I've got what I think is an 8.75 rear in my '52 Desoto and I'm having trouble identifying the brakes. It has a "472" center section and 11" x 3" drum brakes. Drum to drum width is about 62". The thing that's confusing me is that there is no e-brake mechanism or even holes in the backing plates for the cables. I think the original Desoto set-up had a drum on the driveshaft but I don't think the original Desoto drums would work on the 8.75 rear, would they? The brake shoes on the car now are Raybestos models. The p/n looks to be maybe 2055, 2855 or 2955 but they're hard to read. The other confusing thing is there is a spindle nut and cotter key on the outside of the wheel flanges, which I didn't think were used on the 8.75". Can anyone help me out? This thing is about ready to drive for the first time in 4 years!!

 

The tapered rear axles (nut and cotter key) were used up through 64, and I don't remember if any of the 65's had them or not. My all original (long gone) 64 "440" body 426 wedge (Think Polara) had these, but it did have conventional rear drum emergency by then.

Off hand I'd say you have an original setup. You have to remember that Desotos were NOT Mopar, they were a separate company, and even though "some stuff" was the same, other things were not.

 

Having a drum on the drive shaft is different than the rear brake emergency Some of the big Chrysler's had an 11 brake assembly I would think you could adapt them to your Desoto very easy. You could check your backing plates - see if it has the dimple on the backing plate for a cable- drill the hole... add the e brake parts

 

Went down to my local NAPA dealer and found the oldest guy there to help me out (thanks Ernie!) and the shoes were very old with an obsolete number so the equivalent is a 336PG, which came on a whole bunch of Mopars. We picked a '64 New Yorker based on the spindle nut set-up and I ordered new shoes, spring kits and wheel cylinders. Thanks for the tips guys! I'll post some pics when it's on the road again!!

 

Great!! I sold auto parts for over 16 years "in a previous life," and back then we kept old catalogs. Back then you could get a huge set of brake catalogs from Wagner, Bendix, or Raybestos that even broke down individual parts (cups, springs) in the cylinders

Nowadays, some teenager punches a few keys on the computer while sitting on a stool, it beeps and he announces "don't have it"

 

Or they'll ask you if your 52 Desoto has AC!!