Is there anything that says hot rodding louder than drilled brake back plates? Costs next to nothing to do and looks trick - might even cool your drum brakes too.
Ahhhh, the magic of airflow amangement - that huuuuge scoop will be sucking in all those cfms, and now you've provided a relief path for all that hot air to escape through. Genius!!! (Actually, looks good) Cheers.
Hell I drill stuff that no one will ever see. Wasps are not much of a problem unless you don't drive it much or don't drive it hard enough to get the brakes hot. I do like a drilled backing plate, they seldom look as nice when I do it as black jack, but I always hope that no one will notice.
It helps if you countersink the holes a little after drilling. I also made a crappy jig to make it all a bit easier;
Looks cool, but I'd be concerned about all the road dust getting in their over the long haul. Then again, Hot Rods aren't really for long haulin'.
That looks great! You should add your pics to the "HOLES" thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345264
You have to drill the drums to let the water out. It also helps to let the hot gasses out as well, less fade.
Be careful about driving on dirt roads because those little rocks that get in will destroy both shoe and drum and rain will make for longer stops.
An old drum brake trick that I learned from a fella that drove a log truck in Oregon was to periodically lightly apply the brakes when it was raining (Oregon was a rain forest at theh time, (80+ inches per year I don't know about now)). it keeps your brakes dry. I still apply that same principle when I am driving a vehicle with drum brakes. There is way more to driving one of our old cars safely that just getting in and cranking it. A lot that never gets learned by someone who normally drives or learned to drive in a modern car. Might make a good thread, I can think of 3 or 4 things right off the top of my head that were common practice when I was young that do not ever get taught or applied with a modern car.
It's all part of the plan.... Guys who have tried the bare metal look over here pretty soon end up with more rust than car.