Ventilated drum brakes?

[Edison]

I was reading about different things today and came across some folks running ventilated drums on their classic cars rather than swapping to discs.

I have long heard that drums offer the same quality stopping power as discs with less weight, but that due to heat getting trapped in the drum that causes brake fade. And eventually as people drove more and more, and cities became more populated and heavy braking was required, manufactures started using discs (since a disc is exposed to air, it cools faster).

But then I started reading about folks who had professionally drilled drums as to allow dust and heat to escape. Has anyone here ever had that done, or have any opinion on it?

EDIT
Wanted to clarify that I am not debating which is better, drum vs disc, but just if anyone had considered the ventilation as a low tech, inexpensive way to "improve" their existing four wheel drums.

 

[Badvert65]

Depends on where you drill the holes. When NASCAR used drim brakes, they put a hole in the backing plate to direct air into the brakes. I think, anywhere else, the holes would compromise the integrity and strength of the drum. The only real way to improve drum brakes is to go larger (diameter and width).

 

[BJS racing]

They would use the parking brake cable opening and make it larger with ducting on it and a couple of small vent slots on the back side of the plate to let air in and then vent out.

 

[Big_John]

If you put some holes large enough to let heat out, if it rains, you're gonna let water in.

Wet drum brakes just don't work all that well.

 

[kellycom]

http://www.chtopping.com/CustomRod4/

old article on this subject.

 

[Edison]

http://www.chtopping.com/CustomRod4/

old article on this subject.

Yeah that's the exact one I found today.

And I'm not considering this. My drums are just fine on my C-body for what I use it for (cruising around back roads and state routes in good weather).

 

[commando1]

And I'm not considering this.

***** & Whine days on FCBO are Mon - Fri.
Philosophy days are Sat. & Sunday...
Holidays is Wild Card Day

 

[68Bigred]

I could see the use of letting the heat out but in 5mph traffic for miles on end it isnt going to help. NAscar im sure the speeds they were running got better air flow into them. Even tho everything was completely new in my car the drums were aweful in traffic. If I lived where there was no traffic I would have never changed to 4 wheel disc. There is a reason cars are 100 percent front and dam near all 4 wheel disc now.