Keeping them stock

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

While I agree with you in general the truth is that what has changed is our expectations. If you're young enough to have driven power assisted disc brakes your entire driving life, then yes manual drum brake may well be dangerous.

If you allow for their greater pedal effort, longer stopping distances and adjust your speed, following distances, etc for them then you're a LOT safer than a person driving one of these that doesn't do that.

Having said all that? I'd only have single pot manual drum brakes on a restored show car. If I planned on street driving it, I'd go with dual reservoir front disc brakes no matter if the rest of the vehicle was dead stock.

It's very simple, you leave more room!

You know the funny thing, I have been in the autobody collision industry for 35 years. Back when the ABS brakes hit (25 years ago?) I remember talking with some other shop owners in town at the paint store, we thought our business was over, we thought that with ABS brakes on every car on the road our business was over! How funny that is now!
The very large shop I work at is still filled with cars, 2.75 million dollars a year in sales, all with those ABS brakes. And you know why? Because people now drive to the very minimum stopping distance needed WITH the ABS brakes, just as they drove to the very minimum stopping distance with the drum brakes. NOTHING has changed! LOL I on the other hand drive my Rambler with 9" drum brakes leaving much more room, I arrive at virtually the same time as the guy leaving one car length with ABS.

Outside of if you are driving in the hills or towing trailers and drum brakes will heat up and become ineffective. Other than that, just normal driving, done it for years and years and years every single day. There is nothing to think about, you simply leave more room.

Funny this human being stuff.

Brian