VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 juice brakes for '34

How does one add juice brakes to a '34?
Thanks, need to stop.

Your car will stop just fine with the correct adjustments and the correct linings for mechanical brakes.

To add juice brakes you might want to consult a street-rod web sight for details.

I put hydraulic brakes on my 1933 coupe back in the early sixties, when I had rodder inspirations and hadn't heard of the VCCA. The conversion was fairly simple with the bare frame exposed. I have regretted the swap ever since. If you let your car sit for extended periods of time like I do, be prepared for a lot of maintenance and the occasional failure. On a recent pre-36 tour with mostly 4 cyl cars, I was the only car with juice brakes and also the only car that had to be trailered back to the motel because of them. If only I had saved the hardware to return to the mechanicals, I would be tempted to do so. With that said, my recommendation would be to maintain your original set up. My 1931 cabriolet will have mechanical brakes for sure.

Roger

The mechanical brakes on my 1934 work just fine.I replaced the linings and cables 35 years ago when I restored it and they have required no maintainence since.Wish I could say the same for my hydralic brake cars I have.

I agree with the previous posts. I have a 33 with mechanical brakes and a 37 and 48 with hydraulic brakes. The 33 always has brakes when I get it out in the spring but the other 2 usually have some sticky wheel cylinders or leaky cylinders and require much more maintenance than the mechanicals do. You do have to "stomp" on the pedal harder but they aways work! You may want to check your cables to make sure they are working freely if your cars brakes don't work very good. Good luck!
Ed