64 disc brake conversion
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,452
Likes: 315
From: Scottsdale AZ
Ancient drum brakes
Given the option, I would never drive a car with drum brakes, just too easy to do it correctly. You see how some guys like to rationalize that drums are OK given this and that (perfect weather, perfect working order, perfect shoes perfect drums). Take those Drums and give them the float test, toss them in the lake and see if the float, if they do save them and use them. The real point is that Drums do have a longer stopping distance and if some day you NEED a short stopping distance and you dont have discs then then rationalizing their average performance aint gonna save you from smashing up your front end! If you need them you will want them. Its kind of like having four wheel drive (rarely used) but if you need it nothing else will do.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 4
From: Mexico Beach FL
According to an article I read, Zora Arkus Duntov said that the drum brakes will stop the first time in as short a distance as the disc brakes.
It depends how many times you think you need to stop while not giving them plenty of time to cool.
And, I agree with getting them wet.
With my '64, I don't need discs -- if I see a rain cloud, its in the garage.
But, for others, I can see where they may want them.
Tom Piper
It depends how many times you think you need to stop while not giving them plenty of time to cool.
And, I agree with getting them wet.
With my '64, I don't need discs -- if I see a rain cloud, its in the garage.
But, for others, I can see where they may want them.
Tom Piper
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,424
Likes: 619
From: northern CA
Just out of curiosity I inquired about a complete donor car disk brake set up off a '79 model year car. Quoted price was 1K for everything needed - from front to rear, including trailing arms.
My car is a '64 with drum brakes that came with the factory installed J-65 metallic brake lining option. For all the bad rap that drum brake cars get this combination of drum/metallic linings works great! .. Once the metallic linings heat up a bit you can feel, through brake pedal effort, the better braking coefficient these metallic linings offer. FWIW, I wouldn't change out this drum/metallic system for a disk brake system -they work that good.
Why not just change out the drum brake linings to the carbon metallic linings that are available now?
My car is a '64 with drum brakes that came with the factory installed J-65 metallic brake lining option. For all the bad rap that drum brake cars get this combination of drum/metallic linings works great! .. Once the metallic linings heat up a bit you can feel, through brake pedal effort, the better braking coefficient these metallic linings offer. FWIW, I wouldn't change out this drum/metallic system for a disk brake system -they work that good.
Why not just change out the drum brake linings to the carbon metallic linings that are available now?
