Economical and effective hydraulic brake conversion.

[ThosD]

I want to make my new to me '30 coupe safe and reliable for driving on public roads; more than just a parade car. I think the Bendix style hydraulic brakes with Lincoln drums are what I want...but OMG, the kit prices I have found are nearly $4K. Is there an economical kit or a Bendix/Lincoln type kit that does not require a change of the hubs?
Same for safety glass kits. Prices range from $450 to almost $800 for a 5 window coupe.

Tom

[nkaminar]

Thos,

How are the mechanical brakes now? You should be able to stop in 20 feet at 20 mph and you should be able to lock up the wheels. Did the previous owner do any work on the brakes? The mechanical brakes with the cast iron drums can stop the car well enough to drive in modern traffic if they are in excellent condition. You can have the brakes rebuilt by sending in the backing plates and all the parts.

There are aftermarket kits that can improve the mechanical brakes. Search for Flat Head Ted kits. Some owners will argue that these kits are not necessary if the original brakes are in excellent condition.

The hydraulic kits are made up of later components such as the master cylinder, slave cylinders, backing plates, shoes, drums, etc. You can search for these components online and possibly save some money. The kits usually will specify where the different parts come from. I am not the expert here so perhaps others can elaborate.

The safety glass is expensive. I had a small half of my windshield on my Model T replaced and it costs $150. I took the glass out of the frame myself and put the new piece in myself. If you do the labor you may be able to save some money.

You will have to weigh the cost of safety equipment against the cost of possible injuries to yourself and your loved ones that may be passengers in your car.

[GeneBob]

I think the Boling Brothers brake kit looks like a good "all in one" way to go, it is sold by Snyder's Antique parts as well. Good people. Sometimes your local Model A supplier has glass made locally for less and you save shipping costs.
On the other hand, when the original mechanical brakes are in good operating condition and kept in good working order, they stop the car well. Many on this website swear by them. I kept my mechanical set up and they work well up to about 60 mph. How fast do you plan to go?
Replacing plate glass and installing seat belts are both top concerns, especially at the higher speeds.

[Kevin in NJ]

Hate to break it to you, but juice brakes are not safer.

They need the same amount of work to set up. You still need shoes fitted to the drums.

They will fail on you. Unless you really drive the car regularly they will fail. Maybe just one or even both rears go. Long story on why, but they do. I have a 65 Mustang it gets rear wheel cylinder problems. I asked around at car shows and found many of the cars had one or more wheels not working. More then one person said they knew the brakes were not working but did not fix them cause it was just their show car.

If you want reliable effective brakes with minimal long term maintence you want to pay someone to build a matched set of drums and backing plates. You will do it once and only just do minor adjustments for the next 50 years. If you put in juice brakes you will have to change fluid regularly and futz with wheel cylinders not working every few years.

In the end you really end up with the same level of braking.

[ThosD]

Thanks to all for the brake recommendations. My car just came off of 20 years of non op. The previous owner only drove it once or twice a year, which is why he sold it. I need to tear into the car to sort things out.

[Charlie Stephens]

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Originally Posted by ThosD

Thanks to all for the brake recommendations. My car just came off of 20 years of non op. The previous owner only drove it once or twice a year, which is why he sold it. I need to tear into the car to sort things out.

What kind of brakes are on it now? Any pictures (especially the master cylinder mount if hydraulic)?

Charlie Stephens

[CWPASADENA]

I have old Fords with mechanical and hydraulic brakes. The cars with mechanical brakes are always ready to go as far as the brakes are concerned. The ones with hydraulics are another question.

Model A brakes are very good and need very little maintenance if completely rebuilt correctly.

My experience,

Chris W.

[Patrick L.]

I'd recommend fixing the mechanicals and go for a ride.

[brokenspoke]

Check out the Jalopy Journal message board. then search monthly banger meet...lots of information

[Chris in WNC]

if you want "economical" and "effective", stick with mechanicals.
cast iron drums are the only modification I'd recommend.
find someone who knows how or learn to restore the system correctly yourself......

[Jim Brierley]

It appears that Kevin has either had some bad luck with hydraulics, or has never tried them. Hydraulics are safer than mechanicals, better and easier stopping, really better for highway driving! Very little initial set-up, much less maintenance, etc. The ones most often used are Ford, 1939-48. the Lincoln's are the same diameter, shoe width, and the same drums, they are just Bendix style instead of Wagner, so a softer pedal. They were designed for a much heavier, faster car than the A. If hydraulics weren't good, no modern cars would be using them. By using silicone fluid, DOT-5, you eliminate rusting of the cylinders, the bane of hydraulics. If you buy a kit, they are expensive, how much is your life worth??? If you do it all yourself, not so much. Us hot-rodders have been doing it ourselves for decades!

[Patrick L.]

When was the last time a hot-rodder installed 39-48 brakes ?
When i was hot-rodding I never used those #%%$* things. I had to work on them when they ever came to the shop.
I just helped a friend with brakes on his hot-rodded '35. We installed a Mustang front end and 9" rear. Brakes on all corners are disk. Even in the 60s I wouldn't think of installing those old Ford brakes on anything. But, JMHO

[ETAModel]

I'm the new guy here, so forgive me. Isn't the glass on the A safety glass?? The owners manual says it is. It doesn't matter what kind of glass you have, if it wont stop a person flying 40mph it isn't any better than what you have. Seat belts is what you need, IMHO.

If the brakes are adjusted and in good shape they should stop a Model A going 45 in a reasonably safe distance. As my dad said..."the brakes work fine, the operator has to start braking sooner than with modern cars." I find if I keep that in mind I do well, even in traffic.

I would make sure the brakes are in top shape before I spend a few grand on juice brakes...but that's just me.

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

Only original windshields were safety glass and they were often replaced with plate glass. All the others are plate glass until late 31.

[eagle]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

It appears that Kevin has either had some bad luck with hydraulics, or has never tried them. Hydraulics are safer than mechanicals, better and easier stopping, really better for highway driving! Very little initial set-up, much less maintenance, etc.

I don't know about areas with more moderate temps, but up here in the north country juice brakes on the old cars are nothing but trouble. Rust and leaking seals to contend with every year when pulled out of storage in the spring. The mechanicals are as good when I pull out of the shed as when I pulled in last fall. Also stops the car just fine, yes may require a bit more foot pressure but other than that they work great. Not trying to cause controversy, but my experience with hydraulic brakes in a car that is stored for long periods in a shed is "no fun". I HATE brake jobs/wheel cylinders/master cylinders.

[ETAModel]

Originally Posted by Richard in Anaheim CA

Only original windshields were safety glass and they were often replaced with plate glass. All the others are plate glass until late 31.

Thanks, I guess someone replaced the glass in the 30 Fordor I drive; it has safety glass all around.

[Kevin in NJ]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

It appears that Kevin has either had some bad luck with hydraulics, or has never tried them. Hydraulics are safer than mechanicals, better and easier stopping, really better for highway driving! Very little initial set-up, much less maintenance, etc. The ones most often used are Ford, 1939-48. the Lincoln's are the same diameter, shoe width, and the same drums, they are just Bendix style instead of Wagner, so a softer pedal. They were designed for a much heavier, faster car than the A. If hydraulics weren't good, no modern cars would be using them. By using silicone fluid, DOT-5, you eliminate rusting of the cylinders, the bane of hydraulics. If you buy a kit, they are expensive, how much is your life worth??? If you do it all yourself, not so much. Us hot-rodders have been doing it ourselves for decades!

Jim,

So please explain to me how a brake system with a single point of failure and known long term issues are safer? When the A has the shoes and drums set up properly the juice brakes stop just as good as the factory brakes with the tires being the weak link to stopping.

As for Hot rodders. I rarely see local rods that I consider safe. Often the brakes are likely undersized for the HP of the car. They do not know how to engineer the car. They have not worked the numbers to make sure they have enough braking for the weight and HP of the car. They just throw stuff together and drive to shows. Then they bitch when you go slow because their undersized radiators will cause them to over heat.

I have been working brakes for decades. I kind of cut my teeth on the 40,000 mile 1939 Fordor we owned that was all original. Here in the humid South Jersey with wild temp swings we were having to unseize one or both rear wheel cylinders every couple of years. I have to deal with my 65 mustang with rear cylinder problems too. I have talked to many, like 60, people about the brakes in their collector cars. All makes, all years. I found most of the people have had problems with their rear wheel cylinders. A large number know they have a problem but do not bother fixing them.

On the other hand, My brothers A was restored in 1970. He runs it hard and it has some miles on it. The brakes have only been adjusted in all those years. When we were running the beltway around Chicago at 60 MPH and we had someone on ramp in front of us and slow down to like 40 suddenly we learned how good the mechanical brakes really are when done properly.

As you can see other people have similar brake issues with juice brakes. For a collector car that is not kept in an temp and humidity controlled garage juice brakes are more likely to fail at some point. This has to do with differntial expansion of metal and fluid and how it can push past the seal and suck back in with more water. People who live in dry climates may be less likely to ever see the issue. I was friends with people who started Carlisle. The one guy had a large collection of Vettes. I asked him about brake issues and he said he never had a problem, he lived in Cape May, NJ near me. Then I found out his garage was heated and air conditioned.

I am talking from experience on this issue. If you want great brakes that will just keep operating with minimal work then you want mechanical brakes that were set up properly. This requires expensive special tooling so you are much wiser to pay one of the people who specialize in Model A brakes.

If you are putting juice brakes on the car and you have not fit the shoes to the drums then you are not going to get 100% braking. Your brakes will likely suck big time!!! Not too long ago I did a full brake job on a 65 Mustang. You cant just get good American (that is USA/ Canadian made) made parts anymore. They are all made in China and they did not seem to get the specs. The shoes are not even close to the drums after you cut them round (if you can cut them round). Throw in bleeder holes not at the top of th cylinder, front drums that do not center on the hub, hardware that does not quite fit. What should have been a 3 hour job took me 3 weeks. Between waiting for parts that were usable and having to extensive modifications to the parts so they fit properly. I have been buying up American made spare parts to have on stock for my car.

Anyway, what might I possibly know?

[1931 flamingo]

NOBODY has answered the original question, only their opinion on why to keep the mechanicals.
Many thousands of A's were converted to hydraulic. His car, his choice.


Boling Bros is the best (IMO), but you could go to the HAMB and ask the same question, find early parts and convert it.


JMO


Paul in CT

[Nosetime]

I have F100 bendix brakes on the front and 40 ford on rear. Dual master cylinder setup. I think the fronts alone could stop several Model A's! To each his own, but my Roadster is not bone stock. If I had an all original car, I would keep the mechanicals without a doubt, but...Randy Gross lives just down the street from me!

[denis4x4]

I have two A's that were converted to hydraulic brakes over 20 years ago and I'm starting to feel cheated as they are still stopping on a dime with a nickle change. I switched to hydraulics after sailing through a red light due to the fact that the mechanical brakes failed after repeated use in urban traffic. And yes, I know how to adjust mechanical brakes. Mechanical brakes are fine if you're going to putt around on country roads. I'm with Jim that hydraulic are better than mechanical brakes, especially if you are try to keep up with modern traffic.


To the OP, cheap conversions are no longer available with the demise of wrecking yards. Check out the Speedway Motors catalog for prices on new components. As a side note, all of the Wagner wheel cylinders from NAPA are made in Mexico, not China.

[gdmn852]

Hello, usually a localauromtive glass shop can cut flat glass using yours as a pattern,they normally charge per square inch.As far as the hydraulic brakes I would recommend rebuilding the original setup and cast drums . I have a 31 Roadster with the Boiling conversion, for the 3900$ they could have replaced everything and been money ahead.This will be changed to the Dot 5 fluid before winter, having issues with other cars with brake problems from long storage.The Boiling conversion seems to be a nice kit all parts in one kit, but it is not just bolt on , the kingpins have to be cut and some fitting for backing plates needs to be done.

[bbrocksr]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

It appears that Kevin has either had some bad luck with hydraulics, or has never tried them. Hydraulics are safer than mechanicals, better and easier stopping, really better for highway driving! Very little initial set-up, much less maintenance, etc. The ones most often used are Ford, 1939-48. the Lincoln's are the same diameter, shoe width, and the same drums, they are just Bendix style instead of Wagner, so a softer pedal. They were designed for a much heavier, faster car than the A. If hydraulics weren't good, no modern cars would be using them. By using silicone fluid, DOT-5, you eliminate rusting of the cylinders, the bane of hydraulics. If you buy a kit, they are expensive, how much is your life worth??? If you do it all yourself, not so much. Us hot-rodders have been doing it ourselves for decades!

This is the best advice you're going to get!
Bill

[Terry, NJ]

I am removing the juice brakes from my coupe. Here's what I have for sale, one differential with all brake parts plus it's set up for tube shocks. All the front parts including kingpins, Spare wheel cylinders. All except font drums, and original Ford type shocks, Everything $400 + Shipping ! The parts are used, not worn out!
Terry

[Pete]

Originally Posted by ThosD

I want to make my new to me '30 coupe safe and reliable for driving on public roads; more than just a parade car. I think the Bendix style hydraulic brakes with Lincoln drums are what I want...but OMG, the kit prices I have found are nearly $4K. Is there an economical kit or a Bendix/Lincoln type kit that does not require a change of the hubs?
Same for safety glass kits. Prices range from $450 to almost $800 for a 5 window coupe.

Tom

"Economical", ABSOLUTELY NO! Not going to happen, ever.
"Effective", Yes, if done right.

You need to re-orient your thinking.
The word "economical" can never be associated with anything automotive except maybe a simple wash job.
If you had the scrounging skills of 40 years, a 100K equipped machine shop
and the knowledge of having done the job many times, you could do that conversion TODAY for about 200 bucks.

Make some new friends with antique cars and ride with them. Buy them plenty of beer when day is done and they will definitely let you drive their cars once in awhile. Your wallet will be very happy.

[hardtimes]

“Seems to be nice kit, but (spindles?) have to be cut …etc, etc.
Q: have you ever installed this kit.. no !
Well, I have.
With patience, take my time and with no special equipment…. easy pleasant job with great outcome !

NOTE: someone just mentioned that they will have to install dot 5 (silicone) in their hydraulic system. If it is an old contaminated system… this is a no no !
Warning… wasting $ and time if putting in an old contaminated system !!
Check things out before just jumping into things… which WILL cause worse problems for yourself.

[hardtimes]

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Being money ahead, does NOT mean that you will be SAFETY ahead !
Q:
When you say that you will change your system to dot 5 , what is in the same system NOW ?
If other than dot 5. You would be well served to read up on putting dot5 into a contaminated system !
I think that WE create a LOT of our own hydraulic system ‘problems’, by unknowingly using mismatch poor fitting etc parts and practices !

[gdmn852]

Hello again, on the conversion to dot 5 it doesnÂ’t mix with the other fluids , as I am completely replacing the wheel cylinders ,master and flex hoses , the steel lines will be flushed out , donÂ’t know how old the system is ,brakes are the last thing you want to have fail .The Boling conversion may be the way to go as far as having everything in on kit , but if you have time finding the parts separately maybe less . I believe I had a post on what master cylinder the boiling kit has and apparently it is from 1953 Ford truck , this is mounted along side the battery box that is in the kit .As another post said they have a setup for sale might be the worth looking into it.

[gdmn852]

Also I only know what someone did the the car I currently have did to mount the brake kit, can see they did some grinding on rear perchÂ’s to get the backing plates to fit and also cut the top of kingpin where the mechanical linkage would fit into,however they may have not been the best mechanics around. For example the spent money for the kit but didnÂ’t bother to change out the brake and clutch pedal shaft.Just stating my observation on this car .

[updraught]

With all of the many and varied parts needed to restore a mechanical brake system, my guess is that if everything in the brake system is knackered (most 20+ years ago restorations aren't much chop) then it will probably cost as much as a new hydraulic conversion. Also, I gather that the huge press that the Boling Bros use to press the backing plates has been scrapped.

[john in illinois]

Another hydraulic brake source.
http://www.wilsonweldingandmachine.com/

I have Lincoln/Ford brakes on my model A tudor and flathead powered Roadster.

John

[Pete]

Consider this.
A COMPLETE new disc brake conversion for a model A is half the price of a complete drum brake conversion.

[chrs1961815]

Throwing my two cents into the ring for whatever it is worth. Hydraulic brakes and disc brakes work great on modern cars because they were DESIGNED for it. The parts they use are vigorously tested and pretty good quality so you will not have problems. When you cobble together stuff to convert your A a lot of the stuff is made in China and low quality.

Mechanical brakes are much less likely to go bad than hydraulic brakes. There is just so much more that can go wrong. At the end of the day, properly done mechanicals will work almost just as well, it is the tire size stopping from getting any further improvement.

At a model A shop I frequent a lot we are working on converting a car back to mechanicals from hydraulics. It is not fun! The car had it its brakes go out and fluid has been leaking everywhere.

I'm all for improvements within reason but this is not an improvement for a regular mostly stock car. If you are building a hot rod where pretty much everything but the frame is not stock, go for it.

[updraught]

1936 Chev had gone hydraulic. Here is their take on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYIzWI12T8g
The problem with rods is the movement of the wheels up and down.

[Jim Brierley]

Well, it seems we all have our own opinions! I stand by what I previously wrote, hydraulics are better and safer. The key is, like everything else, they have to be done properly. A dual M/cyl. is a good idea, DOT 5, IMO, is a must for our cars that sit for weeks or months. It is true that DOT 5 and other fluids don't mix, but they are compatible. I know this from my experience at LAPD when we converted our new care in 1982 to DOT 5. The M/cyl, was drained, all others were pressure flushed while being manually pumped, because the two fluids weigh different amounts. The end result was that many dollars were saved because we never had cylinder problems for the life of those cars. When converting an A to hydraulics, all cylinders should be new.

My cars are typical of modified A's, they put out between 80 and 120 HP, have overdrives, and cruise the highways and freeways at 65 MPH. In traffic it is imperative that you can stop quickly from such speeds.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Pete

Consider this.
A COMPLETE new disc brake conversion for a model A is half the price of a complete drum brake conversion.

Where can this kit be obtained?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Where can this kit be obtained?

Any store that is a dealer for Wilwood.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Pete

Any store that is a dealer for Wilwood.

Thanks!

[nkaminar]

I had Wilwood disk brakes on my otherwise stock Model T. I loved them. With the stock brakes on a Model T, you cost to a stop and then apply the brakes. Going down a long steep grade meant using low band which meant 6 mph. With the Wilwood brakes I could keep the car in high band (40 mph) and just ride the brakes down the grade. I could also stop more or less like a modern car using the brakes, although still only two wheel.

[updraught]

The brake drums support the wire wheels. Disc brakes don't, so you'll need later wheels.

[Chris in WNC]

It's like the whitewalls-vs-blackwalls discussion.
Both side are certain they are right and the other side is full of baloney.

Our Town sedan will cruise 60mph all day long and I've never felt unsafe with mechanical brakes (upgraded with cast iron drums). Stops like a champ; we've driven it 12,0000 miles with one brake adjustment and never had the drums off. Hats off to the previous owner for doing the system right, back in the 1990s.

(and all Model As look best with blackwalls) :-)

[hardtimes]

Hey Jim B,
Thanks for expounding and your details regarding this matter. Your input ‘should provide some important guidelines for everyone to consider.
I learned new information from your input…thanks !
You’re correct that we all have an opinion. Some are ingrained opinions and no amount of ‘evidence’ / logic will change that. Those of us who have been here , well… since the beginning, see the same words from the same people. I respect a persons riight to add to any subject. The world changes constantly !
FORD changed too, thanks God ! Or we all might be driving with antique brakes , that is… those who survived.

ANYONE….have you EVER heard someone (A owner) tell how their mechanicals didn't
stop their car… which ended in tragically??
I haven’t.
Been there, done that , and with a completely brand new installed mechanical system…very expensive too !!
This is simillar to trying to tell others… NOT to keep/store illegal fireworks , as may hurt/ kill someone.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by updraught

The brake drums support the wire wheels. Disc brakes don't, so you'll need later wheels.

Nope.

[CarlG]

Pete,
Which kit is applicable to a stock Model A with stock 19" wheels? I've searched the
Wilwood site and can't quite get there.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Pete,
Which kit is applicable to a stock Model A with stock 19" wheels? I've searched the
Wilwood site and can't quite get there.

I don't know. I did mine 15 years ago and subsequently sold all the original installation parts when I converted to the race wheels and 8 inch tires.
When i put the brakes on initially, I talked to someone at Wilwood to get the right parts. I got a mechanical single puck parking brake assembly also. I still have that. I have ventilated discs also. All race stuff. The really nice thing about the initial installation, there were no mods required to install. It was completely bolt on.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Pete

I don't know. I did mine 15 years ago and subsequently sold all the original installation parts when I converted to the race wheels and 8 inch tires.
When i put the brakes on initially, I talked to someone at Wilwood to get the right parts. I got a mechanical single puck parking brake assembly also. I still have that. I have ventilated discs also. All race stuff. The really nice thing about the initial installation, there were no mods required to install. It was completely bolt on.

I'll give them a call. Thanks for your input.

[updraught]

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Disc brakes have been discussed before ...

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...akes&showall=1
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...=disc%2Abrakes
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...=disc%2Abrakes
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...=disc%2Abrakes
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...=disc%2Abrakes

[nkaminar]

Older Audi's had inside out disk brakes where the disks were mounted on the OD and the calipers were on the ID. I wonder is something like that could be used on a Model A so that the calipers would be mostly hidden and the stock wheels would have the correct support. I am not sure why Audi did that.

[updraught]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Older Audi's had inside out disk brakes where the disks were mounted on the OD and the calipers were on the ID. I wonder is something like that could be used on a Model A so that the calipers would be mostly hidden and the stock wheels would have the correct support. I am not sure why Audi did that.

Must be these
https://www.quattroworld.com/audi-ne...o-kinda-didnt/

[SamIyam]

There's nothing like the feel of steel from pedal to wheel! You can take that two ways, apparently.

[zoe3]

I'm also looking to upgrade my vintage car's braking system, but the prices I've seen for Bendix/Lincoln kits are out of my budget. I've heard that some people have had success with converting to mechanical disc brakes instead of hydraulic ones like describe here https://www.bikethesites.com/hydraul...l-disc-brakes/ . Has anyone here tried that option? And could you share any advice or resources on making the switch?

[gdmn852]

Hello, a properly restored mechanical brake system will work well on a Model A, you will most likely have others that will say the same thing. The trick is to completely rebuild the entire system, new bushings, cast iron drums , and have shoes matched to drums , and remove any slop in rods and Clevis pins, and tracks restored. Many past posts on the barn on brakes . I don’t know how well the mechanical disc brakes would work on a car . I sure you will get more posts on this subject. Good luck.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by gdmn852

Hello, a properly restored mechanical brake system will work well on a Model A, you will most likely have others that will say the same thing. The trick is to completely rebuild the entire system, new bushings, cast iron drums , and have shoes matched to drums , and remove any slop in rods and Clevis pins, and tracks restored. Many past posts on the barn on brakes . I don’t know how well the mechanical disc brakes would work on a car . I sure you will get more posts on this subject. Good luck.

Unless you install wider tires, I don't believe hydraulics will improve your braking.

IMO, the biggest improvements you can make to the Model A brakes is to install cast iron drums along with Randy Gross bonded and arced shoes. But everything else needs to be in top condition.

[Anteek29]

Mechanical or hydraulic, if you can lock up the wheels, then the limiting factor on how well you stop depends on how the rubber grabs the road. The contact area is quite small.

[Jim Brierley]

Originally Posted by Kevin in NJ

Hate to break it to you, but juice brakes are not safer.

They need the same amount of work to set up. You still need shoes fitted to the drums.

They will fail on you. Unless you really drive the car regularly they will fail. Maybe just one or even both rears go. Long story on why, but they do. I have a 65 Mustang it gets rear wheel cylinder problems. I asked around at car shows and found many of the cars had one or more wheels not working. More then one person said they knew the brakes were not working but did not fix them cause it was just their show car.

If you want reliable effective brakes with minimal long term maintence you want to pay someone to build a matched set of drums and backing plates. You will do it once and only just do minor adjustments for the next 50 years. If you put in juice brakes you will have to change fluid regularly and futz with wheel cylinders not working every few years.

In the end you really end up with the same level of braking.

The above is only one man's opinion! I have had '40 Ford hydraulics on all of my A's, one since 1960. The answer on little-used hydraulics is DOT-5 fluid. It rejects moisture where other fluids attract moisture which causes rust in the cylinders. Hydraulics are less trouble to set up properly than mechanicals are, and are safer, with bigger brakes, why does he think all cars for many years have them, and not mechanicals?

[Martinbuilt]

I'm new to this, but i'll try to contribute.
I don't think people typically run juice brakes with the stock wheelset. I looked at this and was planning on a set of '35 16" spokes.
My car is built from orphaned parts, so i'm starting from scratch and have no obligation to the mech setup.
As far as cost, here's what i've put into my juice set up:
(I like the wide-fives, so i've probably spent more than i might have with 1940+ drums and wheels)
Backing plates and good used drums, purchased from several sources, about $450.
New wheel cylinders $150
Brake linings and rivets $75
Boling bros battery box/master $400
Spacer kit for front plates from snyders $25
I still need lines and hoses, so consider that.
It's less than one of those kits, but it took months to find good used drums.
I don't know what i would have spent putting a complete mech brake system together, but it may not have saved much $.

[steve smith]

Originally Posted by Chris in WNC

if you want "economical" and "effective", stick with mechanicals.
cast iron drums are the only modification I'd recommend.
find someone who knows how or learn to restore the system correctly yourself......

This is absolutely correct. Cast iron drums mated to turned shoes stop amazingly well and are simple to adjust

[David in San Antonio]

As for the odd Audi brakes with disks which are actually hoops with the calipers grabbing from inside rather than mounted outside the circumference of the disk - I think the theory was to increase the outside diameter of the swept area without increasing the diameter of the wheels. They abandoned it after a while.

[stevemclark]

The Model A was the first car to have a safety glass windshield.