Johnson's Hot Rod Shop Kinmont Brakes

Did anybody else check out Johnson's Hot Rod Shop Kinmont brake setup and the GNRS? Available in polished and cast


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I talked to the guy about em. way nice. Didn't want to ask what they cost. He said there just disc covers though not actual Kinmonts.

 

Does any body repo a working Kinmont, or something close?

 

I also talked to the guy and I have to say, they looked pretty neat. But they are kind of like the SoCal buick brakes, they are cover's over a Stainless steel disc brake setup. I was hoping they would be a standard drum setup made with newer parts.

They are only making fronts so far and the price is $2300.00 .

 

eye candy, for sure..............expensive eye candy. Yum

 

Ya know, even though it's not technically the real thing or reproductions of the originals. That's a really smart idea and a great product for builders looking to hide disk brakes.

 

I know I am about to open a can of worms here (but, what else is new ?) But here's a question proceeded by a comment....... First of all I like the look of these just like the look of real ones...... However I only knew one guy that was able to get them to stop well.

But here's the question,... There have been a number of guys that went totally bananas over guys putting fake valve covers on there engines to look like something else,.... and guys that blew a gasket over fake patina paint jobs trying to make Hot Rods look older than they actually were....... So how does this differ from that ?

Would I run them ?....... sure if I got a smoking deal on a pair (But would never pay anywhere near the suggested retail price) Cause I like the look....... So what do you guys think ?

 

Not being intimately familiar with the originals, how do these stack up from just a cosmetic standpoint ? Can you tell them from the originals, like you can tell the SoCals from the original setups ?


Don

 

Why would you build a car/put parts on your car to trick others into thinking it something its NOT? Is it easier to do that, than build it the way you want it at the risk of getting shit canned for it?? I dont know or understand this way of thinking.

 

I think the guy that would buy them is more of the guy that's not obsessed with old ford and speed parts but is more along the lines the "evolving street rodder" who's looking to keep up with the trends. And seeing how this year marked a turning point on what was officially AMERICA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROADSTER, I can bet dollars to donuts that we're going to see a lot of those guys turn towards traditional looking builds......with a twist. They're not going to want to futz with early for drums so they're gonna run disks still but this product gives them the option of carrying on with the continuity of their build. Let's face it, at $2300, most of us are not going to jump on a pair but there are some that will create the demand for more.

So are they like fake valve covers? Yes. But in good taste. I didn't hear too many people whining that this guy put Lincoln VC's on his Olds Rocket engine.....

 

I got excited for a second

 

AND WE'RE BACK TO THE DEAL.....Build what YOU WANT........stop worrying about building something someone else may say is fake or not real.......you'll always hear those guys gripe..........LET THOSE GUYS GET A LIFE!!!!!!............enjoy and have fun driving you car.........I guess it's something to do with getting old......you get to the point of not worrying as much and just enjoying what time you have to play with your toys.......................................

 

Not a fan of fake anything … if you cant afford the real deal its better to lower your standards a notch or two.

 

Because it's "Traditional" !

 

Hold on a second...................I've seen some fake boobs I really licked, uh, er LIKED, but couldn't afford them either!

 

Dang those turned out great. I was at Alans when they started on those. They spent hundreds of hours designing ,developing , arguing, and machining those. Dont forget about equipment and tooling costs. As far as being fake, thats up to your own perspective. Are repop bodies and parts both glass and steel fake?What about improved engine internals, pertronic style ignitions,new old style tires, and wheels ect ... those muust be fake. Are all the body panels we spend so much time fabing fake?I look at craftmanship like these brakes the same way i look at the quality sheet metal work an welding I view at this website.

 

All the things your making a comparison to function as the originals

From the description these don’t …. big difference / kinda close don’t make it not fake

 

I have worked on a few of the SoCal fake drums over Wilwood disks and I hate them. In order to bleed the brakes properly you need to pull the wheels, drums, and fake backing plates then rotate the caliper 90 degrees or else you can't get all the air out. This operation takes 2 people and 2hrs of labor. I would rather have real Buick drum brakes!

 

Very well said I agree with everything you wrote

 

I think there pretty kool....... Do you take your wheel off and brake drum at a show and display the insides? I agree the fake heads are redic! But if I can stop on a dime, keep my wife and son safe and still look traditional im all for it.

 

Im with HF on this one.

One question - do the originals work well anyway? I mean, a shitload of $$$ for brakes that are'nt that good at stopping your ride ?

Pass !!

 

like em ,even if they are fake, just like fake ta tas ,some are nice

 

We drive our Hot Rods like Hot Rods and when you get alot of time and hard work in a car and you drive it as hard as we do GOOD BRAKES ! ! That is one corner everyone should refuse to cut !
Thanks Johnson's They look amazing can't wait for our first pair to show up so when can drool all over them !

 

I agree. Fake covers are fake covers. I will say they did a nice job on these.

 

I checked them out at the show, and they look to be pretty nicely made. My inner traditional hot rodder wants to put them in the same category as the fake Buick drum covers that So-Cal sells, but these are honestly better looking than those.

As for the Johnson brakes being the same as originals, anyone that is slightly familiar with the original Kinmonts will be able to readily see the difference. The Johnson brakes are not reproductions of Kinmonts, but are an entirely different brake set-up meant to resemble Kinmont disc brakes. The Johnson brakes are a bit bulkier than the Kinmonts for starters...they cover a lot more of the spindle. Also, the backing plate is aluminum versus the original Kinmont's cast iron backing plate. With that said however, how many people are actually familiar with Kinmont brakes to begin with? Probably not that many, unfortunately. I doubt many people would know the difference unless you have these and a set of originals side by side.

Would I use them? I can't really say that I would or wouldn't because it really depends on the car. I'm sure they stop pretty well, but to be honest, so do the Bendix style 12" drum brakes (ala Lincoln) when used on the typical lightweight early Ford.

On a related note, I have a friend that is way deep into doing an authentic reproduction of the original Kinmont disc brakes, down to the cast iron backing plates and proprietary wheel cylnders. It has been a very involved project, and when his are ready, you won't be able to tell them from the originals. I would look for them to be ready sometime in early '14, if not sooner.

Personally, I think I'll just wait until his exact Kinmont reproductions are ready. But I can see the appeal of the Johnson Kinmont-esque disc brake covers, and I think there's a market for them.

 

no these dont function as the original .Alan developed a new method that uses foot aplied force to a cylinder that multiplies this into fluid pressure. this pressure is sent to another cylinder that aplies stoping force to a disc. He even developed a friction material that ads to service life and stoping force.Pretty dang ingenious.

 

Uh, that's what Mr. Kinmont did before Johnson did it.

The new Kinmont covers do look close to the real brakes from a distance, but those who are familiar with the real ones can spot the differences.

When I saw the first pics and no explanation that they were covers, I initially thought someone made a poor copy. Didn't get all their dimensions right. But now I realize he had to make room for a big caliper inside there.

 

If I was going to run disc brakes, thats what I would cover them with.

 

and i just invented sarcacm