Does anybody know how Tom modified the stock model a brakes to work as hydraulic? I always grab my rodder's journal that has that car as a feature and they meantion it but that's it nothing more. Are there pics somewhere as to how he did it? He turned the backing plates upside down and has the wheel cylinder at the top but that is all I can tell. Any help from those who know is much appreciated.
Do a search on the Waco Kid and it may pull something up on this roadster. I'm with you, this is one of my all time favorite roadsters, but I'm biased as I'm from the Waco area. I believe Steve, the owner of the Continental Club, is still the owner. I think he is on the HAMB as el jefe. He would probably be your best bet on answering your question.
PM me or better yet if you're ever in the neighborhood(Austin, Tx) cmon by. It appears there was a conversion kit that was sold back in the 40's and that's what Tom used to go from mechanical to hydraulic. I have taken the brakes apart to do a brake job back when I first got the car back in about 2004. I did not pay too much attention to what modifications were made to the backing plates, but the next time I have them apart i will make some notes for you. All looked pretty standard inside the drums, wheel cylinder and brake parts wise. I do remember pulling out the wheel cylinders and just cleaning them up and rehoning them a little bit and putting them back together. Didn't look for cylinder rebuild kits as I don't think they were available. Once they were cleaned up, they did what they were suppose to do.....slow down the car
Thanks EL Jefe, do you know what wheel cylinders he used? I am inlove with your car, have been since I saw it in the rodder's journal. I would love to be able to do the front brakes on my 29 the same way he did. Maybe if you ever get a chance, you can shoot me some pictures of the drum off.
The Jalopy Journal
