I would agree with Carl as I have experienced improvement over time with my '42 Huck brakes over time as they wear in. At first I could hardly stop on steep hills and now I can lock up the wheels if need be.
Regarding arcing the shoes to the drums, a brake shop in Phoenix (Phoenix Brake and Clutch) has done that for me twice. Once with my '50 COE and recently with my '37. The COE brakes were great at the outset and I haven't got the '37 on the road yet. So, to those replacing shoes I would recommend finding a local brake shop that still offers this service, for safety sake.
Kent
