>(Speaking of brakes: drums all the way around. And only one master
>cylinder, so if it fails, you've just lost all four brakes, and you'd
>better hope the cable-operated handbrake is in good working order. I
>discovered that mine was, one day, when the line to the master
>cylinder failed and caused my next press of the pedal to do nothing
>other than deposit all the brake fluid on the ground. There is no
>other sensation in motoring quite so dismaying as when the brake pedal
>goes all the way to the floor without any perceptible effect on the
>speed of the car. For my money, even that floaty feeling you get when
>you realize you're hydroplaning isn't quite as much of a dolly zoom
>moment as that.)
>

It certainly makes your life -very exciting- when that happens, don't it? I had that happen some years back - in Bangor, on 395 East shortly before that one particularly interesting exit down to Main St., during road construction season in an old Ford Festiva whose cable brake, surprise, didn't work right.

It being such a small car, I managed to get away with the frankly absurd maneuver that I put it through, and was able to pull into the parking lot of that hotel that used to be right there before they put that casino in.

Very terribly exciting day.

>It particularly confused the guy who was tailgating me as I drove home
>from the Tastee Freez in the next town over one day, when I dropped
>the Powerglide lever into reverse. That had no mechanical effect at
>all, of course, but it made the truck's white backup lights come on.
>If you ever want to see someone perform a Panic Stop, find yourself a
>car that can do that and enjoy the show.
>

If you're -very- careful and know your brakes' characteristics well, you can play some interesting games of a similar sort using the tolerance between when the light actuates and the brakes themselves actuate.

I've thought a few times about installing really obnoxiously bright backup lights in the back due to the locals' habit here of putting truly eye-searing LED headlights into lifted trucks and then sitting right on your trunk. I shouldn't be casting a shadow into my headlights at night, damnit.