ifitgoesfast

Today I decided to inspect and clean my drum brake assembly ('64) and determine whether or not to buy a full brake kit. Couple of springs had broken and fell out.

What kind of shoes are these? I don't see any markings on them, or maybe I need to do more brushing. I can't find similar ones on the vendor sites.

The shoes on mine are spaced out mini-square metallic pads. Kinda looks like the forward of axle shoes are missing pads between others. If you look at the top left photos (top pic is driver front, bottom pic is driver rear), the forward shoe has 3 pairs spaced out = 6, and the rearward shoe has 6 pairs spaced out = 12. I used a plastic brush to clean off the shoes and they look either metallic, or a mixture.

The vendors shoes had continuous pads.

Don't mind the dust and dirt, car was sitting 25 years: long story - I went to college, career, bought house

driver front


driver rear

65 Pro Vette

They are the metallic shoes used in 63-64 (J56 in 64) it should have finned and vented brake drums if it came with the car or someone just put the shoes on.

ifitgoesfast

Thanks. I have to contact the previous owners again. No one mentioned this. The second owner slalom raced it 1968-78. He added red Koni's back then. So I'll ask him about the shoes. The owners after him only did cosmetic work (paint, dyed dark blue vinyl black, etc).

Kerrmudgeon

Just a little FYI for you, those metallic shoes are not great for the street, they take a long time to warm up to operating temp. They can be downright dangerous if you have to make a panic stop when they're cold.

Dr L-88

You have option J-65....................NOT J-56. J-56 cars used vented backing plates and finned drums, same as Z-06 in 63. Option J65 is commonly referred to as the "street" metallic brakes whereas J-56 was designed for racing.

ifitgoesfast

OK, I busted out the brass wire brush and found some part numbers on the inside of the shoes.

driver front, forward shoe: DELCO MORAINE MADE IN USA
driver front, rearward shoe: 5461962

driver rear, forward shoe: DELCO MORAINE MADE IN USA
driver rear, rearward shoe: 5461965

neither of these numbers are in the GMPARTSWIKI, perhaps for another make of car?

Dr L-88

Again.................this is what you have...................

ifitgoesfast

Oh, I've panic stopped before. I was 16 when I bought it in 1986. But yeah, I might go ahead and buy an entire brake kit and change out everything. Thanks

ifitgoesfast

Thanks, I was typing and didn't see your post. Appreciated

Kerrmudgeon

You've owned it 27 years and this is the first time you've had the brakes apart?

ifitgoesfast

This should explain why...

1986 (August)-1987: bought and drove my '64 vert L76 less than 300 miles
1987-1988: drove Jeep CJ-5 mostly to fit more than just 2 friends

1988-2012 vette in storage for 24 years, while I finished college then moved to NYC to start career

2010 bought my first house in NJ and began renovations

2012 house and funds ready to go back to Texas and bring my vette to New Jersey

If it weren't so expensive to buy a house in the NY/NJ area, I would've brought it up sooner. If I had gotten a job in Austin, things would be different. This is why I never had the brakes apart.

rich5962

The stamped numbers on the shoes are likely the just metal bracket, not the shoe assembly.

P&A catalog 14.....

Group 5.017/5.017A shows the shoe kits.
http://www.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=99253

Group 5.809 shows the drums.
http://www.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=99307

It appears the J65 option used unique drums. If you go to standard(non metallic shoes), you may need to change drums. I'm unsure what the differences are, maybe the drum width?

53-65 rear standard linings Drum = 3985944
63-66 rear metallic linings Drum = 3869537

63-65 front standard linings Drum = 3872326
63-66 front metallic linings Drum = ??(not listed in P&A 14)

Your front shoes look 2 3/4" wide. Are they?

Any legible numbers on your drums?

Rich

StingU2

Rich ... would also like to see a few pictures of his drums.

Bruce

rene-paul

Drums maybe the same, I will quote the 63 shop manual "Note: Brake shoes with metallic lining require a specially finished brake drums [honed to a 20 micro-inch finish]. Metallic facings are not recomended for service replacement on vehicles with standard brake drums that have not been honed to a specified finish. Note: Special heat resistant brake springs are required for metallic brakes."
My question is how the 20 mico-inc finish is achieved, would you have to take it to a machine shop?
I have an old Petersen brake manual that has an article on cermetallic brakes that was a comon upgrade in the day.
Brgds;
Rene

MikeM

The drums are not the same as standard brakes. Two differences I know of. One is the finish on the braking surface as explained in the manual. That's done on a drum grinder, not a lathe.

The other difference is the stamped web in the center of the brake drum is thicker on the drum for standard metallic brakes. J 65 option.

Functionally, you can interchange the drums.

MikeM

You can use standard brake linings with the J65 drums.

TheSaint

If you change the brake shoes remember that it is difference on the primary and secondary brake shoes

Also clean the drums/brakes properly and sand off inside the drums with 600 grit sand paper
Adjust the brakes proper and the car will go straight as a arrow under braking

ifitgoesfast

I'll get some photos and measure the shoe width later in the day. Have to run out and do taxes. Will post tonight. Thanks for the help so far...

Dr L-88

YOU are EXACTLY correct with everything you said.

mrg

Though a 300hp car my '64 also came with the J65 metallic brake option. They are still in service on the car.

To the OP: As a minimum if you don't change out the wheel cylinders it would behoove you to inspet, hone, and replace the current wheel cylinders with new rubber rebuild kits. If the wheel cylinders are the originals they may still be rebuildable.