Thread: Miss 32 roadster could really use some help!

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The first thing to try (which you may have already done?) is to adjust the brakes. Depending on the year of the backing plates, the brakes may not be self-adjusting and may require frequent attention. Jack one wheel up at a time and spin the tire while you giggle the rotor with a screwdriver or the special brake-adjusting tool in the backing plate slot until the brake shoes just drag the wheel/tire to slow down (forward and backward). Without fenders this should be easy to do and the idea C9X mentioned of softer brake shoes is a good idea and shoes are relatively cheap. Back in the 1950s when I was a gas station "attendant" there were many older cars still running on the street and it was fairly routine that when you put a car up on the lift for an oil change you (me) would/could quickly go from wheel to wheel and adjust the brakes on all four wheels. Self-adjusting brakes (by backing up) on the later models made this unnecessary but maybe you have the earlier type? Anyway those Buick drums are so neat that you need to try a few things before considering changing to discs. Nice picture of the bracing in your Deuce frame! You have a great car!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder