available at Pete & Jake's. They work well and are available in all the popular bolt patterns. I started using them because I got tired of scrounging for the 46-48 original Ford Hubs.
I used F2 front, Bendix style, 12" brakes in conjunction with F1 front hubs mounted on the inside of the Buick drums. Replacement Bendix 12" x 2" brake hardware is readily available at most USA suppliers, it's also the same parts as some wagon model Chevy ones. Make and shrink fit steel adapter sleeves over the F1 hub registers to centralise the drum ID's and then re-drill the Buick drums to a 5 x 5-1/2" bolt circle ..... I upgraded to different style Dorman 1/2" studs to provide a solid spigot diameter into the drum stud holes. The hubs will need a slight chamfer on the outside OD to clearance the Buick drum internal profile. There's a ton of info on here about this conversion, it's a been a common conversion. I bought most all of my Ford hard parts from people on here and the new parts from Rockauto and then shipped it all down-under. Good luck.
The Jalopy Journal
