Is this true?

[mikeydf14]

I just left a personal and private car collection where I got to see, touch and sniff a beautifully restored, 100% correct and fully documented, 1970 Cuda, 426 Hemi, 4 speed. YES my mouth was in total drool mode. Any way, I was talking with the two principal restorers and they asked me if my 68 Charger had Magnum 500's on it and what color the brake drums were. I told them yes it has 500's and the drums are black. They told me that Mopar's with 500's or Ralleye wheels should have special red colored brake hubs. Sure enough this fully correct Cuda did. Any truth to the red hub's? Sorry no pictures were allowed and I was sworn to secrecy on where I saw the Cuda!  In a word AWESOME!!!!!   

[Ghoste]

The red drums are true.

[mikeydf14]

Thanks Old Timer.  I had no idea but when you are deep into a restoration like this I guess you had better get it right the first time. They told me that this color red was unique and expensive too!  Of course any red paint is these days.

[Ghoste]

Not really, its just a brick red as fas as I know but there are some threads on it in the suspension section.  Do a quick search and you'll find more accurate info than anything I can tell you.

[Cooter]

Now, can anybody tell me WHY?
I "Heard/read" it was for some kind of "Recall/warranty/campaign" at the dealers and afterwards, they were painted red to show the guys inspecting on the lot at a quick glance, the recall/whatever was completed.

[Dino]

Weren't they black first and then they went over it, crudely, with some red paint?  Why they did so I don't know but it's pretty stupid.  Mine are going to be painted black.  That red looks way out of place.

[bill440rt]

The red was an assembly line thing. My understanding is that the drums were natural, then the red applied sloppily with a brush. This was also applied while the drums were ON the car. I have original Magnum 500/road wheels with red paint drips on the insides of them, from where the red paint dripped from the drums onto the wheel.

Frank Badalson sells a red paint specifically for the drums, matches the original color.

[mikeydf14]

I agree about the red looking out of place especially against the F8 Dark Green of my car!  It looked good against the Vitamin C Cuda I saw.  Mine is not a concours car but the black is good enough for me too! Good info to know though.

[Dino]

The red was an assembly line thing. My understanding is that the drums were natural, then the red applied sloppily with a brush. This was also applied while the drums were ON the car. I have original Magnum 500/road wheels with red paint drips on the insides of them, from where the red paint dripped from the drums onto the wheel.

Frank Badalson sells a red paint specifically for the drums, matches the original color.

Yeah that's kinda what I recalled as well.  Any idea why they did this though?  Was it the que for the next in line to put a particular wheel on it?

[Daytona R/T SE]

It was done so that 45 years later, a bunch of old farts would sit around staring at a glowing screen straight off the bridge of the starship Enterprise and type "What the Fu£§ is up with the red paint on my brake drums ?"

[Dino]

It was done so that 45 years later, a bunch of old farts would sit around staring at a glowing screen straight off the bridge of the starship Enterprise and type "What the Fu£§ is up with the red paint on my brake drums ?"

LOL

[bakerhillpins]

It was done so that 45 years later, a bunch of old farts would sit around staring at a glowing screen straight off the bridge of the starship Enterprise and type "What the Fu£§ is up with the red paint on my brake drums ?"

LOL

[mikeydf14]

Old!  Not me. Just getting started................ 

[Dino]

It was done so that 45 years later, a bunch of old farts would sit around staring at a glowing screen straight off the bridge of the starship Enterprise and type "What the Fu£§ is up with the red paint on my brake drums ?"

LOL

Hey!  Who ya callin' stewpit!   

[Alaskan_TA]

The red was added to cars with styled wheels (Magnum, Rallye, recall) so that the red showed through the open areas of the wheel instead of a rusty brake drum.

[Homerr]

Isn't the answer obvious?

So you could look as some red color through the slots in the Magnum 500 wheels.  The Charger was supposed to be a premium car.

[bill440rt]

It was done so that 45 years later, a bunch of old farts would sit around staring at a glowing screen straight off the bridge of the starship Enterprise and type "What the Fu£§ is up with the red paint on my brake drums ?"

LOL

Red was applied to drums on cars equipped with road wheels/Magnums or rallye's.
Article here:
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/tipstricks/mopp_0107_tips_to_restoring_your_mopar/photo_12.html

Discussion thread here:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=4972.0

[bakerhillpins]

Thanks for posting the links! good readin 

It was done so that 45 years later, a bunch of old farts would sit around staring at a glowing screen straight off the bridge of the starship Enterprise and type "What the Fu£§ is up with the red paint on my brake drums ?"

LOL

Hey!  Who ya callin' stewpit!   

  Just tryin to get a rise out of you. 

[maxwellwedge]

The red was an assembly line thing. My understanding is that the drums were natural, then the red applied sloppily with a brush. This was also applied while the drums were ON the car. I have original Magnum 500/road wheels with red paint drips on the insides of them, from where the red paint dripped from the drums onto the wheel.

Frank Badalson sells a red paint specifically for the drums, matches the original color.

[Cooter]

Funny, this was done "At the factory"..But, if done today, it would be considered. "Ghetto"....

[Dino]

Funny, this was done "At the factory"..But, if done today, it would be considered. "Ghetto"....

Ironically what once was the factory is now the ghetto.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I just left a personal and private car collection where I got to see, touch and sniff a beautifully restored, 100% correct and fully documented, 1970 Cuda, 426 Hemi, 4 speed. YES my mouth was in total drool mode. Any way, I was talking with the two principal restorers and they asked me if my 68 Charger had Magnum 500's on it and what color the brake drums were. I told them yes it has 500's and the drums are black. They told me that Mopar's with 500's or Ralleye wheels should have special red colored brake hubs. Sure enough this fully correct Cuda did. Any truth to the red hub's? Sorry no pictures were allowed and I was sworn to secrecy on where I saw the Cuda!  In a word AWESOME!!!!!  

Would this be true for the OP's '68 also?  Thought this started in late-ish 68?

[Ghoste]

I thought it started in 67?

[stripedelete]

Funny, this was done "At the factory"..But, if done today, it would be considered. "Ghetto"....

Ironically what once was the factory is now the ghetto.

[mikeydf14]

Thanks for the online references on this.  I didn't think I would get such a big response on this  LOL

[bull]

I won't be painting my Fury rotors.

[VegasCharger]

Red Drum>red-drum>redrum  murder

from "The Shinning"

[Ghoste]

Wasn't it in a Star Trek episode too?  Kirk was fighting the evil spirit of Jack the Ripper or something like that?