by 58limited » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:53 pm
My modern antilock stops better, but the car weighs a lot less than the Buick. I think the Buick stops fine, though.
The best braking cars I have are my two late 70s Lincolns. Instead of vacuum assist, they have hydraulic assist from the power steering pump - they stop better than my modern antilock car, and they are about 500 pounds heavier than the '58 Buick. Only problem: If I'm making a very sharp turn and I turn the steering wheel to its farthest limit - the brakes begin to engage.
The finned aluminum brake drums on '57-'60 Buicks are mainly for cooling purposes to maintain good braking performance. Most of the stopping power is in the front brakes, not the rear, so more heat is going to build up in front. Therefore I see little advantage to retrofitting the rear brakes with the aluminum drums.
1958 Buick Limited Riviera Coupe Model 755
Other cars:
1953 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup
1957 Pontiac Transcontinental Safari
1968 Ford Galaxie 500 HT
1977 Lincoln Continental Convertible