Re: DO NOT TRUST BTV

Posted by Peter Packard On 2010/3/5 0:28:50

G'day all, I still have the BTV in my 56 Patrician and intend to keep it. However, I do not trust any single cylinder brake system and neither did Packard or any other US manufacturer. They fitted an emergency braking system to the rear wheel brake linings, and if rear wheel brakes alone are good enough to pull up a pre 1927 Packard ( including Twin Sixes) then we should at least have some faith in the Packard handbrake design and make sure that the rear cable brake system works efficiently. The handbrake on a Packard should be able to lock up the rear wheels if correctly adjusted, whereas the handbrake on a modern car is called a parking brake and is almost useless in stopping a vehicle. My advice is to get your Packard emergency brakes working properly. best regards Peter Toet.