This kind of topic has the capacity to really rile
folks up. I dare say most folk here believe what you are doing is not
good. But it is your car, and its up to you. If you don't agree with
the points others have made about whether or not you will see any improvements
by adding a GM transmission with over drive, perhaps you should explain what it
is you have done so far that makes the alteration beneficial.
My 58 is a wonderful cruiser as is. A high speed
cruiser is, in fact, what the car was designed to be. I'd be
interested to know, and I don't think you stated this in your original post,
what improvements you are hoping to achieve. I see no need for any highly
intrusive "improvements" but I am interested to know what it is you are trying
to accomplish. Whether or not I agree with you is irrelevant.
As to your original question, I have never heard of anyone
removing the original parking brake apparatus from one of theses cars and
replacing it with one that acts on the rear brakes rather than the drive
shaft. This in itself, regardless of why you want to do it, or anyone's
opinion about it, is an excellent question. I don't find the drive shaft
clasper entirely trustworthy and since there is no park position on the
transmission, I tend to put a block of wood behind a wheel or two on a steep
hill, just to be on the safe side. My own drive way is too steep for
comfort, so I have been known to leave my car on the street if I cannot be
bothered with squeezing it into the garage.
Such a conversion, to a wheel activating parking brake, seems
like quite a good idea to me. However, I am not familiar enough with what
is out there to advise you.
Hugh
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