Another Buick Aluminum Drum Question

So I'm looking at these aluminum 12" Buick drums...and they have no hubs installed and realized that they may be rear drums. So my question is did Buick make 12" aluminum rear drums also? If so will they interchange with the fronts as far as using them on custom hubs and Lincoln backing plates for my front axle? I have repro early ford juice spindles on a model A.
Thanks,
Dave

 

In addition to the five lug bolt holes stock Buick front drums will also have three smaller holes that were used to rivet the drums to the original hubs. If your drums have the three small holes they are fronts.

Bob Wilson makes cast iron conversion hubs that are mighty sweet. You can save some money if you can find a pair of 42-48 front hubs. Bob will machine them for you for a very fair price. Even with shipping both ways his deal smokes.

 

So are ya saying the rear drums cannot be used on the front? But I'm wondering if there were rear 12" drums in the first place....
What make of 42-48 hubs are the useable ones? Buick? Ford?

 

He means Ford.

Never did the swap but read up on some of it.

As I recall: The early Ford hubs mount from inside the drum. Those later hubs mount to the outside of the drum. So, there is something about that different offset on the later ones, that does what you want, when using the Buick drums.

Sorry, That's all I recall.

 

Did they make aluminum drums for the rear? I thought it was front wheel only?

In the late fifties the best brakes available were Chrysler centerplane brakes with Buick aluminum drums. A number of hot rods and home built race cars and sports cars had this combination.

 

Ik they made aluminium drums around 79-81 for the olds rear maybe thats what you got??

 

I think these where smaller than 12'' though. thats pretty big for back brakes

 

just jumping in here....the riviera drums of about 69/70 vintage had the fins finer, ie more fins than the early wide spaced drums of about 62/63 vintage...both will work the same......jmthoughts....kev, ps the early ones look knarly

 

Yea they were more like 9 or 10 inches, I don't think buick used the 12 finned drums on the rear. But could be wrong, happens all the time

 

On my mod I used 90 fin drums 46 ford plates 40 ford spindles & hubs. Yes the hub goes on the in side of the drum. I had to put a spacer ring on the hub snout to keep the drum centered & redrill the drums bolt pattern. That is all no macineing on the hub or cutting down the liner on the drum.

 

So the mystery still hangs....are all Buick 12" aluminum drums fronts? The ones I'm looking at buying are 90 fin if that matters.
sko_ford....good info, sounds like a money saver fer sure. Are those 46 ford plates for round or square spindle mounts?
Thanks, Dave

 

I have only seen the aluminum ones on the front. The last pair I bought were under a car at a junkyard and if the car had them on the back I would have scored those too. That is why I think front only.

Don

 

The Ford hub that you use determines where the Buick drum gets mounted. The 40 style bub like this can only be mounted inside the drum The later style Ford hub can only be mounted on the outside. If you have a preference then get the right hub before you start.



You will need a spacer to center the drum as seen here. The out side diameter of this hub needs to be turned down (on a brake lathe in my case) so that it will lie flat on the machined surface of the Buick drum.

I've seen Buick fined front drums adapted for use on the rear with 12" Buick rear brakes but they never came from Buick on the rear.

 

Buick never made 12" aluminum drums in the rear and 90 finned were 64-69 I think. A lot of guys would go to a wrecking yard and just pop out the hubs for quick sales for the 1948 Ford hub conversion and that's why yours don't have hubs in them.The rears were all cast iron. GM did make 9.5" with a 5x5 3/4 bolt pattern rear aluminum finned drums for the rear in the early 80's but the 12" had a 5x5" bolt pattern.You can use the 12"finned drums in the rear though, you need to do your measuring and make a spacer for the axle to clear whatever type of backing plates you are running and redril you bolt pattern in the drums. I am doing that now with my 45 finned set.

 

They come on square spindles but they fit both. & thanks for the pics tommy

 

Drilled the 5-5.5 bolt patern tonight and wallah, Buick finned drums on the rear to match the fronts. I bet you can fit them on the rears of the old Buicks with a offset ring too. A little 1200 lb. car better stop with those shoe's all around.

 

They also had those finned drums on the Buick Regal from '79-'81... You could walk into any parts store and buy those...

 

Yes buick i meant to add them to I believe the buick old monte etc in those years had them

 

Hey 28 what rear are you useing?