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May 31, 2005
G'day guys
Sprite and Midgets had 7" front drum brakes. But you knew that didn't you.
Austin A40 ("A40 Farina" for us Down Under and in the UK) had 8" front drum brakes fitted to an identical stub axle. So yes, it's as complicated as undoing the 4 bolts that hold the brake backing plate to the stub axle, and swapping over the backing plates and everything attached to them.
It's a common mod down here as our vintage racers must retain drum brakes - discs not allowed. Also good for the part-time Concourse entrant as few judges notice the bigger drums!
Now if you really want to go overboard, get some 9" front brakes from the BMC badge-engineered fleet of 1500cc engined cars - Morris Major, Austin Lancer, Riley 1500 and Wolesely 1500. The stub axle is different, but the bolt pattern for the backing plate is the same as on the smaller cars. Why wouldn't it be, they were probably designed by the same person.
On a light car like a Sprite or Midget, drum brakes will stop you just as well as disc brakes. The downsides of drum brakes are that they are more suceptible to overheating and brake fade, they don't work for a while after you drive through a creek (and we all do that don't we) and they aren't self-adjusting like disc brakes. Assuming though that we stay away from creeks, that our drums are still round and not oval, and that we have good linings in place - drum brakes will pull you up just as well as discs.
avagoodday
Colin
www.SpriteParts.com.au
"Colin Dodds" < colin@... > 37331
Posted on May 31, 2005 07:18 AM
Posted to category(s) Body | Braking System | Drive Train | Engine (external) | Exterior | International | Miscellaneous | Racing | Restoration
