How rare are Kinmont brakes?

Just wondering how hard it would be to scare some up at a reasonable price.

Did they come stock on early `50`s Chrysler`s

how much is a fair price? -Ish

 

You need to get a copy of "The Rodders Journal", No.7 for a very comprehensive article on Kinmonts. Also see Rod & Custom Nov.'73.
Bob Wilson from Wilson welding (finned lincoln and ford backing plate guy) was repopping them for a while but he said there wasn't enough interest to keep up production so he stopped. He would be the guy to contact.

Before Bob started manufacturing any of his popular brakes, he designed, but never prototyped, a Kinmont look-alike brake. Looked JUST like a Kinmont from the outside, but worked like modern drum brakes on the inside.

He had a booth at a few hot rod shows, including the famed LA Roadsters Father's day show, but couldn't raise any interest in the Kinmont style brakes.

There was a little interest in the finned backing plates that matched Buick drums, so that's what got produced.

This was in the mid-90's, so the vintage Hot-Rod movement wasn't very mainstream yet. I think if he were to offer them today, he might have a different response.

I spoke to him last year about his experience with Kinmonts specifically to see if he had produced a set of prototype brakes that I might purchase but he said that he never got that far with the Kinmont design. At the time he was working hot and heavy on getting his Lincoln brakes to market

 

http://www.wilsonweldingandmachine.com/

 

Last time i asked they were in the region of $2000 a set if you could find someone who would part with 'em.
For what its worth i think Bob Wilson is workin on re-popping Kinmonts right now, if any of his other products are to be compared they will be pretty damn good.

 

cool. thanks, I`ll check it out.

 

Bob's got a computor......damn!

 

Back to the top. Anyone else?

 

i think you would be real lucky to find a set of original Kinmont brakes for $2000....and if you did get some on your car, you would not probabilly be happy with their performance.. i have no personal experience with them, but i have talked to two guys that had them and both said they weren't worth a crap,hard to adjust, etc....they just looked cool


you would be better off using wilson's finned backing plates with buick drums...the price is right , they look good...and they work great...that i can say from personal experience

 

$2000! That`s nut`s! Were these after market only? Did any OEM`s Have them?

 

[ QUOTE ]
$2,000! That`s nuts!

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it's it isn't. It's just supply and demand. You'll probably never find a pair anyway.

[ QUOTE ]
Were these aftermarket only?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.

[ QUOTE ]
Did any OEMs Have them?

[/ QUOTE ]

No.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

I saw a complete 4 wheel set 15 years ago at Hershey. They were 2500.00 then for the set.

 

Dave, I think a few OEMs did have them.

Some low production cars like the Davis three wheeler. Seems like I read about a couple of others too.

The question was probally asked in order to salvage them off the car, but good luck! Most of the cars would be much rarer than a loose set.

BTW, the Kinmonts that Bob Wilson has made are nearly exact repros. The only thing different was the wheel cylinder. All the parts except the backing plate (that the wheel cylinder bolts to) should exchange straight across with the stock stuff.

 

That's funny. Both of my Davis trikes have front brakes that were made by Rube Goldberg.

Glad I wasn't wrong.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

Thanks for the info guys. I`ll try to scare up a copy of TRJ #7.

 

It's probably about as rare as those Kinmonts!!!

 

Any body have a picture or a link to the repro Kinmonts?

 

Rear brakes Dave!

I looked back at my emails to the Davis owners and they reported that although a number of the cars came stock with Kinmonts, they were often stripped off for better performing drum brakes! Apparently they're having a tough time finding them too and the new popularity of Kinmonts among hot rodders has made it even tougher for them to find the stock brakes.

Too bad for them!

 

BondoSlinger,

Here's a link to some info on those early fifties Chrysler disc brakes. They aren't Kinmonts though.

http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Brakes/lambert.htm

 

I talked with Wilson about two months ago, and he told me he was a long way off from having his Kinmonts done. But when they are done, I think the price of real ones will drop.

I have heard of a full set of real Kinmonts (4 wheels) going for 10 grand. Have seen a couple pair advertised recently in Hemmings and such. They're out there, just keep your eyes open.

My pair cost $400. But that was 20 years ago.


- alchemy

 

Simonsez, those are the ones I was thinking about! Thanks man. Those maybe more in my price range and are a little diferent form your average `40 ford drums.

I wonder what wilson will price his at?

 

I checked on a set about 4 mos ago here in calif. and he wanted $10,000. said he had another nos set that he would let go of for $12500. Now I'll bet you can guess who it was.--TV The problem is they really don't work that good, so whats the point.

 

Quote-- The problem is they really don't work that good, so whats the point.

32 Fords don't "work" as well as a new Honda either, but nobody has to ask "what's the point". If you have to ask what's the point, you're in the wrong hobby.

 

Wow, I had no idea. There was a pair at Hershey last year for $1,000. I guess I should have bought them.

 

But it's OK to put up with bias ply tires, mailslot windshields, and channelled bodies with no legroom? I think the whole hot rod concept is about making allowances in one area for extravagances in another. I think I'll allow a hard brake pedal for the right to say I have real Kinmonts.

- alchemy

 

I think the point I was trying to make is at 25 to 3 grand it's nice to say I have real Kinmonts,when it gets above ten grand and you can buy better brakes that look almost as good from Wilsons it makes more sence than fattening some posers wallet.IMHO.--TV

 

Dago ...the ones at Hershey were Chrysler's that are very close to Kinmonts but different.
Clark

 

I was just struck with the realization of the ironic parallel between what we go through to get our cars "right", and what women go through when they go full custom with makeup and painful shoes.

Here's a shot that shows the old Halibrand parts for my roadster, including the Halibrand magnesium front and rear brake calipers that were used on Champ cars and sprint cars. The ones at the bottom of the picture are single-piston fronts, with the dual-piston rears (for wider tires) above them.



Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

TV is Correct! I consider Kinmont brakes just more Traditional Bling Bling and would not have that shit on my car.......I learned from an old hotrodder/racer......simplicity is KEY !

 

Kinmonts weren't the only disk brakes available at the time but they were the most promoted at the time.

These were the brakes featured at the L.A. roadster show in 1948 on their build car.

I like the Kinmont asthetics..., and I tend to like the smaller disk set ups that were popular on the T roadsters..., i.e. ... Hurst Airhearts, and the other single puck designs.

I have Wilwoods on my Quickchange rear and I'd like disks up front but I don't like the aftermarket "Bulky" low buck disk kits...!!!!

p.s. I think those Halibrands are Way Cool as well...!!!