I don't have the means to upgrade to discs, i can't find the right spindles, i'm wantin to keep teh stock 14's..so i was thinkin power drums would be much better than the manual stuff.



Is this possible to do?...what booster do i need? other parts etc etc? brackets?



all help would be greatly appreciated..i know everyone's gonna say just to discs..but i just want info on power drums...



thanks to all ;-)




William



1957 Ford Fairlane 500

292 Bored .30 over

Fordomatic

I used to run a booster on my "swift…,sure?" brakes on my bird. Didn't make any difference whether it was in top shape or removed from the car. I now just run reg discs on the front.

jmho, but the boosters aren't cheap either for the lack of power you may achieve.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

Eicho makes a brake conversion. Check them or call master power brakes in Mooresville NC. They should be able to help. They have everything for brakes.

55Birdman  Hickory NC

A buddy and I replaced the old "treadlevac"? booster on his Nomad with a pile of spare parts out of my scrub parts bin. We used a dual master and a combination valve made for Disc/Drums. Bad move. The combo valve or the master doesn't have the 10psi residual pressure valve so the front drums shoes tend to retract a bit further, and the combo valve feeds pressure to the rear, but doesn't put pressure to the front until there's about 100 psi in the system. Made for really weird braking. On the other hand, we're now a lot smarter and have a set of brake pressure gauges.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Miker ,

Oh,the joys learning about brakes ????  I rebuilt a set of brakes on a Mainline ute years and years ago . Replaced everything with NOS parts and added a remote booster . That thing would pull up better than any disc brakes . Only problem was , you didn't know where it was going to throw you ??? Left or right ???? Kinda like riding one of those bucking bulls ???But it did stop GOOD  !!!!

Regards Lon

yblocksdownunder

These are from Jamco Suspensions

PBB5272 52-72 FORD & MERCURY POWER BRAKE ASSEMBLY Regular Price: $319.95 (Selected options may carry additional charges) NEW LOWER PRICE 1952-56 FORD & MERCURY POWER BRAKE ASSEMBLY. KIT INCLUDES: 8" DUAL DIAPHRAGM BOOSTER, DUAL CHAMBER MASTER CYLINDER, PROP VALVE W/ LINES AND FIREWALL BRACKET W/ PUSHROD. Note: WILL NOT FIT VEHICLES WITH 292 OR 312 ENGINE RUNNING OE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS. WILL

I bought one like this on ebay for $199,but it looks like they are up in price.   I have seen some 50's fords with some which looked like 60's galaxie power boosters.  I had to do a few modifications to this one, so maybe it would be just as easy to modify the galaxie boosters, which you can probably get for alot less........... good luck.. Mike

     

That booster/master combo is still being sold on Ebay for $199.00 but I think it is ONLY the booster and cylinder(no lines or valves).

  

seriously, non power 4 wheel drums stop fine. i was a bit worried about it when i started work on my Edsel but in reality the car stops just as well as my 03 grand am, minus characteristic fade of drums, it doesn't even pull when adjusted correctly.



the car is just as big and heavy as it was in 59 and the drums have served it well for 50 years.



i hit up my local carquest and installed new master and wheel cylinders, shoes, drums and rubber lines most of which carquest had in stock.

Well I would love to find a kit that fit the stock 14" rims. But i'm only finding kits that will work with 15" + rims....booo... I have a 57' fairlane 500 with a 292 y-block.... I was looking at that one on ebay... I need to get a dual master cylinder IMHO anyways.. so Why not get the booster? Plus I coudl always upgrade later... But would love to find a kit that would fit teh stock rims :-/

William



1957 Ford Fairlane 500

292 Bored .30 over

Fordomatic

That little quirk made me wonder too-  My engine is a 55 272 & It doesn't even come close to the Exhaust manifold. Another guy on here installed one in his 55 ford.  We both had to shim 3/8" between the bracket & the booster to make it work.  I also redrilled the rod to the brake pedal to get that where I liked it............. As the other post stated on ebay you dont get the valve & line.   With drums you just need to use another Block connector to go to your front brakes & plug off the old one. Its easy to make the lines going from the master to the blocks.       Mike