Dont panic Stuart, your comtesse is safe! I'm not about to wreck a car for its brakes, thats why I bought up spares availability. Chris, thanks for your suggestions. I own a Virgo and have looked at the disc's but this option throws up more problems, i.e. no where to anchor the calipers without welding lumps onto the suspension arm and thats a no no, I'm only prepared to do such a conversion if it can be reversed with no or little damage, the whole hub/disc arrangement is wider causing wheels to foul the wings, plus the fact that the brakes are not great to start with [week and prone to siezing]. Cable operated calipers are not what I wanted, the whole idea is to eliminate the constant adjustments needed with cable systems, thats why I have concluded that a small drum hydraulic system is the best idea. I still think the answer is in France and Stuart may have given me the solution. Any more ideas anyone?