What would be the best upgrade for a 64 valiant? bigger drums? full disc conversion? or disc/drum. I cant decide if I should stay old school with the drums or give in to disc performance.

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64' Valiant Signet 5.9, 64' Dart 170 moredoor 3.7, 67' A100 3.7, 00' Dakota SLT 4.7

What's your plan for the car? Cruiser? Daily driver/commuter? Show car? Drag car? Road racer? Each one can have a different brake system.
I put late-A body manual disks on the front of my '64, and like them very much. When I do something about the small bolt rear end, there will be better brakes there, probably in the form of larger drums.
I did the brake swap because I drive the car to work, on errands all around town, and on the occasional road trip. I want more than "adequate" braking should I ever need it.
I do want to try autocrossing, even if the modfications put me in a much tougher class. I'll be there for fun!

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"When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss

1964 Valiant V200, 225/Pushbutton 904
BBD, CAI, HEI, LBP, AC, AM/FM/USB, EIEIO

this car will be for cruising/errands. I have no problems with the stock brakes, but as you put it. I would like to have more then adequate braking in case I ever need it. their will be no racing for this car. but I dont mind having racing performance in that area.

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64' Valiant Signet 5.9, 64' Dart 170 moredoor 3.7, 67' A100 3.7, 00' Dakota SLT 4.7

DO you have 10 or 9 inch drums on the front?
I found a front set from a donor 69 dart, with 10 inch front drums...bolted right on..made a HUGE difference in braking..maybe my 9s were really worn...then I updated the rears to 10 inch drums
It really depends on how much you wanna spend
After I put the 10 inch drums on the front, I could drive the car all zippy around town with no worries...I also have a 318 in the car
65 valiant

will any drums off an A body fit? I'd like to stay with the drums. What are my size options for bolt in replacements?

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64' Valiant Signet 5.9, 64' Dart 170 moredoor 3.7, 67' A100 3.7, 00' Dakota SLT 4.7

At the very least, upgrade to a dual master cylinder. It costs less than $40 at rockauto.com and takes one afternoon. http://www.earlycuda.org/tech/dualmaster.htm shows the procedure. Id you drive mildly, the stock 9" drums are OK, even for a daily driver.

the dual MC sounds like the way to go. I love the detailed article. I'll have to call up my parts store and get one.

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64' Valiant Signet 5.9, 64' Dart 170 moredoor 3.7, 67' A100 3.7, 00' Dakota SLT 4.7

I rebuilt the brakes in my '64 Valiant convertible a few years ago, all-stock. (The only "old" components are the brake pedal and the backing plates; EVERYTHING else was replaced: wheel & master cyls, lines, flex-hoses, steel tubing, shoes, hardware, drums.)

I'm pretty sure it has 9" drums (six-cylinder).

For a car with Drum brakes, I think they are excellent. I could put passengers over the windshield header if I wanted to.

I'm not saying that the brakes are exempt from the usual drum-brake shortcomings (fade), but my car is a driver, and I find the stock manual drums "more than adequate". My car has 175-70 R 13 tires.

Can't argue about the sense of switching to a dual-reservoir system.

For an around-town driver, the stock brakes are more than sufficient, in my opinion. I have managed to lock the wheels up on mine once or twice.
(None of my older MoPars with Lockheed brakes would ever do that...)

Good luck...

Frank McMullen