Im not to knowledgable on this, but should I be putting a lead substitute in my gas tank? Its got the 170 motor, which seems to be running great, but I dont want to ruin it. Ive already put a tank and a half of regular into it.

Also the drum brakes suck. Went through a water crossing on the way to my favorite fishing hole, and then I had no brakes. None. Scared the crap outa me. They came back after a minute of light riding on them. I just replaced the front shoes before this, checked the rear shoes and they seemed fine. I figure I will just have to use my Toyota truck to go fishing from now on. How boring.

 

Don't know about the fuel but as far as the puddle goes somebody told me to ride the brakes lightly before going into a deep puddle ... welcome to world of drum brakes ... you should try getting just one drum soaked ... took me some time to get used to it ... I completely had to change my driving style ... but you know something ... these things were built at a time when a driver had to drive ... that meant steer and brake and shift ... you were busy driving ... not talking on the cell phone or watching a DVD ... nowadays the vehicles do so much for you that I might ask if we are actually driving or being driven ... I haven't had this much fun driving in a long time ... ... just my .02

 

a lead additive wouldnt hurt anything, but i realy dont think you need it.

if you were doing lots of heavy towing, or lots of high speed highway cruising, [i know, i know, 50 aint high speed!], i would say yes.

never heard of applying the brakes before a water crossing, but it might be the ticket.
i have never had the problem with water and no brakes, but i may just be lucky.

 

Well this is what I know. You can put todays gas in that engine. But the valve seats tend get burned off. They need to have stronger valve seats. Usually most engine shops today put in harder valve seats for todays gases so that you do not have to replace them again.
As to the brakes, here is my experience. I had (note word had) a 69 Ford Galaxie 500 with the sports roof. I too went through a flooded road. After I came out, the traffic was stopped for a red light. I had no brakes. The water prevented braking and worked at the last minute before I rearended a stationwagon. My car was totaled and I took a bite out of my steering wheel. I suffered for the next ten years with off and on headaches.
So I learned from this experience to test the brakes immediately after going through water like that. Because when the police came on the scene the brakes worked for them.
I also did not know enough then, the damage to the car was fixable, but insurance wrote it off. It did wind up at a wrecker. A year later I learned autobody and that is when I found I could of fixed the frame damge. It was minor.

 

the reason you lost the brakes after going swimming is the fact that the drums hold water in them, causing a water film between the shoes and the drums. the backing plates keep the water from flowing back out immediately. back in the day, we were taught that as soon as you come out of standing water to apply gentle brake pedal pressure till you get brakes back. you will not have this problem with disc brakes because the caliper-rotor area is open, so it Will not retain any water after a dunking.

and as far as a lead additive goes, it will not hurt anything to use it or not. i never added anything to the gas in my 64 falcon beater car,and i put 75k miles on the 170 in 5 years before the trans went and i got rid of it 3 years ago, and the engine still ran perfect.