Brakes

Drums, discs, and the change in 1957–58

Early Acecas use 11-inch Girling hydraulic brakes with Wellworthy Al-Fin drums front and rear — finned alloy drums with an iron liner, prized for shedding heat far better than a plain drum. It was a quietly expensive specification for a small manufacturer, and one of the reasons the car earned a reputation for braking well when driven hard.

From 1957, Girling front disc brakes became an option: the first disc-equipped car was chassis BEX 289 in August 1957. From 1958 they were standard, with drums retained at the rear. So an Aceca you meet today may be all-drum, or front-disc and rear-drum — establish which before you order a single part, and note it in the car's history file.

Keeping them safe

Brakes are the one system never to economise on. Whichever set-up you have, keep the hydraulic fluid fresh and bled — see the brake-fluid service guide — and treat perished flexible hoses, seeping wheel cylinders or calipers, and a tired master cylinder as jobs to do, not defer.

• On the drum cars — keep the shoes correctly adjusted, and cherish the Al-Fin drums. They are sought-after and should not be carelessly skimmed: the iron liner is thin.
• On the disc cars — watch pad wear, caliper seals and disc condition.
• On any car — a dropping fluid level, a soft or lengthening pedal, or a pull to one side is a fault to investigate before the next drive.

If in any doubt about brake condition, have the system inspected by a competent specialist before you drive the car. Braking and roadholding go hand in hand: the steering and suspension article covers the chassis side, and the tyres and wheels article the contact patch that all of it depends on.