Under-Dash Parking Brake Issue

Not many replicas have the under dash brake handle.  SAS/SAW was one but not many ever built.  It looks like the pulley in your had should be connected to the loop with nothing in it going to the back brakes.  Maybe just try connecting them or maybe apiece fell off that connected them?

Rube Goldberg would be proud

Well yes, this design is, you might say, a bit ‘jenky’ . . . . .

On the upside, I got a VERY prompt response from Will Medina (General Manager of Vintage Speedsters AZ), who not only assured me that this is a pretty simple and straightforward repair, but also volunteered to overnight the parts to me to insure that I would be able to drive the car over the holiday weekend! He also has a redesign (or retrofit, if you didn’t originally have the ‘umbrella’ brake)  - an upgraded mechanism that I am going to replace this original pulley system with.

I will report back with the details!

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** Later edit: Sorry  @30West , didn't see your reply before I typed this.

Well, one thing you could safely say about this arrangement is that it was not in any way over-engineered.

At least they gave you a two-to-one purchase. Otherwise, it's very hard to exert enough force by hand to set the brake well. (This is why there are two interconnected cables, instead of just one continuous one.)

And another good thing is that you will probably find whatever fitting you need at Home Depot, because most of the other stuff seems to have come from there.

I don't know that I would trust my car to this, though.

It looks like you need to connect the screw connector on the back of that little pulley in your hand to the dangling loop in the other cable. (They used a simple steel hook to make a similar connection in the upper right of the photo.)

One thing that bothers me is that, to make this work, they removed the cover plate at the front of the tunnel and just left that open (see photo below). That allows dust, dirt, water, cosmic rays, and errant gum wrappers to fill the tunnel as you drive down the road. This is also the space where the shift shaft and associated greasy bushings and fiddly bits live that would best be kept as clean as possible. So, there's a sort of conflict of interest there.

Under dash umbrella handles are cool looking at car shows, but they don't work as well as the VW's simple, between the seats setup (which is what I think I'd go back to in this case.)

You can probably get this working again with some simple connector (just prowl the HD aisles and you'll spot something), but I think I'd park it in gear anyway, just to be safe.

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But wait a minute. It doesn't have to be over-engineered. It's not an emergency brake.

It is merely a parking brake, right?

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You're right again, Danny.

Just as long as you park at the bottom of the hill.

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Wow….  I did not expect to see a multiple pulley solution to this design problem.  

It looks like you’re missing a clevis on that small pulley that’s hanging in mid-air.  I guess that’s what they’re shipping to you and that would be an easy fix.

Porsche had an under dash umbrella handle that worked well and reliably and was basically lever operated.  I don’t have a photo of it all put together, but here is an exploded view I stole from Stoddard’s so you can see the difference.  Just remember that the original 356 had a significantly different central tunnel that ended at the bulkhead, or thereabouts, so they could do it this way.

I have to hand it to your guys who came up with the pulley arrangement - It’s pretty clever!

Once it’s all back together, I would figure out a way to put a spring on that smallest pulley to keep a small tension on the cables to prevent them from binding between the pulley and hanger, just to be safe.

I bet it looked like the pulley below. 

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Wow….  I did not expect to see a multiple pulley solution to this design problem.  

It looks like you’re missing a clevis on that small pulley that’s hanging in mid-air.  I guess that’s what they’re shipping to you and that would be an easy fix.

Porsche had an under dash umbrella handle that worked well and reliably and was basically lever operated.  I don’t have a photo of it all put together, but here is an exploded view I stole from Stoddard’s so you can see the difference.  Just remember that the original 356 had a significantly different central tunnel that ended at the bulkhead, or thereabouts, so they could do it this way.

I have to hand it to your guys who came up with the pulley arrangement - It’s pretty clever!

Once it’s all back together, I would figure out a way to put a spring on that smallest pulley to keep a small tension on the cables to prevent them from binding between the pulley and hanger, just to be safe.

Exactly. A couple cable guides to keep the cables planted in the pulleys and a tension spring as Gordon says and you're done. It's really not a bad setup but crimped cable ends with threads and nuts would look(and work) WAY better than those bolt-on clamps. They look cheesy.

I like the pulley used for increasing leverage. Great idea.

Fixed it.

I just finished my under dash “parking brake”. After two years of contemplating how and what to use, different levers from A spyder style on the tunnel to a trailer lever under the dash above the shifter like on pre A’s, I pulled the trigger on original style “umbrella” handle under dash to the left. eBay supplied me with original pull under dash and original clevis. I fabbed  the mounts for the handle, both ends of the clevis pins and cables. Cables were from a bus terminating into a block just short of the clevis cable attachment. Works and looks great, at least to me. When I get home tomorrow I’ll send some pics if anyone is interested. I am happy with my result. At one point I had also contemplated pulleys and even an electric e-brake.

It appears to me that the pulley is missing a swivel.  I’m guessing that is what broke and is missing.

Hopefully all of the fixed pulleys are positioned such that the wire cable pulls through each pulley in proper alignment through the entire range of motion.  If you have any off axis loads, you are likely asking some of your bits and pieces to carry loads they find unpleasant.

@DannyP posted:

But wait a minute. It doesn't have to be over-engineered. It's not an emergency brake.

It is merely a parking brake, right?

Can't stop laughing...

Remember- those who convert to the blessed P brake will never know the joy of a good handbrake turn...

Thanks everyone for your input. All are great observations, and the broken swivel is a fairly simple fix, but I have to admit I was so focused on getting it all re-connected I didn’t even initially notice the gaping hole in the front of the tunnel (as sharp eyed Sacto Mitch pointed out). I am looking to dig up or fab up a suitable cover promptly.

Given my usual OCD, that type of missing or incomplete component would grab my attention immediately, but I think that having just test driven my wife’s new margarita recipe earlier that afternoon may have negatively influenced my (normally) keen observational skills. . . . . . hmmmm, note to self . . . . . !!!! 😬

Drinking and cars just don’t mix, even if the car never moves off of your driveway! Lesson learned: stick to beer!

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Another thought is that you might want to shop this at a marine supply store instead of HD.

Here's a marine fitting made for wire (or rope) with a sturdy shackle, corrosion resistant bearings, and rated for a 500-pound load. A bit pricey, but, in this case, you get what you pay for.

It looks like the shackle on the block they used literally exploded (there's no sign of it on the cable loop).

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Finally, here are the pics I promised. I must say to all. I do not claim to be a fabricator, machinist or mechanic. I am just a guy in his garage that likes to tinker. It took me about two years to finally pull the trigger on this set up. I went from a trailer brake lever to a spyder style lever on the tunnel to this. I do not have a lathe, a welder or CNC machine. A drill press, grinder, buffer, vice and garage tools are all I own along with an eBay account. Everything bolts together. It is fabricated from junk I collect. This is, what I believe, how hot rodding started and it’s what we are doing. Right? That what we are. Hot rodders.

@Gotno356

Nice work! Appears to be very tidy and well conceived! Thanks for the pics!

@Gotno356

Yes, we are hotrodders. Nice work. Elegant, clean, functional and simple.

Very nice, @Gotno356! The design reminds me of the "Z-bar" (aka cross shaft) that actuated the clutch on my old Nova.

First thing I thought when I saw all the pulleys was "need a couple bricks" for backup.  The lever solution would give me more confidence for sure.  Nice work figuring it out.  I would have given up and proceeded to the marine solution:  A long rope with a fluked anchor!

I can’t take any credit for it. Porsche designed it, I just made it fit my baby. After carrying a piece of 4x4 around for ever to chock the wheel, one gets desperate. Thanks guys.

Beautiful job. You do great work!

I am going to apologize first ....

That E brake system is .... Mickey Mouse!!  Sorry I had to say it!