Hey Bruce,
I just finished taking off the rear brake drums on my '52 GMC 2 ton. Like you I had never attempted this before. What I did was soak the hub where the inside dia. of the drum nests with penetrating oil for a few days, then I backed off the shoe adjusters through the slots in the backing plates. Next I made up a BF slide hammer out of threaded rod, or you could possibly borrow one.I hooked on to the outside dia. and by alternating back and forth on opposite sides,I had both drums off in about 15 minutes.Sometimes it helps if you can heat up the drum A LITTLE around the hub. Good luck.
