Brakelight: May 1941
Jest For Shopmen was a regular feature in Brake & Front End Service.
Retrospective: Brake Service In Vintage Hollywood Style
In 1932, our editors made this Hollywood shop a star.
Retro: Roadside Display Credited For Selling Three Out Of Five Brake Jobs At Shop
In the April 1962 issue of Brake & Front End, editors discussed clever merchandising techniques. The Collins Brothers, George and James, in Marietta, GA, created their roadside spectacle on Route 41 with an old 1950 Ford Coupe and a discarded department store mannequin.
Brakelight: August 1952
Chet’s in Long Beach, CA, is still in business 65 years after this article was printed in Brake & Front End. Chet spent $18,000 in 1952 to build the shop — the equivalent of $163,000 today.
Retro: How Brakes & Brake & Front End Helped To Win WWII
During the depths of WWII, brake repair took on newfound importance. By 1943, the industrial might of the U.S. was at its height and was critical to the success of the war effort. Rationing of gasoline and rubber put increased importance on brakes that functioned properly since dragging brakes burned extra fuel and ones that locked up destroyed tires.
BRAKELIGHT: December 1987
In the December 1987 issue, Brake & Front End dressed up two employees as technicians and put them on a couch watching a training video. But, thanks to some extra props in the form of beer cans and a half-eaten pizza, we got into some trouble.
BRAKELIGHT: January 1952
Even in the 1950s, tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and supplemental inflatable devices were on the market. The good news is that 64 years later, Brake & Front End is now free to qualified subscribers.
BRAKELIGHT: 1930s and 1940s
BRAKE & FRONT END cartoons from the 1930s and 1950s The cars may have changed, but the humor stays the same.
BRAKELIGHT: Anti-Skid Brakes (April 1972)
Anti-SKID Brakes During World War II, Dunlop developed an anti-lock brake system for high performance aircraft. It was a mechanical system designed to prevent wheel skids when planes landed at high speed on slick runways. In 1958, the first practical automotive ABS system, called Maxaret, was developed by the Road Research Laboratories in Great Britain
BRAKELIGHT: 2000 Ford Expedition
These brakes came off a 2000 Ford Expedition. The vehicle was towed into the shop with a separated left lower ball joint. After repairing the left side, we advised customer to do the same repair on the right side. When I pulled the right front wheel, I found the brake rotor and pads were pinched
