actually got some car stuff done.

i didn't get a chance to do that much but it felt really good to do something.

ages ago i read about fitting early type 3 wide 5 drums onto BJ front ends. (in the speedpro beetle suspension and brake book). i remembered that a guy i used to know worked out that if you used the inner race from a specific set of bearings with the outer from another you could put BJ discs onto beetle linkpin front ends. put 2 and 2 together, you should be able to fit, with the right bearings, type 3 drums on a link pin beetle.

i know very little about type 3's but i do know they have bigger brakes and twin leading shoes on the front. both desirable as far as braking goes.

not disk brakes but a mod that is concevably a vintage performance mod. plus doesn't cost stupid $$$ like 356 drums or mako disks (damn i wish i had bought that set of mako's that one of the muller's was willing to sell for $500 in the mid to late 90's). yes the added weight would have an adverse affect on the sprung to unsprung ratio but every brake upgarde be it period or modern seems to add weight as well. plus everything bar the bearings would have come on a vw. (yes the backing plates need to be modified to bolt onto beetle spindles but they still came on a type 3)

with this in mind, when i was offered a virtually complete 66 fastback or what ever parts i wanted to pull off it  (so so RUSTY) i left the car there (to keep peaceat home) but amongst other things grabbed the front spindle assemblies (the drums were seized and even liberal doses of WD40 and towing the car around wouldn't free them so i couldn't just get the brake assemblies)

fast foward to today and i had another go at one of the brake/spindle assemblies that had beaten me several times in the past. still not free and apart but i now know how they fit together so have a chance. i got out the 2 bolts that hold the steering arm (and the wheel cyl's) on and drilled into the more accessable of the other 2 bolts to have a go with the easyout. then my parients arrived from sydney so work was halted.the plan is to get the bolts out so i can turn the wheel cyls and pop the shoes out of thier slots, hence the drums will come off. it sounds easy when you say it fast.

even though it wasn't as much as i had hoped for it was car time and enjoyable, plus it is working towards finding out something i have wondered about for several years... "how will i fit them?"

even if i can't get things to work, there is always fitting the idea of fitting the wheels cyl's to normal beetle drums for added stopping power. i'm wouldn't be surprised if the group N racers did this as from my reading of the rules it would be legal as it doesn't change the drum diameter or pad width, but would give an increase in braking performance.

i really need to work out this sites picture posting protoculs so i can illustrate these babbles so they will make a little more sense, plus be a little more interesting.