Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

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Dan Kalinski
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Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#1 Post by Dan Kalinski »

These front brakes are on a ‘55 Pre-A Speedster.

The backing plates are vented in the front for incoming air and vents for the air to exit are at the rear of the plate.

Factory original? Add on from some other type of 356? After Market?

Thanks for your help with the ID of these components.

Also, when adjusting these brakes, do so like with the conventional drum brakes?

Dan K.
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John Brooks
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#2 Post by John Brooks »

Dan

They look like Carrera brakes, pull a drum and measure the shoe width, also the wheel cylinders probably have a spacer moving them off the backing plates, to the shoe center. It’s late but i think the shoes will be 60mm wide and made from aluminum
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Harlan Halsey
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#3 Post by Harlan Halsey »

That is the whole 60mm Carrera front brake setup. Vented backing plates, wheel cylinder spacers, longer brake bleeders, longer brake spring "nails", special longer brake line fittings, and probably steel brake shoes. The rear brakes should have vented backing plates, longer studs and wheel spacers. You can't tell just by observation if the car was delivered that way or not. The Carrera brake setup used to be easily available, used.
And now Martin Willis can renew the drum linings if needed. These brakes provided a useful fade resistance on the racetrack although nothing like the disk brakes. However, on the street they amplify all the inherent minor problems drum brakes have.

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Joris Koning
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#4 Post by Joris Koning »

Just looking at the backing plates these were likely added later
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Dan Kalinski
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#5 Post by Dan Kalinski »

John Brooks wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 3:19 am Dan

They look like Carrera brakes, pull a drum and measure the shoe width, also the wheel cylinders probably have a spacer moving them off the backing plates, to the shoe center. It’s late but i think the shoes will be 60mm wide and made from aluminum
Thanks, John! Will take a look.

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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#6 Post by Dan Kalinski »

Harlan Halsey wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 4:35 am That is the whole 60mm Carrera front brake setup. Vented backing plates, wheel cylinder spacers, longer brake bleeders, longer brake spring "nails", special longer brake line fittings, and probably steel brake shoes. The rear brakes should have vented backing plates, longer studs and wheel spacers. You can't tell just by observation if the car was delivered that way or not. The Carrera brake setup used to be easily available, used.
And now Martin Willis can renew the drum linings if needed. These brakes provided a useful fade resistance on the racetrack although nothing like the disk brakes. However, on the street they amplify all the inherent minor problems drum brakes have.
Greatly appreciate your information here, Harlan!

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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#7 Post by Dan Kalinski »

Joris Koning wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 5:09 am Just looking at the backing plates these were likely added later
Thank you, Joris!

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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#8 Post by Dan Kalinski »

Owner has complained about poor performance on braking. Car will be driven on the street only.


Would it be advisable to remove the Carrera brakes and replace with OE parts?

With the Carrera equipment on the car, does inclusion of this equipment add significant value to the car?

What about other parts to service the Carrera brakes? We know that the drums can be fixed. The usual vendors carry the other parts?

Adjusting these Carrera brakes, do so as with the standard drum brakes?

Thanks everyone!

Dan K.

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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#9 Post by John Brooks »

Dan
They are just drums, with wider shoes. Poor performance is usually a hydraulic problem with a stuck wheel cylinder. It’s been 50 years since I have done a set, but they were just like drums, just bigger shoes and drums. They adjust the same, I don’t remember them being any difference on the road when driving. If the linings are in good shape a brake hone in the cylinders and new seals should make them operate like new. They will stop better than your coupe, but you probably won’t be able to tell the difference on the street.
Porsche was pretty good about calculating the amount of energy transfer required to stop the car, normal drums were designed at 200% , these are the racing brakes, I need to look it up but I think these were 350%.
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#10 Post by Dan Kalinski »

John Brooks wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 1:20 pm Dan
They are just drums, with wider shoes. Poor performance is usually a hydraulic problem with a stuck wheel cylinder. It’s been 50 years since I have done a set, but they were just like drums, just bigger shoes and drums. They adjust the same, I don’t remember them being any difference on the road when driving. If the linings are in good shape a brake hone in the cylinders and new seals should make them operate like new. They will stop better than your coupe, but you probably won’t be able to tell the difference on the street.
Porsche was pretty good about calculating the amount of energy transfer required to stop the car, normal drums were designed at 200% , these are the racing brakes, I need to look it up but I think these were 350%.
Thank you, Sir!

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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#11 Post by Jon Bunin »

John Brooks wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 3:19 amThey look like Carrera brakes...
Harlan Halsey wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 4:35 am That is the whole 60mm Carrera front brake setup.
Just to be clear, they're Carrera GT brakes, or just GT brakes. They're not standard Carrera brakes.
They were only installed on a small percentage of Carreras, and were also installed on other GT vehicles.
Jon Bunin

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Dan Kalinski
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#12 Post by Dan Kalinski »

Jon Bunin wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 3:07 pm
John Brooks wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 3:19 amThey look like Carrera brakes...
Harlan Halsey wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 4:35 am That is the whole 60mm Carrera front brake setup.
Just to be clear, they're Carrera GT brakes, or just GT brakes. They're not standard Carrera brakes.
They were only installed on a small percentage of Carreras, and were also installed on other GT vehicles.
Thank you, Jon.

These brakes look like they are in fine shape with a little corrosion on the drums from not being used. The top wheel cylinder was missing the star wheel keeper (leaf spring?) but had one in my stash of parts. Tried to find these on line and looks like they are only available with new cylinders. Have this right side cleaned up a bit and ready to put the drum back on, but first, want to make sure the cylinders are functioning. Will do that tomorrow.

Thanks again for replying to this post and greatly appreciate the information.

Dan K.
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#13 Post by Jon Bunin »

Dan, those appear to be reproduction GT brakes.
The linings of genuine Porsche drums were not secured with set screws.

The genuine Porsche drums were made by Fuchs, and should have a small fox head logo amid some numbers inside.
Are there any numbers cast into the inside of the drums, or on the brake shoes?
Jon Bunin

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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#14 Post by Dan Kalinski »

Jon Bunin wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:23 pm Dan, those appear to be reproduction GT brakes.
The linings of genuine Porsche drums were not secured with set screws.

The genuine Porsche drums were made by Fuchs, and should have a small fox head logo amid some numbers inside.
Are there any numbers cast into the inside of the drums, or on the brake shoes?
Nothing on either in terms of embossing or stamped numbers.

Thanks again for your help here. Greatly appreciated.

Dan K.
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Re: Front Brakes, What Type Are These?

#15 Post by Jon Bunin »

Dan Kalinski wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:14 am Nothing on either in terms of embossing or stamped numbers.
Dan, yes those are reproduction GT brake drums. They're probably fine for street use, but those had issues when raced.
I also see that the front spindles have been updated to the later, stronger A/B versions.
Jon Bunin

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