356 brakes?

[DHVW]

When I bought my 56 bug several years ago, it was still running and I drove it a bit before taking the body off. The braking was less than inspired, so I figured I'd switch to rear disc while the body is off. After pricing the conversion kits, I remembered the PO saying he had installed 356 brakes. I went back through his maintenance records and confirmed that he had in fact done so (along with switching to 15" wheels).

Should 356 brakes add significant stopping power? I'm wondering if the lackluster stopping power was just the brakes needing adjustment or something else in the system. In other words, would rear disc be worth the expense and effort?

[56samba]

Considering all the advancements (namely 40 mm brake show width vs. 30 mm, finned aluminum vs. cast iron, double-acting vs. single-acting) that can be found on 356 brakes compared to stock oval brakes, one should expect the 356 brakes to increase the stopping power significantly. Bear in mind that +75 hp cars were equipped with such brakes.
However, 356 brakes need a little more attention to work properly especially when the drums are worn out or exhibit insufficient roundness due to corrosion between the drum itself and the steel liner.

[Loren]

Properly adjusted and maintained 356 brakes will provide excellent stopping power. One of the biggest issues with 356 brakes is the steel drum linings. The linings need to be checked for proper thickness and any corrosion between the lining and the aluminum drum can cause the lining to get out of round. Martin Willis at the Machine Shop in Colorado Springs can check them over and install new linings if necessary. He does fantastic work on 356 brake drums and really knows his stuff. The downside to 356 brakes is the cost, especially if your drums need to be relined. If your drums are good I would check the brake pads. They need to be arched to the drums for optimal braking and this step makes a huge difference. You can check the wear pattern on your brake pads to determine how much of the pad is making contact with the drum.

If you aren't concerned with the vintage aspect of the brakes I think disc brakes are the way to go. They are much more affordable and don't require the constant adjustments that drum brakes do. Selling the 356 brakes on your car would easily pay for a disc brake conversion and you would have money left over.