I have a 1951 Chevy gasser build that I would like to put the finned Buick brakes on, has anyone here had any success in adapting the early Buick finned brakes? (I will be using a 58 Chevy truck axle) Lou
How are you going to use the spindle ? 51 Chevy front suspension is king pin IFS the 58 is ball joint and won’t adapt why do you want to use Buick drums ? You won’t be able to see them . not being critical just a question
What we have here is a failure to communicate. He said "gasser" and "truck front axle". However, I agree; Buick front brakes in this instance is a dumb idea.
Check with Wilson welding! they make many adapters etc for the Buick drums. Don't know if they will work for you? they work great and look cool on my 34.
I like the Buick brakes and use them. I prefer using the Buick hub with bearing adapters. But there are several well documented routes that you can take. Having said all of that, they wouldn't be in my top five list to use on a gasser build. I would not want the unsprung weight.
I'm with Goldmountain in that "gasser" and Buick drums don't quite jive. Still I don't think that many if any guys who run Buick drums actually even take the Buick backing plates off the spindle and take them with them when they snag the drums. I don't know right off hand if there are any 5 on 5 hubs that go on a Chevy 3100 spindle reasonably easy meaning that most likely you have to Drill the drums to fit a 51/54 Chevy Car hub if you go 5 lug. Then it is figuring out how to get a backing plate setup to fit that you can use the shoes that fit the drums with on the Chevy truck spindles. There may or may not be articles or info around on running Buick drums on Chevy spindles. The main difference between Chevy car and truck spindles is the location of the two upper bolt holes and if you put Chevy car Bendix brakes on truck spindles you have to make some spacers to between the backing plate and the spindle. That part will require some searching on your part.
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