Handbrake modification...

[My52Chebby]

Hi all,

Last time I showed you this picture, I was trying to identify which car it came out of. I knew it was around 1948 but I didn't have a clue as to its origins.



I think you guys settled on 1948 Mopar product.

Here is the bracket I made for it to adapt the Lokar emergency brake cable to this handle.





After pounding with a sledge hammer to make the first bend, I figured there HAD TO BE a better way to bend this stuff. What I did was I used 3 lengths of solid rod. Used two 5/16" diam. rods equally distanced under the bend I wanted to make and a 1/2" rod above the plate right on the bend line and centered it under the ram of my 20 ton press. What a pleasure it was to see that metal being bend like butter instead of using the sledge hammer. Much more civilized. LOL

Actually, the worst part of the job was drilling the two little holes in the old bracket for the steel pop-rivets. That handle was case-hardened so that the ratchet teeth wouldn't wear prematurely. Well after a while at the drill press, it felt as though I was trying to drill through glass. I took out the acetelene torches and made two small red hot dots where the drill had just made dents... I didn't want to overheat the bracket to remove all the case-hardening. I then put the bracket in a bucket of sand to let the bracket cool slowly. That removed enough temper to do the trick because when I tried again at the drill press, there was a slight resistance followed by success. In the last view you can also see the new clevis I made to shorten it about a 1/4".

Now all that's left to do is route the cable to the frame where the cable divides into two cables to go to each rear Camaro brake drum.

Did a bit more fitting work on the under dash unit. I cut away clearances for the a/c hose to attach to the new billet vents. I also reinforced the attachment point for where the shortened column drop I showed you last week will attach to the dash. I tied it into the hefty brake bracket.

This is looking straight up at the at the cowl (you can see the filled in cowl vent) to show you the column drop attachment.



A buddy also finish welded my tranny hump in exchange for me sand blasting some interior trim for him.

I hope to be as busy next week.

Later guys...

My52Chebby

[enjenjo]

You are making good progress. Keep it up.