Work on it or not

& their main objection to discs was that they where noisy.

No.

Like I said the only 'advantage' of twin leading shoes - like for like - is to reduce the pedal pressure. The disadvantage is they fade more.

See contemporary competition mags.

Obviously discs that are too small ain't going to be any better.

15" wheels same as most other medium/large cars. And the drums were as enclosed as most. Nor were they 'huge'. They relied on that powerful servo.

Yes, servo-less.

That is why I made the distinction!

That makes the pedal soft, it won't help with the brake fade.

Many years ago, a new local outfit opened in rented premises offering introductory free brake and tracking checks . To my horror, they were removing brake drums and blowing the dust away using a compressor air hose. Nobody was wearing a dust mask. To their credit however, it was a much better check than I would have received during a typical garage 'service' and all for free.

Needless to say, I stood well back while my car was checked and then left rather quickly! I suppose I should have warned them but would they have taken notice? I think the place closed down within weeks.

Terry D.

Sorry, but non leading shoe brakes are *less* prone to fading than leading shoe types. Why do you think Rolls used twin trailing shoe at the front? There's no cost saving unlike one leading one trailing where only the one cylinder is needed.

" My first Mini cost £360 new."

---------------------------------------------------------- Must have been a van then @£360. Iirc the launch price of the car was a shade under £500 in 1959. Mike.H.

Are you able to explain the mechanics of this? Only I sure as hell can't understand it!

As I've intimated before, I was involved in preparing and competing in early Minis when they were contemporay. I stand by what I just said 100%.

The discs on the Coopers with no servo were the same size as the servo ones. The difference was the ones that didn't work used a hydraulic intensifier. This boosted pressure, but at the expense of increased brake pedal travel. (Note: not fade!)

The biggest servo in the world wouldn't prevent them overheating...

I know RR were clever, but how did they overcome the laws of Physics?

Chris

Properly set up, they are perfectly acceptable for modern standards - it's quite possible to lock all four wheels with drum brakes as the car is not very heavy anyway. However, they need frequent attention to keep them working effectively, unlike disc brakes - one of my Minis (well actually my daughter's!) has a disc conversion and it is fantastic.

A servo was shoehorned into the Mini's engine bay in the early 90s, to accompany the increasing engine power as 1300 and injected engines were introduced.

I still prefer the late 80s cars as being the best compromise of service simplicity, relatively modern upgrades, and least rot potential (the later Rover-badged cars are terrible in this respect!).

While it is distinctly low-tech by modern standards and never built to the highest quality control, the Mini has always been great fun to drive

- I drive my '67 Elf every day in preference to my Mercedes!

The early Minis were crippled in this respect by the 10" wheel diameter; part of the reason for the change to 12" was to fit discs. However many owners now convert to disc by machining down the later disc and fitting Fiesta calipers, in order to retain the 10" wheels.

Being able to lock the wheels ain't an indication of good brakes. It's how they stop the car from its top speed without fading - and repeatedly. Locked wheels mean the car is out of control.

Ok, as the top speed isn't very high, they can cope with that too. I know, I still drive one on a daily 25-mile commute. By choice.