The good old e-brake or parking brake doesn't get talked about much and I'd like to have one. I'm wondering what some of you have done in your Model T/A/B. I'm running a 9" but the idea should still be the same for others. I hooked up a handle and have an idea on how to attach cables, but I'm wondering if there are shorter cables or splitters that work better than others. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Lokar cables and kits are really hard to beat, imo. I have them on my '32 and '40, using the stock hand levers.
I get my handles out of junk yards and fab the rest. Make sure the two cables pull from a center pivot, like OEM. It distributes the pull evenly on the rear brakes. I don't care for Lokar that pulls from a solid block, The two rear cables don't get equal tension. The OEM is engineered better. Ago
I fabricated a combination of the Lokar handle and my homemade block to allow the two cables to be pulled evenly. Works very well. The cables are from the local O'Riellys Auto Parts. ( $33.00 ). I had to shorten them but that's easy enough.
I got in touch with Bruin Cable a while back. They can make anything you need custom with the specs and measurements. I wasn't far enough along when I last spoke to them so IDK how much it would cost. Their stock cables seem to run around $35. http://www.bruinbrakecables.com/
I like the idea of OEM stuff so I can get it locally. I'm gonna go to the local bearing and cable store and see what sort of stuff they have. I had never seen the Lokar kit, thanks for the heads up. That gave me instant ideas.
I narrowed a 73 Merc Cougar rearend, the cables were toast so I bought two driver side cables because they are the same length, a Parking Brake Cable Repair Kit and the two clips (because i couldn't find the ones I had) and used a Vega parking brake lever. fairly cheap, got it all at Rock Auto. (except the Vega part)
Assume we're all talking rear drum brakes? Saw an aftermarket kit once that put small shoes in the center of disc brakes as well. Never tried them and I forget the brand name, but the idea looked very cool.
I ran emergency brakes on my 8" in my 32 by measuring what length I needed from each side, then went to Rockauto.com and found the right part numbers. They didn't have them but I managed to order them from NAPA using those part numbers. I then connected it to a floor mounted emergency brake handle from a 36 Chevy truck.
what about Chevy style push down style say from a mid 60's Chevelle? I think it would tuck away nicely on most cars on the left hand side inner cowl? may be ample space if brackets are trimmed up as much as possible, especially if car is an automatic, would be more room without a clutch pedal..I like Ago's idea as well
this is what I'm trying to "Fab-up" using parts from Lokar, a 1973 Ford Explorer 1/2 ton pickup bracket and the original e-brake handle and cable in my 48 Plymouth sedan. The rearend is an 8.75 from a B-body 66 mopar, with 9" drum brakes. Cass, alias littlemo...
On my '41 Ford I ran 80's, I think, T-bird. About 30" long, from brake backing plate to the frame, both sides. Then fab'd a cable to the stock E-brake cable and back the other side rear. One cable will equalize side to side
This is a good thread because, true confessions I never include an e brake in builds but it's been bothering me lately. On the t I'm working on I have a 40 ford handle I'll be mounting under the dash to a shortened 40 cable and shield that will pull both cables but it's a10 lbs of crsp in a 5 lb bag.
I installed Lokar's twin cable system using a Mustang/Pinto e brake floor mounted lever. Easy, simple, and works well.
One local builder uses a late model GM push on/off pedal for some cars with Lokar cables. Says the pedal assembly is only about $100 from GM. He is also installing non HAMB friendly electric parking brakes in many rides. Thinking about the GM set-up for the Wife's 50 Chevy convert.
My 31 "A" roadster has 3 pedals and a floor shfter in the floor now, and with my size 14 shoes it's getting damn crowded already in the floor, plus I want to install a fire extinguisher somewhere easy to reach on floor also. I had one in the floor of an OT DD that had an underhood fire, and quick access saved the car. Not an awful lot of space to hang a handle from below dash either as I'm 6'3" 250# myself. But I do want an e brake, so I'm seriously considering one of those spring loaded electric jobs they featured in Street Rodder awhile back. Some times, you just gotta do what you gotta do!
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