Series V rear brake parts

[SteveSeriesV]

I have been trying to contact Sunbeam Specialties for a week with no success. Are they still open?
I need to replace rear brakes....cylinders (both), shoes, drums and hardware. Any suggestions?
Please contact me direct at stevescott2010@gmail.com, if you can help.
Unfortunately car has not been on road since before Covid, and was hoping to drive this summer.

 

[hartmandm]

I don't think anyone sells new drums. Your best best is to find used drums in good shape, or maybe your drums could be cleaned up? You also need to determine if you have the manual adjust or self-adjusting rear brakes before acquiring replacement parts.

Mike

 

[Shannon Boal]

You can rebuild your rear brakes to work as they should have when new. I did, and have a set of self-adjusting brakes that work! Having said that, I would be better off to have installed a rear disc kit from Dan R.....

 

[hartmandm]

Note that the DanR rear disc brake kit does not fit the stock 13" steel rims.

Mike

 

[mikephillips]

For the self adjusting rears, the MGC also used the same cylinders, shoes and adjusting screw/toothed wheel. So you can try looking for those for it as well. They didn't survive the whole MGC run either like the Alpine went back to the manual adjusting, so be sure if you get them they have a drawing or photo to confirm what you're getting.

 

[Shannon Boal]

Speaking to "What makes great brakes"......Years ago, lots of people relined brake shoes. One guy (Deaton's brake service, Gainesville, FL) offered a lining for vehicles without power brakes. It had a higher coefficient of friction. With the drums turned to matching diameters, and the shoes arc-ground to fit those drums, you got beautiful responsive braking. Friction material for drums or discs, is marked on the edge with a code, ranging from "AA" to :HH". It catagorizes the coefficient of friction cold/hot. "EE" is around 0.35, "HH" is around 0.60, "FF" is common. It is possible to get some variety of friction material from McMaster-Carr (https://www.mcmaster.com/6175K829/). I would like to have matched drums with arced "HH" linings like those of yesteryear....from the driver's seat, they felt great!

 

[SteveSeriesV]

Thanks for all your input. Most parts available except drums and springs, which my mechanic is most concerned about not surviving. Any suggestions for alternatives? I did not get a reply about Sunbeam Specialties. Is he still open???

 

[sunalp]

I did not get a reply about Sunbeam Specialties. Is he still open???

Yep, they're still there. They have a weird set up that says the call can't be completed (or something to that effect)
but I guess that means all their lines are busy. Keep trying and you'll eventually get through.

 

[hartmandm]

You can probably find brake shoe return springs in the UK. I think Speedy Spares (https://portal.speedyspares.co.uk/) lists them:



Sunbeam Car Parts (https://sunbeamcarparts.co.uk/brake-system) lists them (both versions).



My series V with self-adjusting brakes has springs the same as #0369S5 above.

List of UK suppliers I have:

Alpine Innovations http://www.alpineinnovations.co.uk/
Alpine West Midlands Ltd: http://www.sunbeam-alpine.co.uk/
Sunbeam Car Parts (formerly Sunbeam Alpine Tiger Spares) https://sunbeamcarparts.co.uk/
Supreme Sunbeam: http://www.sunbeamsupreme.co.uk/‎
Speedy Spares: http://www.speedyspares.co.uk/

Mike

 

[hartmandm]

Classic Sunbeam in NY lists springs, too.

Brake Shoe Springs ( one side) - Pair - Alpine 5 self adjusting

Application - Alpine 5 Self Adjusting

classicsunbeam.com

Brake Shoe Springs Pair - Alpine 1-5 non self adjusting / Tiger

Application - 1 2 3 4 5 - Tiger non- self adjusting

classicsunbeam.com

Mike