Ceramic Brake Shoes

[Bigpig455]

two questions :


My car has drum brakes and the drums in front are deeply finned, the fins wrap from the flat surface that meets the wheel around to the inside edges that meet the backing plate. They're really beautiful castings, and I'd like to keep them. Are they original to the car? I seem to recall the fins on the OEM drums for a-bodies being much smaller, shallower and shorter...

If I do keep the drums, I'd probably like to upgrade the shoes to Kevlar or Ceramic. Has anyone had experience with either? I understand they work pretty well, almost as if you have discs.....

Attached is a shot taken while I was replacing the blower motor, hopefulle you can get a visual...

Thanks, Rhett


Thanks, Rhett

[atbelair55]

I just replaced my front and rear brakes on my 65 GS.
I bought the parts from NAPA and found their prices were quite fair and good quality with the drums being cast iron with fins like your picture.
Good luck.
Dave65

[Mark Ascher]

Those are aluminum drums. Not original equip. for 65, but fit. I think 67 or 68 was the first year they made those for the Buick's.

Mark

[Bigpig455]

Thanks Mark -

I didnt think those were original, but damn are they pretty!

I decided to keep the drum system for the time being. I put all new lines, hoses and a dual cylinder in recently, and the car stops quick and straight. I havent noticed any fade, but I havent had any serious panic stops recently either..

I'll keep you all posted on how the ceramic shoes work, but I've got other projects coming up first..I'm trying to get the car ready for the Hemmings Musclepalooza drags/show at Lebanon Valley NY on Memorial Day Weekend, and I've sworn I'll have the car into the 14's before I go...

Just this morning on my weekly test and tune, I brought the car from 15.2 @ 96.4 to a 15.06 @ 97.8 just by playing with tire pressures and adding a clutch fan (as measured by a onboard G-Tech pro meter, I dont know how that transalates to the track)

I've got other mods teed up - carb jets and rods, distributor recurve, coil spring airbags and a Richmond Powertrax "posi" - as I complete them I'll post results

I am interested in if anyone has fabricated a engine mount tie down/safety cable etc.. set up. I'm begining to worry about wrecking my engine mounts...

Thanks, Rhett

[Mark Ascher]

What about that fender cover.....

Mark

[Bigpig455]

Funny you should mention that....I got a new one, not because it said Chevrolet but because it was that crappy waffle pattern spongy rubber...

I picked up a proper heavy vinyl one on e-bay about 2-3 month ago, and yes it has the Buick logo.....

Rhett

[bill connell]

Rhett

We have a 1966 skylark GS with the 11.1 compression MS code engine and sintered metallic brakes as part of the factory 4.30 positraction rear end package.  There is also a warning decal on the dash reading ATTENTION!  this car equiped with high performance Gran Sport metallic brakes.  Additional pedal pressure required when cold.   

While I'm sure there have been many improvements over the past 40-50 years, I can tell you that both the sintered and earlier cerametallic brakes are just plain nasty for the street.  Both were developed by Bendix (cerametallic and Delco Moraine (sintered metallic) for Corvette road racing, and have VERY LITTLE stopping power until they are hot.  My '57 Corvette Airbox factory racer was delivered with cerametallic shoes (as well as finned drums and vented backing plates) as part of the RPO 684 heavy brake and suspension package-----and then became one of two test cars used by Delco Moraine to develop the sintered metallic brakes used with the RPO 687 package in 1960.  Here again, they were great for racing, but really scarey on the street.

I've been trying to find out how many cars were actually delivered with these brakes and whether they were available seperate from the 4.30 rear end package. Our car only has 5,000 miles on it, so the sintered brakes are still in pretty good shape.

bill