1973 Plymouth Valiant Drum Brakes Issues

I should add, that when I install new drum shoes, I leave the adjusters fairly loose so the drums spin freely. The last thing you want is the shoes dragging (as you found). The pedal travels a lot then, almost to the floor. First thing I do is backup in a parking lot, jamming on the brakes ~10 times. You will feel the pedal sink less each time as the self-adjusters do their job. Those who rarely backup and stop with force, like those who install a circular driveway at home, sometimes get too much pedal travel.