How could the rear pad backing plate drop out? It's held in place and floats on two sturdy pins, is it not?

 

When your car is also your hobby and a source of entertainment, things change.

Some people spends thousands on travel, or antique furniture, or landscaping their yard, or record collections, or fine dining, or fashionable clothes, or model airplanes, or ....whatever. We all choose our own poison and it doesn't have to be practical or make sense to anyone else

Mistakes can be made, of course. That's often how we learn. And sometimes a project is simply bigger than anticipated and beyond a person's budget or skill level. Or tolerance/patience level. Lord knows how many people have fallen in love with "that charming old house from the 40s" who then find themselves faced with $100k of rehab work on plumbing, electrical, roof, etc.

Whether or not the $2900 brake job gets done remains to be seen. It may be more than the OP can afford to pay or is willing to pay; neither would be anything to be ashamed of. And it may possibly be more than the car is worth....which means nothing to some of us but is very pertinent to others. The car might need a lot of other rehab.....and sometimes you gotta just let go.

We all have our limits, even the most dedicated among us.

Cheers
​​​​​​​DD

 

Sorry, I cannot say...I did see the piston digging into the rotor, but I didn't do the repair myself so didn't get a close view.

 

It's also one of the things that keep me Sane!

Very True, Doug, and sometimes we forget that.
I *Love* my Work! I'm SO glad some people toss a few of those Thousands my direction, so I can keep pouring my Hard Earned down what many others will consider a Colossal Rat Hole.
(';')

 

I have never felt that I could afford any new car. I have been very tempted and nearly done it, but caved in and got a nine year old X300. Bang for the buck I guess. This is been a good, though unintentional, money saver in the long run. Now I have three Jags and two of them are probably worth more than I paid.

 

I have only bought one brand new car with my own earned money in my life. A quite long time. 53 MGTD in Germany!!!

Closest was my 88 T bird. One model year back. 10,000 miles, a Budget rent a car. As slick and clean as new... but, at a far better price.

Now, my employer provided new cars every two years. For a time. 54, 56, 57, 59 an 61. Bare bones and some moderate equipped. Bestest., no cost to me!!!!

Oh. the IHC Scout II. a 79 in 81. Great deal. An orphan and in the gas crunch. Served me well.