Losses and Lessons

Losses and Lessons:
Old drum brakes take the T-Bird away - Hagerty Lifestyle

LOSSES AND LESSONS: BRAKING TAKES THE T-BIRD AWAY
Hagerty/2010-01-21

VEHICLE COVERED: 1956 Thunderbird

WHAT WENT WRONG: The owner took a prized T-Bird [&] was on a drive when the car in front of him made a sudden stop. The drum brakes on the old T-Bird were not sufficient to stop the car in time, and he plowed right into the guy ahead of him.

DAMAGE: There was serious damage to the right front fender, headlight and grille of the T-Bird. The driver also injured his hip, shoulder and lower back.

LOSS: After an exhaustive appraisal process with a sheet-metal specialist from a nearby state, total damages came to just under $25,000. Not to mention the medical bills.

LESSON: Older vehicles with mechanical or drum brakes often take far longer to stop than modem machines. It's especially a problem with some cars of the 1950s that have plenty of power and can cruise at 60-80 miles an hour with ease. But when it comes to stopping, they need a little longer

BOTTOM LINE: Just because your older car can keep up with the fellow drivers on the highway doesn't mean it can stop like them. Make sure you maintain a safe distance from any cars in front of you. A "safe distance" in a 1956 Thunderbird is farther away than in your new Civic.

EDITOR'S COMMENT: Here is still another reason that more and more classic T-Bird owners are converting to disc brakes. Also, conversion to a dual-chamber Master Brake Cylinder can add a further safety factor.