Re: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957
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Re: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957

The stock brakes didn't act like that when they were new, except after being applied several times in succession from high speed with no cooling time. Glad your happy with your conversion, but the original brakes on this car were not functioning correctly when you decided to make the change. 

Paul W.


-----Original Message-----
From: wardle65@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sun, 9 Dec 2007 3:51 pm
Subject: Re: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957
I have recently done an AAJ disc brake conversion on my 58 Imperial.  The fitting was not without a few hiccups along the way.  

 
The master cylinder that was used does interfere with 2 hoses coming out of the rear of the tappet cover on the hemi although can be rerouted with some right hand fittings pointing downwards instead of pointiong straight out.  Sorry this is not clear but if you have 57,58 imp you will know what im talking about.  

 
It also does interfere with the spark plug cover and needs to be cut down which I haven't done yet.  

 
The calipers were to big for the 14 inch wheels so I had to grind quarter inch from the back of the calipers which I have done and now works fine. 

 
Bleeding of the master cylinder was an ardous task which took several hours 

 
In saying all this I haven't been able to drive the car yet to tell you how it stops because I have a major fuel leak from Fuel Pump and waiting for new one to arrive.  This might sound like a lot of trouble but I did not like the total contact brakes.  Only 6 months before I rebuilt my contact brakes and was still unhappy with them.  Under hard braking they pulled to the right and the squealing was driving me mad.  It also had brake fade after puliing up quickly at lights with foot hard on pedal I could feel the pedal going softer under foot.  These brakes were probably great in the fifties but under todays driving conditions my opinion is that they are inadequate.  It makes me feel uncomfortable when driving and thats why I switched to discs    

 
I also am a little paranoid because I was driving a bride and groom friend of my brothers to there wedding in my 58 plymouth when the back brake line split at the wheel cylinder going down a hill.  Luckily my handbrake worked enough to slow me down and eventually pull up.  I suppose that could happen to anybody with any braking system but it scared the wits out of me.       

 

Chris Wardle 

1958 Imp Crown Coupe 

 
PS: If you decide to go the way of an AAJ kit Roger is a very nice man and can answer any questions you have     


----- Original Message -----

From: Geoff Simpson

To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 8:03 AM

Subject: RE: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957
Going back even further I recall a feature article in Car and Driver (I think) about 1963 where they did a comparison test between a 600 Mercedes,a Lincoln,a Cadillac an IMPERIAL and a Rolls.When it came to brakes they rated the Rolls as having the best brakes.Guess what? Drums all round while the Merc  Im sure had discs. Ive probably got  the details wrong but the brake result Im sure about. 
Geoff Simpson

From: jdlpdx@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957
Date: Sun, 9 Dec 2007 09:28:36 -0800
Back in the '70s when I was using my '60 as a daily driver I was not 
known
for "gentle, responsible driving" (looking back, I wonder how I 
reached 60
and stayed out of jail). Needless to say there were times when the 
brakes
were put to some rather extreem tests - tests they never failed - 
which is

more than I can say for the brakes on some GM products I've owned.
Aside from the periodic adjustment, the stock brakes were/are as 
perfect as
four wheel drums can be (my opinion). Even the adjustment is easier - 
done
with a small ratchet rather than the annoying "star wheel" tool that 
I found

to be a real pain.
If I were going to use the car for daily driving once again I might 
consider
consider a dual pot MC, but I wouldn't obsess about it. I thought 
about
doing it this summer when I brought the brake system back to life but 
in the

end went with the full stock set-up.
Properly set up and with "normal" driving, the stock brakes will do 
just

fine.

Jim L. in OR
'60 Crown 4dr Southampton
'62 Crown 4dr Southampton

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenyon Wills" <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2007 4:30 PM
Subject: IML: AAJ vs stock brakes for 1957


> Everyone that has done the brake conversion seems
> quite pleased with it, and AAJ seems to have the
> solution at a fair enough price.
>
> That said, I personally think that an awful lot of
> unwarranted and negative noise has been made about the
> stock brakes, and the pattern that I think I see is
> one of people that try to apply common sense and past
> experience on other brake systems to this one and then
> have to acutally read some instructions, if they read
> anything at all. The other thing that seems to go on
> is that people faced with clapped out, 40+ year old
> brakes are facing replacement costs and then try to go
> out and re-engineer their car WITHOUT ever bothering
> to try a correctly functioning set of stock brakes,
> presuming that they must be awful without confirming
> that to be a fact.
>
> In that situation, you're bound to hear reports about
> how awful and difficult things were for a person,
> especially if doing the conversion was subsequently
> easier.
>
> On the other hand, if you read the MTSC booklet that
> goes through the steps one at a time as posted on the
> site, follow the instuctions, and expect the sort of
> brakes that were available back then, well, I doubt
> you'll be disappointed.
>
> Note that Chrysler was never sued for having
> inadequate brakes, there was never a recall, and aside
> from the obvious differences between disc/drum, unless
> you plan to do aggressive driving, the stock stuff
> should be just fine.
>
> One complaint I have is with the "organic" material
> they use on brake shoes. I heard someplace that it's
> gound up peach pits or something.
>
> I got a set of shoes and had "original" material put
> on. The kind that was involved in lawsuits awhile
> back and starts with an A. Well I told the kids up
> the block not to lick the brakedust on my car wheels
> and everything works better now that I'm using them.
>
> So: New shoes + inept installation = complaints, and
> normally complaints travel around the world before
> good results get their shoes tied.
>
> I say stay stock if you plan to do anything aside from
> gentle, responsible driving.
>
>
>
> Good luck, and thank you for writing in.
>
>
> -Kenyon
> --- ahogangoat@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
>> Hi Everyone,
>>
>> I have been a member of this online club for many
>> years but in the last several years I have not
>> "spoken" via email at all. I have been checking in
>> from time to time and always find interesting and
>> informative conversation going on. What a
>> wonderful group of people Imperial owners are!!
>> I have recently sold cars leaving me with only my
>> '57 Imperial. Now I am going to concentrate on it.
>> Right now it needs some brake wheel cylinder work.
>> I was wondering if anyone has done an AAJ
>> conversion on a '57 or similar pitting on disk
>> brakes and eliminating the factory front drums and
>> the factory master cylinder. I want to convert the
>> system to a dual circuit master cylinder if I'm
>> going to do a conversion.
>> The first question really is, however, with modest
>> driving, is it possible to get the factory brakes to
>> be reliable without constant fiddling and adjusting.
>> I've heard stories of these "total contact" brakes
>> being very fussy, especially on Plymouths and Dodges
>> etc. I won't need extreme brake response as I will
>> drive the car gently anyway. My car is really in
>> excellent condition as it has only 25,000 original
>> miles and has been treated well all it's life. The
>> biggest brake problem to date has been hydraulic
>> leaks at the wheel cylinders. Some of the problem
>> surely has been due to non-use and that condition
>> will improve now.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Tim
>>
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>
>
>
>
> 
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