Brakes have always been a necessity on any automotive vehicle, but why is it that we overlook the stoppers, especially their ability to slow us down. I've been in plenty of vehicles that hundreds if not thousands of dollars have been spent on the motor, trans, paint, and interior but nothing on redoing or improving the brakes. We all have a need for speed but when it comes down to it, if you can't stop because your old wheels' cylinders are leaking, and you still have that single bore master cylinder you could be up a creek with no paddle or, in this case, pedal.
Old drum brakes are just that-old. They will work just fine on the back but could be very unreliable if not adjusted regularly and correctly. I'm not saying you're setting yourself up for disaster but there is a reason that auto manufacturers have made the switch to front disc and dual master cylinders and that's for everyone's safety. A few options can be taken into consideration before making the jump. One being your master cylinder, and you will need to upgrade it with a dual reservoir style that is either in the stock location or relocated on the firewall. Luckily Classic Performance Parts (CPP) of Anaheim, California, has what you need and their friendly staff can help you find what you're looking for per application.
Both master cylinder styles work great but when you relocate to the firewall-mounted master cylinder the pedal position gets lower and improves your foot position to the gas pedal. This way your foot will have to travel less when applying the brake pedal in traffic with the relation to the gas pedal. The next thing I looked at is the brake lines. If you have never bent a brake line that is fine because it is really easy once you practice a bit. I suggest you research the proper way to double flare your brake line ends, because you will most likely need to cut your new lines to fit. The double flare is key to having a leak-proof seals in the brake lines and no leaks means stopping.
I headed to CPP where Craig Chaffers helped install the front disc and calipers to my '59 Chevy Apache. CPP's brake kit fits '55-59 Chevy pickups and is also available in five- or six-lug patterns. The first step was to support the vehicle and remove both front wheels.
When all is said and done adding a disc brake setup to your truck will help ensure that you and your pickup will be around that much longer to enjoy. My brake pedal feels a lot better, and when I do apply the brakes, I no longer have to pull the steering wheel to one side when one drum and shoe grabbed harder than the other. Also when I did slam on the stoppers they didn't lock up like the drum front brakes did-hat alone is worth the purchase.
