Restoration-Mini

Technical Forums => Maintenance and Modifications => Topic started by: cstudep on August 26, 2025, 05:42:19 PM

Title: Odd brake drum
Post by: cstudep on August 26, 2025, 05:42:19 PM
Anyone ever seen brake drums like this before? I assume this must have been an attemot to create lighter drums before the alloy versions came along. I can't tell if they were made this way or if someone created them. If someone created them from a standard drum it must have been done on a mill or something as the spacing and what not looks very consistent.

These appear to be unused, just thought it was interesting.

Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: MiniDave on August 26, 2025, 06:11:29 PM
I've seen them done like this way back in the day.....
Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: MPlayle on August 26, 2025, 07:26:25 PM
Lighter & cooler?  Maybe an attempt to also reduce brake fade?

Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: ADRay on August 27, 2025, 03:28:39 AM
weird and interesting. the "spacer" portion looks wider than the S ones to me.
Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: cstudep on August 27, 2025, 05:44:05 AM
I am not 100% sure what the S versions measure but it seems like they are close to 1"? Which is about what these are as well.

The angle of my initial picture does make it look like it is more than that.
Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: MiniDave on August 27, 2025, 09:04:23 AM
Yes for extra cooling, might have been used on a Sprite race car - or a Mini too, I guess
Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: Mudhen on August 27, 2025, 04:43:16 PM
Look like the KAD ones.

https://kentautodevelopments.com/products/kad-lightweight-alloy-rear-drums
Title: Re: Odd brake drum
Post by: cstudep on August 27, 2025, 06:01:51 PM
Interesting, I looked around at various places to see if anyone sold something similar but did not think about looking at KAD. These are cast not alloy so certainly not as light as those KAD versions. I don't have a regular S version to compare weights, at least not one not on a car. I may have to pull one off just to see how much weight savings there actually was.

I also found an original Shelley Mini jack amongst the stuff, I had never seen an original jack. I know our cars are pretty light but that jack set up still seems pretty sketch to me. Of course everybody gets rid of the jack points these days so maybe with that present it wouldn't be too bad. Definitely not getting under the car using that bad boy either way :grin: