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Ken U-Tx

Hello all, I got this email from Walt today:

Walt Mordenti here;

"WaltMordenti@

...

Thursday, January 15, 2009 7:36:23 PM

To:knnu21@

Ken, I get e-mail's all the time asking me what model disc brakes I use. When I tell them I use the original Hudson drum brakes I get funny answers. You know my 53 coupe will stop on a dime because you were in it going to Hostetler car show when I had to jam on the brakes and you asked if I had disc. Please tell all on the forum about my brakes and then they will stop asking me that question. Thanks.

I was riding with Walt and his wife to the Grand Opening of the Hostetler Hudson Museum in Indiana during the 2007 National. The light changed and Walt had to brake very abruptly. I had to put my hands on the dash to brace myself, those brakes took hold like a Pit Bull on a burglar's a$$. I knew he had a special High torque starter, P/S, and AMC electronic ignition in the car, so I asked him what disc brake setup he was using. Well, imagine my surprise when he mentioned he still had the stock brakes, but used shoes with a hi performance lining. I hope this helps answer folk's questions and saves Walt some explaining.....Kenneth

Kdancy

What is the "high performance lining" and where did he have them made up?

super651

Walt, Yes, tell us all about the High Performance Lining . We need all the help you can give us. Thanks Rudy

coverton

I would like to know anyone that relines at a reasonable price ? Had one hell of a time even finding a substitute set of shoes for an AMC monster-I redid the cylinders etc myself and know one ol geezer my age that has a drum turning svc,machine looks like it came out in 1920 ? Shoes are sitting in my shop and the soles look worse than my Weejuns

C Overton

walts garage-53 · walts garage-53 January 2009 Posts: 1,470Platinum Member

Kdancy wrote:

What is the "high performance lining" and where did he have them made up?

Sorry to say, but they are no longer available. I used to race Hudsons on 1/2 mile tracks back in the 50's and early 60's and brakes were an important item. We could buy heavy duty brake sets and I still have 3 sets of these shoes in my stock for use on my sedan and my coupe. Sorry, but will not sell any. My style of driving calls for these shoes. You all know I'm a cross country driver and on the open roads I still keep my foot in it. Like I said, Margaret always says, Walt, you are not on the race track now. The EPA would like to get their hands on these shoes. Walt.

Ol racer

Dave Kosteneck @ 440 293 4079 must have a reline source because he is always looking for shoe Cores. I dont knowabout Hi Per Lining though. The Hi Per lining used to be a sintered metalic material.

super651

Walt is the lining asbestos ? If so they are still made in Canada and Mexico . I just had a set re-lined with the Asbestos lining . And will be testing the car next week.

But we need to know if yours is Asbestos ? Please reply.

Thanks Rudy

walt's garage-53 wrote:

Sorry to say, but they are no longer available. I used to race Hudsons on 1/2 mile tracks back in the 50's and early 60's and brakes were an important item. We could buy heavy duty brake sets and I still have 3 sets of these shoes in my stock for use on my sedan and my coupe. Sorry, but will not sell any. My style of driving calls for these shoes. You all know I'm a cross country driver and on the open roads I still keep my foot in it. Like I said, Margaret always says, Walt, you are not on the race track now. The EPA would like to get their hands on these shoes. Walt.

I figured a Hornet running 2 1/2x 11 drum brakes with "as best toast" linings would stop with the best of them. I have performance Mopars that have 3x11 drum brakes with the old police pak linings and a couple of cars with the disc s . the drum brake cars stop every bit as good as the disc cars. the lining on my Hornet brakes are in good shape and have the tell tail asbestos fiber in them. there are shops relining truck brakes- they will do your car lining , I had my Metropolitan shoes done there, was $80 for it.

super651 wrote:

Walt is the lining asbestos ? If so they are still made in Canada and Mexico . I just had a set re-lined with the Asbestos lining . And will be testing the car next week.

But we need to know if yours is Asbestos ? Please reply.

Thanks Rudy

Think Walt already told you !!!!

:D

dover1

High performance brake linnings for street use or racing are available from Porterfield Brakes in Costa Mesa Caif. They will reline your shoes and arc them tofit your drums. They are the only linnings that worked well on my 1934 Railton when I vintage raced it. Porterfield Brakes--1-800-537-6842

Andrew B55

My '55 has the original drum brakes (redone of course) and as long as they are kept adjusted they are more than adequate, including a couple of emergency stops; a mere 10000 miles in three years though.

I have no problem stopping with my drum brakes either, if I tromp on them I can easily make the front tires lock up.Not that I want that. The main reason for discs is to eliminate fading from the drums overheating and expanding, that's when you lose your brakes. I suppose if you are doing a lot of mountain driving with an automatic a disc conversion would be a good idea, especially if you're pulling a trailer.

Tom Drew

When I was living in Iowa City, IA, I had the shoes relined for my '48 Super Six at a shop in Cedar Rapids that specialized in relining truck brakes. They relined the shoes & turned the drums. The guy who did the work taught me that the most important part of the job is to grind the new linings to match the radius of the newly turned drums. Omitting this part of the job is usually the cause of the myth that drum brakes "just don't work well". If the lining's radius is different enough from the drum's you may be getting only 30% or so shoe to drum contact. Having made sure to follow this advice on a number of vehicles since then, I have always had well performing drum brakes.

kamzack

I've put relined shoes in turned drums for fit and if there are slight gaps at the ends, used a dead blow hammer with lining facing up and hammer with medium blows to spread the ends until all of lining surface makes complete contact with drum. If there's a gap in the center on the shoe, stand shoe on end and hammer with medium force to fit. And ya don't lose loose any lining material.

Thanks for letting me share,

Kim

mdwhit

kamzack wrote:

I've put relined shoes in turned drums for fit and if there are slight gaps at the ends, used a dead blow hammer with lining facing up and hammer with medium blows to spread the ends until all of lining surface makes complete contact with drum. If there's a gap in the center on the shoe, stand shoe on end and hammer with medium force to fit. And ya don't lose loose any lining material.

Thanks for letting me share,

Kim

I agree that you should "arc" the shoes to match the drum, but even if you don't, eventually as the shoe wears it will conform to the drum. Granted, until that happens, you won't have the stopping power, but it is usually doesn't take but a few stops. I guess you could also break a shoe in a rare situation. Maybe I am missing something here...can anyone give me more insight? Thanks

walts garage-53 · walts garage-53 January 2009 Posts: 1,470Platinum Member

super651 wrote:

Walt, Yes, tell us all about the High Performance Lining . We need all the help you can give us. Thanks Rudy

The lining then was part asbestos and a compound that has to be heated the first 2 or 3 miles. Once hot, you got brakes and I do mean brakes. The place that did my shoes went out of business in 1970 and I bought his last 4 sets. I get 70,000 miles on a set. I travel 5 to 550 miles a day when I cross this country and can stop like Ken explained. 3,300 miles I do in 6 days. Going to Pontiac, Mi this year I will go by way of Goshen, CT, then into Canada to Pontiac, Mi. Trip should cover another 11 or 12 ,000 miles in about 8 or 9 weeks. Walt.

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