Why in the heck would Tommy be cutting up a brand new set of Wilwood brakes? I mean they have to make something that fits the Henry J I’d think. I mean, they have brakes for just about everything. But when resurrecting an old gasser, I suppose that one does what one must when it comes to parts for your hot rod. Check out this newest update on the Henry J Resurrection project and let us know what you think. Would you be will to start hacking at brand new parts in order to make them fit?

If you missed the other videos of Tommy Lee Byrd’s new project, you missed a lot. We’ve got a link to those videos down below, including finding it and the first round of work that got done to it after getting it home. If you know anything about Tommy Lee, then you know that he’s a historian at heart and a super sleuth when it comes to finding out the history of a specific old race car. It is his super power really, and in the last video he’s went over the hidden history behind the Henry J after adding it to the Hot Rod Hoarder collection.

CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST VIDEOS IN THIS SERIES!

Video Description:

By far, the biggest challenge of this Henry J Resurrection has been the brakes, or lack thereof. The car has a very unique combination of parts and pieces, so finding an exact fit was impossible. However, Wilwood Brakes had a kit for an AMC that was just close enough to fit. It required some slicing and dicing, and a few other adjustments, but it allowed me to keep the car’s original ’41 Willys axle.

Out back, I used a standard issue 12 bolt disc brake kit, and this is a dual purpose install. Obviously, this is a big upgrade from drum brakes, but it also acts as an axle retainer. These old 12 bolt rear ends have C-clip style axles, so it’s good to have a little extra reassurance that it isn’t going to spit an axle and tire/wheel off the car if I happen to break an axle. I also used lots of parts from Summit Racing, including the master cylinder, line lock and line lock installation kit. I used a few sticks of brake line from the local parts store and the best brake fluid that the dollar store offers.

WILWOOD There is no doubt that Wilwood brakes is the leader in aftermarket and racing brake systems. I have used Wilwood components on other cars, but I honestly didn’t expect to use them on the Henry J. However, when I couldn’t find a suitable disc brake solution, I started looking at dimensions that Wilwood publishes about its kits. I found a similar kit and made it happen. The folks at Wilwood helped me out on the price, and gave me great assistance when it came to the products in question. If you have a project car or truck, you should look at Wilwood’s offerings. Shop now at www.wilwood.com