'59 Plymouth Forum

Hi. I need a right front single platform 12x2 1/2 drum brake set up for my 59 sport fury. Most were 11 inch. The parts book for 59 says that 12 inch were available on all models . John

Sometimes John Fowlie has time to scan these Wanted Ads, but it's best if you email him directly.
BigMAuto Salvage, in Williams, CA.

Did you find what you need? If not I have one.

Hi RickyMopar,
Thanks for the response. No, I never did get any parts and am not sure what I want or what to do. I am attaching a picture of the single platform left front brake that I was trying to match on the right. It has irregularities that are not normally found on single platform brakes. I don't know what is correct and what is not. This is what i think I know
- it has 3 platform shoes and that is wrong (the other side with 3 platform brakes had single platform shoes so I switched the around to make them correct)
- the return springs are correct for single platform brakes (they have the right # of coils) they are not mounted in the right holes in the shoe. If I put the outer end in the hole in the rib where they should be they have no tension (too long) and do not return the shoe
- The flat hold down spring is correct for single plane
- The other coil type hold down spring is new to me. I don't know if chrysler put it there or if it is someones add on ???
- The brake cylinders are nearly new and are for 3 platform brakes as are the other brake cylinders on the rest of the car
- The brakes are 12 x 2 1/2 these were available on a 59 ply but not common
- The serial # of the car is M296-100111. That should make it #111 off the line at Detroit . A very early 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury that should have come with single platform brakes
- The drum bolt pattern is 5 x 4 1/2 with studs not bolts Threfore the brakes are not from an imperial as an imperial would be 5 x 5 1/2
- The car has brakes that do not grab or lock up but brakes are poor
- very confusing
I would like to know if anyone can tel me what is right and what is wrong with this brake set up and any advice as to what to do. I am thinking of replacing everything with 3 platform brakes from a later car (62 chrysler with 11 x 2 1/2)
Thanks in advance John

At the risk of sounding pessimistic I was really amazed at how complex these dual wheel cylinder brakes were and how poorly they worked after all was said and done. I got so I could finally bring the old Plym to a halt if I anticipated the need soon enough. As things warmed up it got really hairy. I converted to disk brakes with power booster and owe that to my survival!! I figured the engineers who designed the set up probably got an award for complexity.

Hi Steve
I have to say I have heard that many times. There is absolutely nothing wrong with converting to disc brakes but I don't want to at this time. The first car I bought when I was 17 years old was a 1959 Plymouth. I drove it hard for about 40000 miles. I never did anything to the brakes and don't ever remember having a problem stopping or thinking that the brakes were poor. I am starting to think that maybe today they have all been "rebuilt" by people with a poor understanding , with mismatched parts and the result is poor brakes. This car I would say has poor brakes and with 12 x 2 1/2 drums they should be better than anything that I remember. John

Hi Steve & John - Front dual cylinder mopar brakes can be a puzzle. I had to learn the hard way. I installed a AAJ disc brake kit on my first 59 (Charleen) when I first got her because I never knew what lane I would be in when she finally stopped, (no power brakes). Greenie has drum all around and power, no problems whatsoever, stops on a dime, same with the Convertible. However, I did learn some things along the way. Never mix parts for the single plane and three plane setup. Also the front cylinders are different depending on weather you have single or three plane. The slot is different where they slide onto the shoe support.
Dick.

Hi.
It is good to hear that the original set up can work well and that I am not dreaming. Not only are the cylinders different from single to triple platform brakes. The shoes, return springs, hold down springs, shoe supports are all different. The differences are small enough that parts can be mistakenly interchanged. None should be interchanged. When looking on Ebay for parts I often see shoe sets with some of the shoes single platform and some 3 platform. This is all in the same set. John