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Sun Jun 17, 2012 8:39 pm

This is set of finned Type 1 brake drums and backing plates. I posted these in the Oval forum since I think they are from this era.

Has anyone seen a set like this or have any info about them?

Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:19 pm

Those were used in the '50s on road racing Beetles. They are basically Aluminum sleeves that were pressed onto the outer perimeter of stock VW drums. The finned section aided in brake cooling, ala Porsche 356.
I believe some reproductions of these sleeves were being produced in the UK (Karmann Konnection?) a couple years ago.

Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:33 pm

Thanks Glenn, how about the dual cylinder backing plate? Part of the fin kit? A one off homemade? Ideas?

Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:13 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392934&highlight=vintage+brake+drum

Aren't those Porsche B backing plates?

Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:58 am

Brian, that's early pre a stuff

Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:24 am

Suboval wrote: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392934&highlight=vintage+brake+drum

Aren't those Porsche B backing plates?

A's and B's both had a larger diameter drum and backing plate then the stock VW. C's had discs.

So as Jacks pointed out, they may be really early pre-A backing plates.

Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:52 am

So I've been told now both the backing plates and the drums are PreA 50-52.

What's the difference between Early Pre A drums and Bug drums from the same era?

I'm going to have to get this moved from the oval forum to the 356 or Early Bug forum once we get it nailed down :oops:

Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:03 am

Pre a has alloy cooling rings on bug drums.

Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:49 pm

drscope wrote: Suboval wrote: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392934&highlight=vintage+brake+drum

Aren't those Porsche B backing plates?

A's and B's both had a larger diameter drum and backing plate then the stock VW. C's had discs.

So as Jacks pointed out, they may be really early pre-A backing plates.

:roll:
All Porsche 356 drums are constructed of Aluminum with an Iron Steel lining. From the exterior, it's all Aluminum. Look again at the pics that Brian has posted, it has a Cast Iron drum in the center.

The drums shown above are VW drums pressed into an Aluminum cooling sleeve. As I stated in my first post, Karmann Konnection has repro'd this accessory. Here's a link to their web site- http://www.vw-online.co.uk/acatalog/Karmann_Konnection_Mechanical_Parts_8.html

Here's what those Aluminum sleeves look like without the VW drum pressed into them-

There's even a few sets 4-sale in the classifieds-
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1188299

Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:55 pm

LHG wrote: So I've been told now both the backing plates and the drums are PreA 50-52.

What's the difference between Early Pre A drums and Bug drums from the same era?

Pre A & 356 A drums have radial cooling fins around the circumference of the drum, much like what you have posted above.

Porsche 356 B drums have cooling ribs

Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:34 pm

LHG wrote: This is set of finned Type 1 brake drums and backing plates. I posted these in the Oval forum since I think they are from this era.

Has anyone seen a set like this or have any info about them?

Yep...I have a set on the front of my lowlight Ghia. They were on the car when I bought it. The car had been parked in a barn since 1978. I too, originally thought they might have been early Porsche. Since then, I have seen a set or two pop up around here. They are definitely cool looking...

Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:56 pm

RareAir wrote:

:roll:
All Porsche 356 drums are constructed of Aluminum with an Iron Steel lining. From the exterior, it's all Aluminum. Look again at the pics that Brian has posted, it has a Cast Iron drum in the center.

The drums shown above are VW drums pressed into an Aluminum cooling sleeve.
I'm sorry Mr. (I don't know your name), but you are mistaken. Look at the backing plates. Notice the dual wheel cylinders for the front? VW never used a dual leading shoe, but 356 did, with VW shoes. If pictures were taken of the back side of the backing plates, you would see that the wheel cylinders do not have bleeder valves. The bleeders are on the hydraulic lines. These 356 wheel cylinders are unique to this early small diameter backing plate/drum set up. I understand that some owners fitted alloy rings to their VW's. OK. The very earliest 356s were first to use alloy drum rings, which were installed on, that's right, VW drums to be used with these specific backing plates! The all alloy drums with steel liners were first used in late '52, IIRC, with larger diameter backing plates, 356 specific shoes, and wheel cyls with bleeders.

PS. Your next emoticon might look like this :oops:

Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:20 pm

Porsche definitely used two wheel cyls on the front brakes. These could be PRE 356A brakes. I would post them on a Porsche site to confirm. These could be rare. I have 356A brakes on my '55 and they are all aluminum with steel sleeves. What is the diameter of the drum?

Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:06 pm

wrote: I would post them on a Porsche site to confirm.

Nothing personal but :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I can confirm these were from the 50s.

I've searched the internet and the only other photo I can find is this one.
The fins look different.

Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:17 pm

Jacks wrote:
I'm sorry Mr. (I don't know your name), but you are mistaken. Look at the backing plates. Notice the dual wheel cylinders for the front? VW never used a dual leading shoe, but 356 did, with VW shoes......

You should be sorry, VW did use dual wheel cylinders on the front of Type 2s :roll:

Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:32 pm

Before we have to much of a brawl here I have some more information. These are from the "Frank" collection and I talked to him about them this evening. He doesn't think these are Porsche and told me about a front beam and tranny from a '51 Porsche that he has with all the drums. He remembers them as being different. Next time I'm over there I'll get some photos of the other drums and we can do a study. I'll get some better photos of this set too.

Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:19 pm

RareAir wrote: Jacks wrote:
I'm sorry Mr. (I don't know your name), but you are mistaken. Look at the backing plates. Notice the dual wheel cylinders for the front? VW never used a dual leading shoe, but 356 did, with VW shoes......

You should be sorry, VW did use dual wheel cylinders on the front of Type 2s :roll:
Fair enough, but were they bug brakes on the type 2 :?: With cooling fins :?: and non bleeder cyls :?: I should have been more specific, but I hardly know shit about 356 as I have only worked on two but my uncle had some when I was a kid and he let me pretend that I was driving them.

Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:52 am

The inside of the one drum pictured has a nine digit part number.

The nine digit part number scheme didn't start until 54/55. But, that is just ONE drum.

Brian - do the other three brake drums have the same part number? What is the date stamp on the inside of all four brake drums?

Tue Jun 19, 2012 9:22 am

This is all I can do for now. I can't make out the last number.

111 405 51?

Where should I look for the date stamp when I get a chance?

Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:05 am

LHG wrote: This is all I can do for now. I can't make out the last number.

111 405 51?

Where should I look for the date stamp when I get a chance?

It would be CAST into the drum, on the inside - just like the part number.