Brakes for 29 Ford

This is my 2nd post. Please bear with me if I am repeating an old subject. I am trying to get a cheap rod together for June. I live in York, PA and want to join the seen this year. And with a family of 4 and a single income, cash is tight. You have heard it all before....Ibought a 1929 Model A with original running gear, radiator & shell with PA title for $300. A friend gave me a Jasper rebuilt Olds 350 with and rebuilt T350. I have a $20 9". A friend from work gave me a 1930 cowl, and I made the rest of the cab from scraps. The bed is usable. Fenders are leftovers for a project, before kids. I want to modernize the front brakes. Is there a disc brake or even a drum system that can be swapped into the 29 axle that won't break the bank. It looks like a late model disc would fit with the correct bearings and an adaptor plate for the caliper. Any suggestions where I could find info on such a conversion? Thanks.

Not sure if this will help you accomplish what you want.

Go here for a fairly extensive article on disc brakes.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=41585

Granted, a lot of new parts were used in the examples shown, but some careful selection of parts at the junkyards and rebuilding your own calipers could get you where you want to go.

The cheapest approach (maybe not the best) is conditional on finding '39-'48 Ford drum brakes. Then Speedway sells a set of adapter rings to fit the backing plates to the Model-A spindles and Model-A rear axle flange for only $19.95. However you will still have to add a master cylinder under the floor somehow and link it to the A brake pedal. There used to be a kit from "Ricks" complete with master cylinder and steel brake lines for under $200. Then there are disk brake kits available for about $250 from Speedway and Total Performance but you still have to add a master cylinder and run brake lines. I recently installed an "Econo" disk brake kit which has Dodge 11" rotors, Mid-GM Caliphers and '40 Ford spindles with stainless steel brake lines and stainless braided lines to the front wheels. In the past I messed around with adding '39-'48 drum brakes. The problem is that it may not be easy to find a donor for those drum brakes and the later disk brake kits will be easier to find parts for. So it comes down to whatever you "find". One other comment. If you are are financially restricted you may have problems with the 9" Ford rear since it will likely be too wide for the Model-A rear fenders. That's OK if you are going to run without fenders, but if you intend to have the 9" narrowed to fit your fenders you will run into some expensive machining and welding. It would be far cheaper for you to sell your 9" and look around for an early '70s Maverick rear (I have a '74 Maverick 8") which has exactly the right width for the Model-A fenders. Still you may have to change the rear gear ratio and that is not cheap either (I changed the 2.79 ratio to a 3.55 at a cost of about $600 for parts and labor). So it may be a trade off if you have a 9" rear with say a 3.00 rear gear that is a useable ratio, but the wheels stick out from the body or get a narrower rear like a 8" but then have to change the ratio. Of course one approach is to just get it running and then plan for future updates but in the long run that is more expensive. Still dribs and drabs of $ may be more feasible than a few large outlays.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientis/teen rodder (from Philly)

Thanks,
I checked out Speedway and they have everything I need. Everything they have is based on the 37-48 spindle. I just happen the have 40 spindles from a "come haul it away" junk 23 that had a the front axle replaced in the 60s. The 9" will be the easy part, I have jigs to cut one down. This thing is coming together cheap and fun. What had 5 on 5.5" spokes that I can start looking for. I think I am looking for 36 Ford, but I am not sure.
Thanks again.

As I recall 1935 was the last year for Ford spoke wheels, the 1936 wheels were solid steel I believe with funny rounded trianglular cutouts near the rim. I sold a set of six spoked 16" wheels about four years ago and they are 5 on 5 1/2" but some recent rod articles say they are dangerous in that they may be cracked and the centers break out, but I always thought the 16" wire spokes were the best looking early Ford wheels, so check them out carefully. I sold them to a guy in King of Prussia, maybe he still has them if you are near there?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder