1918 E45 front axle swap?

[5 ton beachbuggy]

I have an1918 E45 that I want front brakes on. I can get a 1925 buick parts car with a complete front and rear brake setup. Any Ideas if it possible to swap the front axle and use the brakes? Thanks  Mike

[Leif Holmberg]

Just remember if you are still using your 1918 frame you need to put this red market package on the frame .As well as the other front parts you have to add on your 1918 frame.

Leif in Sweden.

[dibarlaw]

My experience with a 1919 H-45 with 2 wheel rear brakes was once properly set up and adjusted they are quite adequate for the speeds these cars normally were driven. (35-40 MPH). I had one fellow tell me he drove his 1922-45, 60 mph on the Baltimore Beltway with 2 wheel brakes (and live to tell about it)!! The conversion would involve a very difficult re-engineering of your 1918 frame.  I have seen some very unassuming front disk brake set ups on some of the "Great Race" pre 1924 cars. If you are that concerned then that looks like a less intrusive solution.

 I have the 4 wheel set up on my 1925-25 as Leif has shown above. I believe I have them set up properly and they do stop better than the 1919 I had driven.

The problem occurs when external contracting brakes get wet. Then the fun begins!  Of course it would be a miracle if my car would be able to sustain 50 MPH to stop from. I do understand the desire for people to push their nearly 90-100 year old vehicle to modern driving situations. My advice is to slow down and enjoy the ride.

[hidden_hunter]

My experience with a 1919 H-45 with 2 wheel rear brakes was once properly set up and adjusted they are quite adequate for the speeds these cars normally were driven. (35-40 MPH). I had one fellow tell me he drove his 1922-45, 60 mph on the Baltimore Beltway with 2 wheel brakes (and live to tell about it)!! The conversion would involve a very difficult re-engineering of your 1918 frame.  I have seen some very unassuming front disk brake set ups on some of the "Great Race" pre 1924 cars. If you are that concerned then that looks like a less intrusive solution.

 I have the 4 wheel set up on my 1925-25 as Leif has shown above. I believe I have them set up properly and they do stop better than the 1919 I had driven.

The problem occurs when external contracting brakes get wet. Then the fun begins!  Of course it would be a miracle if my car would be able to sustain 50 MPH to stop from. I do understand the desire for people to push their nearly 90-100 year old vehicle to modern driving situations. My advice is to slow down and enjoy the ride.

 

 

The 1926 operating manual actually tells you to limit the use of brakes and only use them in an emergency, it also warns you about the "efficiency" of the 4 wheel brakes and that other road users won't be able to stop in time.

[5 ton beachbuggy]

Thanks for all the info. My brakes will lockup the rear tires. The problem is here in Vegas is people drive like idiots pulling out in front of you or passing and cutting in front of you to slam there brakes on to turn into a driveway. My wife drives the car and would like better stopping power. I was told about front disc brake kits for model t 's and are looking at other options. We love cruising around town  and would feel safer with better brakes Thanks again for the info  Mike

[Mark Shaw]

Mike,

     I may have a front brake set-up from a 1924 Master Buick.  Give me a day to two to check...

[Brian_Heil]

I too have seen an early rear brake only car updated with small front discs.  In this cars case, they were the rear discs and calipers off a GM Malibu adapted to the front of the car.  I never got a good look at the caliper mounting which is the real work.  Can only assume the discs were in some manner modified and mounted to the ring of hub bolts that must have been of a longer version to accommodate the thickness of the disc hub.  The master cylinder was an early jeep under floor type.

[Terry Wiegand]

Mike, I can definitely relate to what you are saying about the other idiots on the road with you.  We live in a fairly small town out in Doo Dah, Kansas and I personally live for days when the sun is bright, not a cloud in the sky for a thousand miles and it is a Sunday afternoon to get the Buick(s) out on the streets for a fun time.  My biggest fear is crossing paths with a 17 year old twit driving a 500 dollar tokyomobile with a cell phone stuck in her ear.  Don't laugh, that almost could have happened to me on several occasions.  It doesn't make any difference if you have two wheel brakes or four wheel brakes, you have to drive 2 - 3 blocks ahead of everything else on the road and prepare for the worst to happen.  This is sad but it is just the way it is.  In my humble opinion I would hate to see you cobble up your original car trying to feel safer when in reality it won't help you at all.  One has to drive their car and the next bozo's car to have some semblance of safety on the streets.  An '18 Buick sure is a fun car to drive.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas  down Doo Dah Way

[Larry Schramm]

Mike, I can definitely relate to what you are saying about the other idiots on the road with you.  We live in a fairly small town out in Doo Dah, Kansas and I personally live for days when the sun is bright, not a cloud in the sky for a thousand miles and it is a Sunday afternoon to get the Buick(s) out on the streets for a fun time.  My biggest fear is crossing paths with a 17 year old twit driving a 500 dollar tokyomobile with a cell phone stuck in her ear.  Don't laugh, that almost could have happened to me on several occasions.  It doesn't make any difference if you have two wheel brakes or four wheel brakes, you have to drive 2 - 3 blocks ahead of everything else on the road and prepare for the worst to happen.  This is sad but it is just the way it is.  In my humble opinion I would hate to see you cobble up your original car trying to feel safer when in reality it won't help you at all.  One has to drive their car and the next bozo's car to have some semblance of safety on the streets.  An '18 Buick sure is a fun car to drive.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas  down Doo Dah Way

 

I agree with all of the above comments.  Especially "you have to drive 2 - 3 blocks ahead of everything else on the road"  and even then when leaving space between you and the vehicle in front of you some idiot will cut in and slam on the brakes. 

 

Driving an old truck / car is a fantastic experience when you are driving them as they were built. 

 

IMO, the very best place to drive vehicles from the teens and even the 20's is on dirt roads where the speeds are usually slower and it is just like being transported back in time.  Just like when the vehicle was built.