Slick 60's

Finally got around to replacing the front drums on my 61. The old originals were at least .125 over 11 inches. Got the replacements from Rock Auto and except for getting the wrong seals it went well. Separate hub from old drum by driving out lug studs with a sledge. My bench top press doesn’t have enough width for a drum. Best brakes I’ve had in 9 years. It’ll lock up the fronts now.

Don't know how much you spent on drums, bearing and shoes, but for the extra money and drivability I believe in going to disc on the front. Straight axles and poor steering box can be a real problem if the truck has set for a while. Tend to grab and go one way or the other if setting outside. At least that has been my experience. If you are experienced with the problem , then it is something you can get accustomed to and compensate. However, if you have someone not familiar with this, such as a son or daughter it could be catastrophic.

I agree that disc upgrade would be the way to go. This truck is car show / parade use only. My wife doesn’t even like to drive the 3 speed manual so $39 for drums and $30 or so for new studs isn’t bad. It is amazing how many miles we drove in the 60s and 70s with drum only cars and survived. But it was a different world.