Got time to look over the brakes on my 66 yesterday and put new bearings in the pass side hub.

On the pass side there seems to be a slot or worn spot in the backing plate at about the 1 o'clock position, viewed from the outside of the car.

Is this a slot that is supposed to be there or a place where the brake shoe metal backing has worn through the backing plate? I did not check the other side yet.

Thanks

There'll be six "pads" stamped and formed into the backing plate that the metal edge of the brake shoe rides on. 3 for the front shoe, 3 for the rear shoe.

USUALLY it's the lower pads that show the most wear; while the uppers and middle pads look pretty good.

If you've got an upper pad worn through, the brakes are not going to work properly; it's a real issue. I have heard of welding the pads so the groove is filled in, then machining it flat again. Haven't done that...yet. I'm somewhat concerned about the heat of welding warping the backing plate.

Thanks. I will pull the drums and clean the mess up and look. Probably weld them up.

Currently, every time I drive it, the right front brake grabs when I press the pedal.

A couple hundred yards of gentle braking, and it seems to improve and the car stops fairly straight and nicely, although not with any urgency.

That wheel cylinder shows slow leakage.

What I am trying to do is avoid disturbing any of this while it is working, so I can at least drive the car. So far, its all covered in dirt, the drums don't match side to side, the brake lines had to be moved off the headers. The brake hoses look very tired and the fittings are nicely encrusted in rust. A typical accumulation of 20 years of project and neglect.

I am sure if I start fixing, there will be no end to it until its all new....

At this point, I am leaning to the front disc conversion, and not looking back. Just gotta find the $.

Ain't hot rodding fun....

Ron, Please fix all those brake items before driving the car again. Safety is number 1 and the brakes are not in driving condition. You should be able to get most of what you need for the brake repairs at a good local parts store, NAPA should be one.

I am sure if I start fixing, there will be no end to it until its all new....

At this point, I am leaning to the front disc conversion, and not looking back. Just gotta find the $.
Yes. Fix it until it works PROPERLY. And, yes, the most efficient solution is to scrapmetal all the drum-front-brake stuff and convert to OEM disc brakes.

Ain't hot rodding fun....
Hot-rodding IS fun; it's the plain ol' maintenance projects--where you're just trying to reverse the aging process--that drag on a man.

Thanks, the plan is to fix it asap.

However my current home has a tiny lot, with very limited parking and also floods now and then, requiring a quick response relocation of cars.

So having a running, driving vehicle is important. If its driveable, it will at least go on the trailer under its own power, in case of, say, hurricane evacuation. I moved the Chevelle for two hurricanes this fall, by hand winching it on the trailer. Not fun, and there are 3 other project cars to move. Living by myself, working on brakes is problematic when it comes to bleeding them also.

So I keep them together as much as possible. They do not come apart until the new stuff is at hand.

All this said, I have gotten this thing to have a working horn, brakelights, turn signals, wipers, etc, etc. So imagine my chagrin on my Sunday drive when I went to slow down, turn left into a parking lot, with brakelights, turn signals, etc, and some moron goes sliding by me on the left with his brakes locked up.

He had followed me for a couple miles and apparently did not see me slow and prepare to turn left. Fortunatly he missed, and the Chevelle, my dog and I are fine.

think i have the old drum setup off of a parts car - spindles and all. everything worked fine. you can have them for free if you want.....just email me...try to stay out of that car until you get it fixed and by all means keep your dog out of it too (until its fixed of course)..my lab loves to ride in my 67 ss....God Bless...kevin

Heckler, thanks. I am mulling the cost of the disc conversion. The master cyl conversion is a go.

I may take you up on the drum parts. If my map reading is correct, you are near Opelika AL, just east of I65? If so, I or others in the family may be going by there over Christmas.

I will post if we think we can pick them up.

Thanks.