Technical Traditional style front drum brakes.

Is there anyone who makes a front brake kit for drum style brakes for an early hot rod ?
I would be looking for all new components.
I did find the Boling brothers website, nice looking parts however I'm wondering if there are any others possibly using the Buick style finned drums.
This is the Boling site http://www.mtcarproducts.com/productsgrid.html

Larry.

 

You may have to source parts from more then one supplier. I think that Wilson Welding was going to repop the 45 fin drums, I don't know that they have done that yet.

 

Larry
I am so glad you are looking for a better looking front brake for your roadster than disks. You know with all your skills it wouldn't, shouldn't be too difficult to adapt late '50s Buick or maybe any of the late '50s big P.U. truck brakes to your car.
Neal East at a Grand Nationals a few years ago was talking about using '50s 3/4 ton Ford truck brakes on a 32 he was building. He seemed pretty excited and ran through the whole build. I wasn't really too interested but my friend Jay West. (get it Neal East, Jay West) They kid about it. Anyway Jay probably remembers every detail.
Gary

 

Actually you may have hit on something with the stock brakes adapted. '70s half ton trucks and wagons ran 11.5 by 2.25 or 2.5 brakes. In reality that is pretty substantial brakes for a roadster pickup.

The nice thing about '70s brakes is that you don't have to convert them if you want self adjusters. There is just something about self adjusting drums that is nice.

 

Larry, no new Buick drums; but everything else can be had.

 

You know beaner Neil might have been talking about newer than '50s truck brakes. I really wasn't paying much attention being stuck in the '50s although Neal East is not. and '70s Ford half ton and 150 trucks would have 5 on 5 1/2" lug pattern.
Gary

 

He was probably talking about '55ish F-250 front brakes. They are pretty much the same guts as those Lincoln repro sets, but the offset works great with a Buick drum. They bolt right on to a 37-48 passenger spindle. Not sure if they can be used with a 40-48 drum though, because the offset might not work.

 

You know Gary, the more I look at the Boling brothers brake offering the more I like them.
Did you look at their offerings ?
They don't offer a fancy looking Buick finned drum but instead offer a brand new Lincoln ribbed style drum.
All brand new parts and I think pretty nice too.
Self energizing.
What do you think ?
Would they work well with the big drums I got with my Winters QC ?
Also wondering on my master cylinder.
I'm hoping that I could use the same one I have installed, it's a Pinto dual chamber unit with a 15/16" bore.
I'm thinking that their price for a complete set isn't too bad when compared to the mega $ hidden disc kits.
Larry

 

Those Lincoln drums look nice.

 

On my 32 I adapted 66 Buick brakes, bigger cyl. self adjusting. Also have them on the rear also. work great.

 

I have used a couple sets of boling brothers stuff pretty nice stuff made in USA
my only complaints are the drums are really heavy compaired to an early ford as they are 1 pc cast..

and the repop rear hubs that they have for a keyed ford axle had a really poor finish in the taper ...so that was the biggest disappointment as the way that tapered axle seats is the secret to its longevity

 

That wouldn't be an issue for me as I'm looking strictly for front brakes.

 

My question is why do you have to have " new" ... Re manufactured is just a blast cabinet away ...

Richb can hook you up with a set of F-2 backing plates rebuilt and loaded and you can find serviceable Buick drums or new fords and be into your brakes less than new and have same quality

 

Larry you know how I just hate disk brakes on fenderless rods. I also think that you can find more than just safe drum brakes. I'm sure that '50s Ford truck front brakes will be more than adequate for your roadster that I love. It's your choice to make I don't know how much money,time or effort you want to put into front brakes. If your asking me what I would do. Because I have an old time auto wrecker up here that lets me roam around I think I would go there,put on some rain boots (because at this time of year here it is a mud hole there) and dig through and see what I could find. But that is just Gary that hasn't changed the way I do things since the late '50s, early'60s when I bought a set of 5 Lincoln 15" rims for my '51 Ford truck for $5 each.
Also I am glad you started this thread I,we,all of us are learning a lot.
Gary

 

Gary...Hope you didn't try to pound some '50 Merc 'ash cans' onto those Lincoln centers! Rude awakening...I had reversed a pair, and my F100 had to run no caps for 2 weeks! (I was 'shy' on '49-'50 Merc centers. There's a 1/4" diameter 'nub' difference...Lincolns are different, but look the same.
Grrrrr...)

 

Here are some nice looking brakes but let me warn you, they all cost some $$$ to build up.

The MT Products with screen offer a nice look.


Pinkee's backing plates with Lincoln drums are very functional and look great but very pricey.


The standard F-250 with Buick drums look very nice but are not new. You will ruin a $5-600 doing this conversion.

 

My Highboy has a CE dropped axle, 45 fin Buicks, Wilson Welding 46 hubs, and '48-'52 F-2 backing plates. The fins are exposed about 1" like they are supposed to be. It needs the slightest bit of machine work to line up everything perfectly. And they stop my 2,000 lb. roadster just fine. If your drums have been turned too many times, the steel lining can be replaced.

 

You know Mike I think it was a Baby Lincoln. probably just Merc. rims. I think I used some Olds or Buick full wheel disks on the truck.

 

That unfortunately is a no on the 15/16" bore master cylinder, the good thing is there are other larger bore master cylinders that will fit the booster. The problem with using too small of a bore is that you will have a low spongy pedal and it will take a lot to get used to. The brakes will be real good but you might have to pump them once to get them to work. I had a truck like that once, it is not safe and I know you are all about safety.

I would use the new backing plates from them and not be afraid to find used Buick drums and 46-48 hubs to put them on. When looking at Buick drums try to find the ones with the least amount of weights on them. The reason they have weights is that the liner is not concentric with the drum due to the casting process that was used. So the more weigh the more off center the liner is.

Also max size I do believe is 12.060". That or bigger is considered junk but it is not as there is a company out there that relines the drums. They for some reason center off of the liner and put the new one in offset the same as stock so the balance weights work. They use locktight to glue them in with a press fit and then use cast iron bolts in three evenly spaced spots to insure that it stays and the bolts are the same material as the liner so it turns and wears the same.

I might look into casting Buick style drums and then installing the liners after casting using the same system they are doing but keeping it concentric so no weights would be needed.

The Lincoln drums look good as well and should be easier to install than having to machine Buick drums.

 

Now that I am on my computer instead of my phone here is a link to the reliners.
http://www.jgrelining.com/#!services/crfi
Here is a good thread from right here on the HAMB about the Buick brake conversion.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/buick-brake-drum-tech.122603/

 

Hey Gary, at this point I'm about ready to just buy the Boling kit and bolt it all together. That's how I am feeling. I don't have access to an easy supply of old parts or a friendly machinist.
Besides that I want to drive this thing some day
New parts are nice, and yes you do pay a price for them.

55willys, Gary or anyone else I don't have a booster. We are talking manual brakes here.
If my 15/16" bore master cylinder would not work ( It would work perfectly with the rear drums and front discs, this I know) then what sized bore would I need for an all drum system ?

I'll have to do some more research on that question before I can feel I have good reliable info I am thinking.
Larry

 

Old ford is 1 1/8 I have also used a 1" bore mustang master with your type setup seemed to work ok

 

You know Larry following your build you have way more building skills than I do. I really don't know how to help you. As I said before I hate the look of disk brakes on fenderless traditional looking rods. You know that. But that's just me. I also believe a builder can find more than safe front drum brakes for a 2,000 lb. rod. Where, how you get them, you and I would probably do differently.
Gary

 

Larry to answer your question about that new brake kit in the link on your first post It looks good to me and it will look good on your rod. And is probably appropriate for your build.
Gary

 

Those Lincoln drums would have actually been more common than the Buick drums also. I would think if I were building something that would have been seen and driven daily in about town North America that the most common is what I would be shooting for.

 

I really don't understand the hatred of disc brakes, seems a bit odd to me. Likes and dislikes are subjective, people have their preferences and that's that. Some people like blue, some like red, some like yellow, whatever. But when it comes to disc brakes, wtf? You can say they aren't traditional, OK, you got me there. But then neither are 70's 3/4 ton truck brakes. If you're doing a totally traditional or period correct build, then discs don't really fit. If it's just the appearance, again, wtf? To me disc brakes scream performance, isn't that what a hot rod is all about? And there isn't a shred of billet. How the mechanical bits of a drum brake backing plate somehow look better to you, eh, whatever. I don't get it. Again, subjective likes and dislikes are just personal preference, there aint no right or wrong. Blue One, my advice is, get the disc's on there and get it rolling. You'll appreciate the decision every time you step on the pedal. Just my opinion...

 

You know, this isn't really about the hatred of disc brakes at least not for me.
It's more about the look and feel of the mechanical components. You can mock that if you like however with the way my RPU has turned out so far whenever I walk into the garage and look at it and see the disc brakes, somehow it just doesn't look right and they don't really fit in with the rest of the car.

As far as function goes, do you really believe that 4 drum brakes would not do a really fine job of stopping my little light weight RPU ?

That's why I'm thinking of going this way, if you have been around at all you will find that I have been all over the map with hidden disc brake kits and also the making of fake disc brake covers to hide the discs.
When it gets right down to it I think I like the looks and relative simplicity of the front drums.
So we shall see.
Larry.

 

Larry...
I have an extensive background in high performance cars (BMW, Porsche, et al)
Disc brakes are a staple.
But my real love is hot rods, (since 1955 with my chopped '36, '30 roadster, and more) so you can understand my feelings regarding discs:
1976, I was building my chassis for my '27 highboy roadster. '32 rails, Mor Drop 3-1/2" dropped I beam, '40 spindles, and the then new Volvo Disc conversion!
Car was set up (roller) in my shop, and every time I walked by it my mind screamed. "Those just don't belong on that flathead car!"
I found a pair of Lincoln type ("C-4") backing plates the roundy round guys had been running...Larry Rodriquez (the Racing Tire guy) gave them to me, their Super Modified now had discs!
I had long toyed with the idea that Bendix self energizing 'guts' could be installed on a flat Ford backing plate. The F-1 pickup was testament to that.
A mid-'60s Chevy station wagon had Bendix self adjusters, I looked it over, took some measurements, but got sidetracked with other things.

Some (MOST) of these drum tricks as reported on here in this thread have convinced me that you boys have your eyes wide open here, (never imagined F-2, or larger truck brakes! Why not?)
Some things just don't belong on true (traditional) hot rods. Among them are front disc brakes and independent suspension with coil springs.

 

No, you haven't expressed hatred for discs. It's your car, you're building it for you, so it needs to be right for you, and that's what's most important. Yes, I think drums will stop your car just fine. I assume we're all pretty much aware of the performance differences of the 2 types, and it's probably been hashed out before in other threads, so no need to go over it again. I guess my post was just a response to some other posts talking about hating disc brakes and I just don't get it. Mechanical bits are mechanical bits. I see nothing more inherently attractive to a drum brake backing plate then a disc & caliper. I'd just like to see you get the car on the road and not let this brake thing keep you from enjoying it. Though I suppose it is the off-season for you, so you've got time. Hey, do what's right for you, sorry to have spoken up.

 

It's 50s 3/4 ton drum brakes ... And I doubt you would notice much ..If any difference from a 12" bendix drum to a disc on a hot rod .. Probably feel the same... Now on a 4000lb impala I bet it's a REALLY big differance