Switching to hydraulic brakes on '30 roadster

[rusty1dog]

Need to put hydraulic brakes on our 1930 Buick model 44 roadster. If anyone can help please contact us in the forum or call 303-807-9000. Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Just a question rusty1dog. Why do you need to put hydraulic brakes on the car. If your mechanical brakes are set up right they should lock the wheels up with 2 1/2" of pedal travel. After that it is just the tires contacting the road that stop you. Hydraulics will not lock up the wheel any better and will require more servicing over the years and do not require any less pedal pressure unless they are power assisted. Once properly set your mechanical brakes will not change or deteriorate if left sitting.

[Owen_Dyneto]

I'm a bit surprised that you feel you need hydraulics. My Packard with Bendix mechanicals stops extremely well, certainly better than my later Packards with hydraulics, and with very little pedal pressure. And almost no maintenance other than an occasional adjustment and greasing the cables every 15 years or so. I've also driven a 33 Buick a few times and found those brakes to be much more than adequate.

It shouldn't be necessary to destroy the authenticity of the car, I'd suggest examining the brake system carefully, you'll certainly find something wrong with it.

[JFranklin]

Ditto. Hydraulics will not help other than to equalize the braking action. If your brakes are rebuilt and adjusted properly you will stop in the same distance. Plus you will never have leaky or rusty cylinders or lines!

[jdome]

Some of the big GM cars of the early 30's had mechanical brakes with vacuum assistance. Does your Buick have a vacuum booster, a big canister in front of the brake pedal arm, mounted on the chassis under the floor. If the vacuum booster is not functioning properly, it makes a big difference in the braking performance and amount of pedal pressure required to stop.

[Owen_Dyneto]

Actually, most large and heavy cars, not just GM, used vacuum boosters on their mechanical brakes. Packard, Pierce-Arrow (also used the Hispano-type drive-shaft booster), Lincoln, Duesenberg, etc. all had this type of system; many were made by Bragg-Kliesrath, later acquired by Bendix. Most of these are operated by a pull-cable arrangement with the cylinder located well rearwards of the pedal pivot.