After searching and searching and not finding ALL the info in one thread I thought I would document this process with a few pictures. First I found a good set of drums (90 fins, but this works for the 45 fins as well). Then I ordered the adapters from 29RAT here on the H.A.M.B. The adapters come with instructions but basically you just heat the adapters and freeze the spindles and they jump right on. The only machine work that needs to be done other that cleaning up the braking surface is to cut down the back side of the steel insert. I cut it .250, basically you just cut the aluminum off the back side of the steel insert. You cut it down until you start getting into the flat part of the drum seen below. I hope this is helpful to someone.
I have used 29 rats adapters as well. Perfect! As we speak I am in the process of reworking a set of 66 Wildcat backing plates to fit the Ford spindles. This will give me the 2 1/2" x 12 shoes, compounding brakes and monster wheel cylinders. If they'll stop the Queen Mary they'll stop my pickup. I couldn't find any threads on here saying I couldn't do this so I guess that means it's OK to proceed. I'll post up if I'm successful. After I'm done I could just pass the weld fixture around if anybody else could use it.
Awesome! Another idea is you can cram late 70's chevy 12" brakes in with mods to Ford backer and get the self adjusters and self energizing setup. A little bit of work but bulletproof when done search for "ANDY" 's post from a number of years ago on this.
I used a set of 29RAT's adapters on a customer car, as well. I, and the customer, were very satisfied.
The Jalopy Journal
