Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Norfolkandchance]

Finally got my hands on the Minor I bought a week back. So far just one very short drive in the wet and OMG, the car has no brakes.

First job is upgrade the brakes with a servo I think. Also I need to replace some of the rubber seals around the doors and windows, and a new lock set for the car.

The expense has started.... and so has the love affair with her.

Suggestions on names for her. So far Milly the Minor has the lead...

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

Fantastic! I wish you many hours of fun..........................frustration and expense, but above all FUN!

[Rick]

Great news norfolk!!

Adding a servo will lighten the pressure at the pedal but AFAIK won't improve the braking efficiency. I don't remember the brakes being particularly bad on a MM, although stepping from a modern into any classic can be an eye-opener. A disc brake upgrade may be the way to go?

R
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[Uncle Joe]

Well, come on then Norfolk, get some pictures posted...

I could think of several good names for a Minor. But dont look for one, it will come of its own accord shortly...

The one minor that I always think about is the one that Nurse Gladys drove.....!

[Peter_L]

Hi Norfolk. Congrats on the new child...

I never owned one, but did a fair amount of work on them back in the 70's.

I recall having one, where the brakes were abysmal. Don't know what year it was but had a split screen and the master cylinder was under the floor.

Turned out, that the brakes drum size and the actual brake shoes were not meant for each other, i.e different radius, so only part of the brake shoe was in contact with the drum. Took a while to catch on to it but after things were put right, the brakes would match the performance.

[clan chieftain]

Dont say you are going to beak a Marina
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The Clan Chieftain

[Job-Rated]

I think I prefer Molly to Milly....


Or how about 'Minor Setback'....?
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[peter scott]

I wouldn't consider fitting a servo or changing the design of the braking system. The brakes on these cars are actually very effective. If your car has poor braking then it probably just needs the brakes overhauled.

Peter

[Uncle Joe]

I personally dont see any reason not to add a servo, dual circuits, discs and so on, on the condition that the job is done in a professional manner. Brakes after all are a very important part of all cars

There are two of us on the forum doing brake upgrades at present. Myself and Ricky426. I cant speak for Rickys car, but on mine, changing the front drums to discs cuts the 60-0 stopping distance from 240 feet to 135 feet. That is really another way of saying how much brakes have improved over the years...

[Norfolkandchance]

[Rick]

is it that the brakes just don't seem very efficient, or you have to pump the pedal to get much joy from them, or do they pull to one side? with a bit of luck it could just be an adjustment issue

R
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[Scotty]

Good news about getting the Minor, although the brake issue is a wee bit of a pain.

Whether you decide to upgrade the brakes to a servo or just make sure they are working to full efficiency I don't have an opinion either way, both to me are good. The only thing that might make a difference in th eback of my mind is if you are going to run it on cross-plys, then fitting a servo might not make much difference as these tyres probably will "break away" from the surface because of their limited contact width and construction.

But this is just an opinion, it may be I'm thinking too hard!

[Uncle Joe]

The way I reason over the brake question, rightly or wrongly, and applied to any car, is this.

If brakes are faulty, then the obvious way out is just to repair them to the original. The only trouble is, can someone be sure that they will be good enough after the repair? Maybe the vehicles operator will still consider them insufficient, who knows?

If there are upgrades such as discs available, doing the upgrade instead of the repairs will then ensure that the brakes are optimised. If they are still considered insufficient, then at least there is nothing more that can be done.

There is one thing that I would like to point out though if a disc upgrade is considered. From what I remember of british cars that had disc fronts, drum rear, they were all designed and construted wrongly! Rear drums MUST start to apply before front discs. Easy enough to do, but I cant remember ever having seen the parts on british cars braking systems to do this!

I'm not personally all that keen on replacing crossplies with radials on a car that wasnt designed for them, but I know that a lot of people wont even consider the former on anything nowadays. So maybe that question doesnt arise anyway.

[Norfolkandchance]

UJ - I can understand and see your poit on the brakes. Having considered putting a servo on now I am not so sure as it will only help with the application of pressure not the brake power. So I really think I need to have a good look at the brakes and see if there is an ovbious reason.

BTW Scotty, the car came sitting on radials....

[Scotty]