Thread: 51 MG restoration.

Hope the boost is not too much. Its easy to over do it. Good luck.7/8 bore is a good size, but for all 4 wheels it might be just right.

That’s what I’m hoping Jerry, I have twin cylinders on the front drums and singles on the back, so 7/8 bore x 1” stroke split into 6 cylinders shouldn’t be too grabby.
A light brake touch would be sure different than the leg pumper she is now..
Will advise..

In my experience the front brakes always do twice the work as the back so it sound like a good plan. One other thing that comes to mind, if you don't know or haven't delt with already... Drums should be very close to the same inside diameter. This helps cut down on pulling. Some folks don't know this tidbit when it comes to drum brakes.

Originally Posted by Gasman

In my experience the front brakes always do twice the work as the back so it sound like a good plan. One other thing that comes to mind, if you don't know or haven't delt with already... Drums should be very close to the same inside diameter. This helps cut down on pulling. Some folks don't know this tidbit when it comes to drum brakes.

I agree but it depends on the overall balance of the car also. I lost my left rear drum off into the crud off 6A at blackhawk farms a few years ago.

If anyone finds it let me know I think I still have the right one....

When i was a teen and before the Army took over my life, i worked in a brake shop. I found a truck with a pulling issue when braking. I did everything i could to fix it. Then an older mechanic came over and pointed out the customer had replace one drum with new and the other was way over the max spec. I was told .005 difference is what manufactures recommend, but in reality it can be much more without an issue.

Its funny some of the things that come back to you from the past. That must have been over 30 years ago.

Trying to grab a new set of drums, front and back, but it’s proving challenging.
The rear end is off a 61 Austin Cambridge so they aren’t as easy to find.
Gives the car a wider rear stance, which the purists already pointed out in a poo poo way last year when cruising, but I like it.
Blame my American muscle childhood, but I like bigger rubber in the back. Specifically on rear wheel drive cars.

Happy Easter gents.

Now I had to look up 61 Austin Cambridge.....

Which model? The A55 Mark II the A60 or the Half ton?

Quite often I do things like this.....After all, some things are like another..

Want Hawk racing pads for '67 Sunbeam Tiger. No listings at Hawk...

Go to ebay. Look at Tiger/ British pads from the same era....Fits these vehicles.
Oshit! Tiger, TR250, Alpine, lots! Even fit the first few years of Datsun Z's!

Back to Hawk, hit Trumph TR250 and Viola!

5 flavors of pads for different tracks, speeds, demands, etc.
A brake pad smorgasbord!


Went with the 'drive it to the track, have fun, drive it home' ones.
Glad I did. Plenty grab and dusty wheels!

You got me wanting to rant about this!

The modern way of selling things has no cross referencing and are being sold by a worker that has no idea what they are selling.

Most designs use off the shelf products and make them fit and not using a custom made bearing for a 5000 piece production run.

I earlier today had a discussion about this. I have a 1.9 L Opel with Chevy pistons in it. My Indian which I have never had the engine a part and I was told by a friend of my uncle that has Studebaker truck pistons in it. I wish that my Uncle was still around to ask.............. Some day I might need to find out!

Early 70's Opel brakes look up BMW.

Farm equipment dealers paint their parts green or red etc. and then up the price 3 times.

I buy batteries for equipment at work and I can't just just say that I need a 12V/5Ahr battery of a certain size and get what I need. I have to tell them the make and model of what I am trying to order it for.

My rant will now stop although I could keep going on and on!

You're very welcome to rant, Tim.
The days of saying I need a part like this, and the guy looking in the book or knowing what he's got on the shelf is long gone. What gets me is when you call the dealer for a part. They want the VIN number before anything.

Dusty brake pads, Tom. Sounds like organic pads to me. I always ran them myself. Fewer squeaks. But now they are getting hard to find for newer cars. Only ceramics is available. Noisy damn things and they wear out rotors!