Flat 4 BRMs with early drum brakes

[Taylor]

Need some advice on fitting Flat 4 BRMs to a '64 bug with drum brakes.  I have only tried it once but the center cap hit the dust cover.  They fit fine on my '67 and I see plenty of people with them on early cars so there must be something I missed.  Do people run a different dust cover? No dust cover? Smash the dust cover? Some advice would be helpful.   Thanks

[brmmark]

Have the same problem.  Still in the proces of having a spacer made to make some room for the dust cover. But didn't find the time to do so.

[Chip]

You could always try running 67 drums. There is a conversion bearing that allows you to run late drums/rotors on l/p spindles. The only thing I'm not sure about is the backing plate. I don't know if it's got the same bolt patten as an early one.
The bearing is an EMPI part. I'm currently running them on my 60 bug in order to run a rotor made for a later car. Works great!

[Larry S]

I am thinking that I saw some for sale that are made a little taller so they clear the older front drums.....

[K-Roc]

Smashing the dust cover will work

[Taylor]

Smashing the dust cover will work

You think so even with the speedo cable? I'm not opposed to it   

[K-Roc]

You may have to trim the tip of the cable as close to the circlip groove as possible.

[j-dub]

I don't have BRMs but in the past when I needed to clear aftermarket wheels I used something like these:

http://fisherbuggies.com/bugpack/vw-bug-beetle-rail-wheel-dust-caps

The ones I have were made by bugpack, i am sure you can still get them throught EMPI.

You do have to make your own hole for the speedo cable, I punched a hole with a small philips screw driver then used a bigger one to get the hole the right size and square