I have a stock 56 Big Window F100. Off and on my rear wheels lock up during some minor hard braking. I was wondering if it will reduce the value of the truck my adding Front Power Disc Brakes? I know it will make me safer.

Thank you for your input.

Wayne

 

Some of the most expensive 56's are heavily modified. I seriously doubt you will see a decline in value with the addition of better brakes. I've done the conversion on my big window and have no regrets.

 

If you want to remain mostly stock, consider adding an inline proportioning valve going into the rear brake line. They are adjustable so you can limit the rear brakes to match the front. About $40.

 

Also consider that adding disk brakes does not require cutting up your truck, so when you are done driving, having a great time and stopping safely, you can put the original parts back on and park it.

 

The rear axle will normally lock up first, given the weight differential and the tendency of the suspension to become unsprung during hard braking. Drum brakes can be a pain in the ***, but they work well when they are setup right. The front axle should lock up too if you brake hard enough, sounds like they need work.

 

The value in your truck is the Big Back Window and the overall shape of your truck. Only the purests will not like "safety" MODs.
If you put disk brakes up front you will probably want to install a dual bowl master cylinder (maybe even power booster too). Kits are available both for automatics & manual transmissions. Some kits will come with proportioning valves. Another item you may want to install while making the swap are residual check valves.

 

Driving conditions in Orange County were never remotely considered when Ford build your truck. Drum brakes are not the best for freeway driving or city streets...not as much stopping power at freeway speeds and extreme fading in stop and go traffic. If you are concerned about maintaining the value of your "stock" truck then make the brake upgrades as suggested above and keep your OEM drums so that you can offer them to the new prospective buyer. Don't worry about the back drums, it's the front brakes that do most of the work anyway. Replace the front drums and install a proportioning valve to balance the pressure on the rears.

 

Unless you are restoring the truck back to off the assembly line and looking to then resell it as a fully restored original then nope. You are only increasing the re-sale value. Not the overall value of the truck. Just the re-sale value. Big difference there.

 

Can you explain what you mean, it's not that I disagree, I simply don't get it.







As far as I have ever seen, pre mid-60's hot rods and trucks like these have far greater value as resto-mods than in original condition.
It is very rare to see a mint condition restored-to-stock 1956 Ford truck of any tonnage sell for a great deal.

Muscle cars are a whole different story.

Mod the truck in good faith.

 

Sure. To a regular every day owner who is buying a classic vehicle to have it and drive it that is where you want to increase the re-sale value. Disk brakes, power steering, upgraded suspension, air conditioning, etc. will all increase the resale value.

The overall value of the vehicle is really in the original, either restored to 100% factory or a survivor. A vehicle that is in good condition but has not been restored or really changed that much from when it was new.

But as you said classic trucks have not really hit the popularity of the unrestored/fully original antique and muscle cars. I think the reason for that is because of the lack of low number high horsepower desirable versions.

So by adding disk brakes you are not really increasing or decreasing the over all value of the truck. The only thing that is going to do that is the market itself. I can see that the 56 F100 with the original big window and that also has the other original options that were not popular will be the ones that will go for bigger dollars down the road.

So if you were asking if you should chop the top, pancake the hood, cut the frame, etc then my opinion would to not do it to your truck. But a bolt on kit that can be removed and original type parts can be put in place is not a bad thing.

Maybe not you but the next owner wants to put it back to factory. Them looking at what it takes to do that is also part of the overall value.

Hope that makes sense.

 

Just thinking out loud: what's the value of your truck after you rear end someone with ABS brakes and you have to do tons of body work to the front end? How about if you need a trip to the hospital?

 

Thank You everyone for the great comments. I have decided to go ahead with the front disc install and see how that goes. Maybe after I run that for awhile maybe add the rear discs.

Again Thank You all for the input.

Wayne

 

I think part of the problem is people pull an old truck out of the weeds and think the deteriorated condition of the steering, braking, and handling is somehow representative of these trucks when they were new.

Disc brakes work good, and are easier to work on, but a serviceable well adjusted drum brake system works very well. Not saying upgrading isn't a good idea, but the reasons usually offered aren't very accurate.

I don't know why anyone would want to drive a classic (especially with a manual transmission) in a stop and go traffic jam, I avoid that stuff like the plague.

 

That is a wonderful and sobering point: I drive on original brakes and while it is rare, I have been put in some very sticky situations a half-dozen times. But on the other hand, they were so close that I doubt my 3000lbs. ABS 4-wheel disc Honda could have done any better. Most of them were "swerve and miss" situations; they were not remedied by simply braking.

 

I keep hearing a lot of people say this. But the truth is that drums brakes just do not compare to disk brakes. Drums overheat and loose their stopping power very quickly. The pads overheat and glaze which then loose stopping power easily as well. The dust that collects inside the drum also hinder their own performance. The stopping power of a disk system is much better than a drum system especially when put on the front of the car where the weight is. Not to mention weight reduction, a disk system can even help acceleration as well as make steering more responsive and faster.

I do agree that a drum system works and can do its job. But saying it's not worth to upgrade to a disk system for it many benefits and improvements on a vehicle that is driven I can not agree with.

Traffic happens. Can't always predict when and where you may be faced in stop and go traffic.