Hi, I am looking for a set of rear brake drums for my 63 F85. No one seems to have any. Does anyone know if drums from another car will work? Corvair? Chevy ll? And if so, who has them?


Thanks, John

 

1961-63 F-85 and Buick Skylark only. Kanter sells new drums.

 

Originally Posted by John1963 View Post
Hi, I am looking for a set of rear brake drums for my 63 F85. No one seems to have any. Does anyone know if drums from another car will work? Corvair? Chevy ll? And if so, who has them?


Thanks, John
1961-63 F-85 and Buick Skylark only. Kanter sells new drums.


Hi Joe,

Thank you. Kanter must know how hard it is to find these. They want $110 a piece!

 

Welcome to Econ 101, Supply and Demand.

Seriously, while Kanter is far from the discount source for parts, they DO sell a large number of otherwise unavailable replacement parts. They are a business that exists to make a profit. There are also very real costs associated with making and selling these parts. Someone had to front the money to design and manufacture the tooling needed to cast and machine these drums. Someone had to front the money for a production run of hundreds or thousands of them. Someone has to pay to store this inventory in a warehouse.

You get the idea, and keep in mind that the market for parts for the 61-63 cars is three or four orders of magnitude smaller than for the A-body cars (especially when you consider that A-body, F-body, and X-body cars all use the same drums).

Your alternatives are to find N.O.S. drums, which will likely cost more, or find used drums with enough meat to be turned... if you can even find a shop that still turns drums. I think I paid $20 each last time I had drums turned.

 

And, I have N.O.S. ++ Asbestos ++ Brake shoes for this application -- which no one else CAN have -- and this is the only friction material that does not
"RIP UP" Brake Drums ---
such that if you are complaining about a Brake Drum that costs --- ONLY ---
$ 110 plus shipping ----
You had BETTER put these brake shoes in there ------- or you will be buying these drums again very shortly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You can call me -- Craig -- 516 - 485 - 1935 ..... New York.....

 

[
You get the idea, and keep in mind that the market for parts for the 61-63 cars is three or four orders of magnitude smaller than for the A-body cars (especially when you consider that A-body, F-body, and X-body cars all use the same drums).

Your alternatives are to find N.O.S. drums, which will likely cost more, or find used drums with enough meat to be turned... if you can even find a shop that still turns drums. I think I paid $20 each last time I had drums turned.[/QUOTE]




Hi Joe,


What surprises me most is that these drums are unique. GM was famous for using the same parts on many cars. I would have thought the drums would be the same for a Corvair or Chevy ll of that era.


John

 

The GM divisions were much more independent in the early 1960s. Olds and Buick full size cars used completely different frames and suspensions from the equivalent Chevy and Pontiacs, for example. In this case, the Corvairs only used 9" drums, not 9.5".

 

Thank you so much for the education. I didn't realize that. My frame of reference is more 70s.


Thanks again Joe,


John