Projects New Production 45 Fin Buick Style Aluminum Brake Drums

THIS THREAD IS VERY OLD.
THE FUNDING DRIVE IS OVER.
IT FAILED.
DO NOT POST HERE SAYING IT WON'T WORK, I ALREADY KNOW.

We're kicking off our funding drive to start production on new 45 fin Buick Style Aluminum Brake Drums. I'm not asking for charity here, just looking for forty (40) people to pledge to buy a pair out of the first batch.

Retail price is set at $500 per pair.

They will work with 37-48 Bendix style backing plates, mounted on 37-48 Ford car spindles, using 37-48 Ford car hubs, without any machine work or modifications to the drums. Open the box, install the drum over the hub, done. No spacers, no shims, no machine work.

Standard bolt circle will be 5 on 5 1/2" to match the 37-48 hubs, but any bolt circle can be custom drilled during mfg at no extra charge.

Here's a screen cap of the new design:



They are essentially identical in exterior appearance to the stock 45 fin Buick drums.

To become one of the forty that help us bring these drums back,
Click Here to fund the project via RocketHub.

They will handle the logistics of the money collection and hold it in escrow until the goal is met.

Once the goal has been met, the foundry will pour the castings, and we'll be off and rolling.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

And remember, even if you yourself don't have any need for these drums, you can help us immensely by spreading the word to people you know that DO need them.

Spreading the word is very nearly as good as buying a pair of drums (not quite, but almost ).

Thanks again.

 

Clarification request.

37-48 ford backing plates weren't bendix style

Reproduction bendix style are 39-40 Lincoln
By Wilson or MT

It is possible to convert the 37-48 ford backing plates to bendix style.


So would which is it that we would need ?

 

These are the backing plates I'm referring to:

Bendix Style Self Energizing Backing Plates - 12" x 2" shoe - Fits front or rear of 37-48 Ford cars

They are readily available and priced in the middle of the range. They are also available with an E-brake if you want to run them front and rear.

These backing plates make this an unbox and go proposition. Some others may too. Others still may require a bit of work to fit the spindles.

I can't make a drum to satisfy every conceivable combination of parts without any machine work, it just can't be done.

So, I picked a decently affordable backing plate option that is available new, and which works will most all the parts that people want to use, and will tailor the drums to work with them. I will also attempt to leave as much meat as I can in places where you might need to work on them, so they can be adapted to other setups as well.

 

Just sticking my nose in here.... I had a buddy who owed me a favor do the machining on my Buick drums for free, but he said for a regular customer, it would have been about 200 bucks.

So, figure 250 for a pair of originals, 200 to machine for hubs, backing plate clearance and true the shoe surface. Plus you will most likely have to fix a fin or two... 500 bucks for a new pair is a pretty damn good deal.

Good luck to you, cool hand for stepping up and taking the risk. I hope you sell a million.

-Abone.

 

Good luck with your venture.

 

You and me both, sir. You and me both.

Though, for the time being, I'd settle for selling 80-100 so I can get this project off the ground.

 

Seems like a very decent price for no additional machining and I already have the rest of the brake setup previously purchased for an upcoming build. New iron drums at Speedway for the 12" by 2" Bendix brakes are $100 each, so for $300 more you can get the finned Buicks. I will give it a serious look.

 

Just be careful with your marketing, GM won't be happy about you using the Buick name without licensing and permission.

My '27 T Roadster build: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383

 

Calling something "Buick style" is covered under fair use.

If they give me any crap about it, I'll drop back to just calling them "45 fin aluminum brake drums".

The mfg's don't give the other aftermarket guys too much guff about calling their parts "Bendix type" or "Lockheed type".

But like I said, if they send me a C&D letter, I'll C&D. Until then, I will be careful to always call them "Buick style", because they will not be an exact reproduction.

 

very cool!

 

Best wishes for success.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

A set of new backing plates complete are roughly $450, so $500 for brand new drums seems bloody reasonable to me. The old Buick ones have mostly been to the moon and back and finding a good set can be an issue as well, so if I was in the market for a pair I would be more than happy to pay for the new ones..

 

Yeah, I think the price is well in line with everything else that's out there right now.

Just need some guys to step up here with me and get the funding ball rolling.

I can't do this without your help.

 

I'd like to thank a fellow HAMB'er for being the first to step up and fund this project.

You know who you are, and can speak up if you like (or not, your call, either way).

We're off the goose egg now, don't be shy fellas.

 

And we've got another man on board!

If we keep going at this rate, we'll hit the mark just in time.

 

Please clarify, will your new drums fit the 40-41 "inside" hubs, or the 42-48 "outside" hubs? It can't be both, as the offset is different.

 

also 37-39 are wide five bolt circle, drum/hub/studs all in one. might wanna address this as well.

 

The drum goes over the outside of the hub. These hubs are what will work.

Obviously, you can't use a Buick drum on a Wide 5 car without changing the hubs ('cause the drums and hubs are one piece). The hubs linked above will fit 37-39 spindles just fine.

 

Good choice. Those are the '40 style hubs, which are much cheaper if a guy was to buy originals.

 

obvious to some. you listed 37-48 hubs in your first post. i'm just saying careful how you describe stuff, it'll only give you head aches later.

 

Thank you, that was my thinking as well (as suggested by a number of folks on here).

Hey man, I'm not a lawyer, and I made a mistake in the first post when I said they'd use 37-48 hubs. I've since corrected myself that they'll go on 40 Ford hubs on 37-48 spindles.

You can use them on a 37-39 car, you'd just have to switch to the 40 hubs.

It should become obvious to anyone when they take their 37-39 brakes apart that they cannot change the drum without changing the hub, because they are all one piece.

Like I said before, I'm going to make up a list of parts that these drums are guaranteed to bolt together with out of the box. Any other parts may require some massaging and/or finagling.

You're hotrodders, you'll figure it out.

 

Bump for the evening crowd.

We need to pick up another funder today to stay on schedule.

Anyone need Buick style drums? Now's your chance.

 

OK, as an added salve to relieve some people's jittery nerves, I pledge, with my reputation on the HAMB as collateral, that if we don't get to at least $12,000 before the end of the fund raising period, I will refund the money I collect.

I will either stop the process before it finishes (if that's possible), or return the money to each individual funder if it can't be stopped.

So, worst case scenario, we miss the $12k level and RocketHub won't let me stop things before you get charged. I refund the money manually by PayPal or check, and the only thing you lose is RocketHub's cut (which is 12% if the project misses its funding goal).

So the worst case is you lose ~$60, the project crashes and burns, and you guys hate me forever.

Best case is we make $20k, the project goes off without a hitch, you get a nice new set of 45 fin drums for your trouble, and everything is hugs and puppies.

Anyway, I promise here and now, in public, that I won't just pocket the money if there isn't enough raised to do even a truncated run. I'm an asshole, but I'm not THAT big of one.

 

Based on that, what will the drums retail for in the future? I ask, because those taking that risk (albeit small) to help fund and get this off of the ground should be paying a lot less than the individuals buying a year or two down the road. you already established that $500 per pair was near the top of the market for these, so what benefit do investors get other than saying they got one of the first 50 sets?

I'm not trying to be an ass, or talk you down on the price, but early buyers (investors) should get a price break for the help and the good faith investment.

Please don't think I'm trying to cut your profit because you SHOULD be profiting from your efforts, but in the long run this could be a very lucrative thing for you and you should price the first 50 accordingly.

I've been in business for a long time and know "investor relations". Do as you will, it's only a recommendation. Please take it as such, not criticism.

My '27 T Roadster build: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383

 

The trouble is, that $500 per pair is also pretty much the floor. I will be lucky to make any money at all on these first drums. In fact, I would be happy just to break even on these first 100 and call the finished pattern my "profit". I can't make them any cheaper and not lose my ass.

I like building things and selling them, but not enough to lose money doing it.

Most probably, the retail price going forward will have to increase from $500 per pair to something closer to $600 per pair.

But like I said, if I can get the pattern made and break even on everything else on this first batch, I'll consider that a win.

So, essentially, you already ARE getting a discount, because I doubt very seriously that I'll be able to hold the $500/pr line going forward.

 

Okay, makes sense to me. Carry on!

My '27 T Roadster build: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383

 

Thank you.

 

Come on fellows.

If you want to see these drums available, you've got to get on board soonest.

I can't do it without you guys.

 

Ryan... I'm in.....keep pushing don't give up...sure would like to see these really happen...come on you guys...help Ryan out. Check out the Lincoln buttons...high quality...I'm betting these will be the same quality.

 

Thank you sir, I appreciate it greatly.