[dsraven]

best to pull it apart and see what you have to start with.
check
-steel brake lines for rust, pitting, kinks and other mechanical damage, integrity of connections and flare nuts
-rubber brake lines for cracking (flex them and check on the outside of the bend), mechanical damage, wet spots from leakage, and general integrity around mounting etc. some would replace the rubber lines due to age because they get rotten and can burst under a hard brake application. the stock system is a single system, meaning all the brakes run on a single circuit. when one system leaks the whole system suffers the loss and if one system fails both the front and rear brakes fail together. they changed that back in the 60's to a dual system for that reason.
-master cylinder mounting and condition of actual unit, inside the reservoir can get pretty badly rusted, cap can be missing or damaged, cap seal can be missing etc etc. sometimes better off to replace the stock unit with adual system master cylinder anyway. you don't wanna push the dirt from one end of the system through the rest of the system.
-wheel cylinders, pull back the rubber dust caps on each end and check the condition of the cylinders from each end. there is a little metal thing and behind that is the rubber cylinder cup. when the brakes are disassembled you should be able to push the guts of the wheel cylinder from one side right out through the other side of the cylinder. then you can check the cylinder for pitting etc. at that point you might as well simply replace the cylinder though. cheap enough.
-bleeder screws, check to ensure they move and are not plugged. if replacing the wheel cylinders the new parts usually have a new bleeder screw installed already.
-brake shoes, self explanatory
-brake drums, an auot supply place that machines drums usually can check your drums for size. if they are too big the new shoes will not fit well and the brakes are not gonna be very good until the shoes wear enough to fit the drums. by that time you have sacrificed a bunch of brake lining. better to replace the drums and shoes and have good brakes almost right away
-rear axle seals. check these when the brakes are off and if they leak at all replace them and check the axles for wear in the seal area. an oil leak causes brake issues and can cause a wheel to lock up when the brakes are applied.
-front wheel hub seals. since the brake drums are riveted to the hubs, usually, it is a good idea to clean, check and repack the wheel bearings and replace the hub seals at the same time. install a new cotter pin at the same time for the axle hub nut.
-brake hardware. springs, star wheels and hardware kits are pretty cheap. might be a good idea.
-park brake cables and levers etc. check and replace as required. ensure the system works because it is part of the brake shoe adjustment and should be adjusted after the star wheels are adjusted. all the linkages need to be free moving as well. a missing or non adjusted park brake will make the system require a brake pedal "pump up" because the shoes don't fit against the drums properly on the wheel cylinder end of the brake shoes.
-brake pedal linkages and return springs. ensure free moving and non worn parts. there is also a rubber bumper on the pedal to stop the pedal at the correct height. it bumps against the firewall
-brake light switch. ensure it is adjusted and working.
have fun, post pics