It's no secret that disc brakes are a huge improvement over drum brakes, but until recently there were a few options that did not exist, so rodders had to make due with older technology. Now thanks to companies like Engineered Components Inc. a wider variety of disc brake kits are available, as in the case of the early Ford 5-on-5 1/2-inch bolt pattern.
The vehicle used in this story was built to the highest standards 10 years ago, but because the owner wanted to retain the early bolt pattern and no disc brake kits were offered at the time with the 5-on-5 1/2-inch bolt pattern, the original drum brakes were retained. When the car, a '42 Ford Convertible with a 350/350 combo, recently changed hands and saw more driving activity than it had in the previous years, it became evident that the original brakes were not going to cut it. In fact, it was after two complete failures of the drums after 20 minutes of city driving that it was decided something HAD to be done.
As mentioned earlier, advancements have been made so a simple call was made to Engineered Components Inc. and the rest follows in the photos once the kit arrived.
