1962 Datsun Bluebird Brakes

[1Txdvldog]

Does anyone know where I can find some brake drums for my Bluebird.  The brake drums I measured on the inside rear axle were 8 inches.  I also need brake shoes if anyone knows that also.  I did find a company in the northeast U.S. that will re-shoe them for $25.00 per shoe which I am already getting the rear done but I also need to do the front.  I am wondering if it wouldn't be easier to convert to a disc brake system and maybe someone can point me in the right direction for that.  Thanks.

[mklotz70]

I explored the option years ago.  First.....you're probably running 13" wheels and that's the first thing that will have to go if you want disc brakes.  I explored several option, including Geo Metro discs.  They're nice and tiny, but they still don work behind the factory rim.  Even the 14" rims (the older ones) can be really hard to fit behind.  I figured out that discs could be put on the drum spindles easy enough, but there wasn't any market at all to make it worth doing.  All the guys that owned 310's or older didn't want to give up their factory rims and they didn't drive them enough to require disc brakes.

 

If you pursue this, I'll be very curious to see what you come up with.  

 

The bolt pattern for the 4 lugs are the same on all the cars.  You might look at 510 drums....411 drums.....for a replacement.  The disc brakes on the 510 and 411 will fit behind the 13" rim...I'm pretty sure....but the 510 is a strut suspension.  The 411 SSS might be the closest, but I'm thinking you'd have to swap the entire spindle assembly.  You'd want to verify that they will fit behind a 13" rims first.  They may have been 14" from the factory.  The 411 hub should be really similar to your hubs....I'm almost positive they run the same bearings.  I used to know the answers, but it's been too many years since I looked at them.  

 

Hopefully, this link will work.  I doubt the vids work, but it's some pics I took while I was looking into a conversion on the drum roadsters.  You might find some of them helpful.

http://s88.photobucket.com/user/mklotz70/library/Brake%20Kits/Roadster?sort=2&hotlinkfix=1529237398308&page=1