"The shoes, if original, can be purchased at the local auto parts store and fairly cheap."
Auto parts store linings have been "organic" (non-asbestos) since about 1980. Asbestos works vastly better and is abundant and inexpensive on ebay. When I took the "organic" friction off my '32 Ford roadster street rod and replaced it with asbestos it was like adding a booster and that is not an exaggeration.
