Handy McHand Face - the handbrake celebration thread

[flat4alfa]

[ The second in the *acclaimed series originally started by rantingYoof ]

 

 

Anyone experienced a Renault from the Vel Satis era onwards that refused to acknowledge what you asked of it?  

Was that blasted handbrake button a regular culprit?

 

I'd pull one of these out of an Alfa 75, screw it home and be done with it.  Cable-operated calipers off a nineties Safrane *should fit with enough force and persuasion.  Let's face it, it's just to keep it limpmoding onwards for a few months until MOT

 

 

 

What are your particular favourite handbrakes, from the dawn of the motor car to the present day?

[chaseracer]

I loved the handbrake on my GS1220 (RIP; Brighton, 1990) - it was like pulling a Samsonite briefcase handle out of the dash...

 

 

[D Spares & Tyres]

No pics sorry but Honda CRV is my favourite

[barefoot]

I've got four cars on the road and only one has a pull up whatsit between the seats

I'll take pics tomorrow..

[castros_bro]

MOL 4x4,  1m long lever with ratchet on a drum winding up a steel rope connected to the brake shoes.  Hill start = poo

[Asimo]

A few of my acquaintence.

 

BMC Farina, between seat and sill on right*. See also Renault GTA.

**Perfect for taking the driving test. Not.

 

MR2 Spider. Looks quite normal but doesn't work.* At all. Ever.

**MR2 MOT arse #1

 

Generic USA rentacar. Foot engaged*, hand released.

**Foot destroyed too, by those of us with left leg muscles developed by knackered clutches.

[Bianconeri]

I loved the handbrake on my GS1220 (RIP; Brighton, 1990) - it was like pulling a Samsonite briefcase handle out of the dash...

 

 

Happy days, wonderful thing the GS.

 

Can't find a pic but the first C class had that foot on, hand release arrangement. I liked it but it must have been awkward with a manual box.

 

Kia has a foot operated parking brake but it's push-push.

[Six-cylinder]

Happy days, wonderful thing the GS.

 

 

The handbrake on a GS in RHD is pain because the release button is on the left of the handle so you have to pull it with your little finger or turn your hand upside-down. Upside-down was the method my farther preferred as he had 5 of them starting when they were current. I think I tuck my little finger out of the way and pull the release with the next finger.

[Six-cylinder]

Citroen DS there were different ones, but my current 1972 LHD has a foot on and hand off type. My previous one was a 1969 LHD, hand on and off with a release on the handle.

[spike60]

My old Mercedes S class. It works.

 

 

I ran a 92 Corvette for a few years with a drop down lever between the seat and door which was always clogged with crap from the carpets and floor.

[JayW]

Similar to that there S Class, I loved my dad's old Datsun 180B.

 

Until I put it through a fence... In my pyjamas... At 3am... When I was ten...

 

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Jaguar XJ6 Series 3 - Foot well/centre console mounted pull-on and twist-to-release type

 

(Stolen picture off t' interwebs)

 

I once had the fun experience of rolling down a very steep hill with the door open and my leg hanging out in mine when my knee knocked and released the handle when I was getting in, nearly hitting my neighbor's brand-spanking-new Mercedes S-Class.

[Eddie Honda]

The handbrake on a GS in RHD is pain because the release button is on the left of the handle

Don't you just love half-arse RHD conversions?

[Noel Tidybeard]

spaceship

[anonymous user]

J40 pedal car handbrake

[UltraWomble]

A few of my acquaintence.

 

BMC Farina, between seat and sill on right*. See also Renault GTA.

image.jpeg

**Perfect for taking the driving test. Not.

C8/ 807/ Uslessly is the same. Has the unusual function of dropping flush with the floor if you pull the button out to allow the seat to spin around to face the rear.

GR9* for reversing**

[darkfour]

My 1950 Plymouth would originally have had a lever like this under the dash. Pulling on it operated a band style brake on the driveshaft.

 

.

 

However when the previous owner swapped in the Ford 8" rear end mated to a Chrysler driveshaft the original stuff was all taken out. Unfortunately no new handbrake lever was reinstalled, the cables are all there, wrapped around the frame but they don't connect to anything.

[M'coli]

The BMC J4 handbrake was an umbrella-shaped lever that the driver pulled toward themselves to operate.

 

1971 J4 van by Tom Andrews, on Flickr

[flat4alfa]

The BMC J4 handbrake was an umbrella-shaped lever that the driver pulled toward themselves to operate.

 

Just like Mk1 Landcrab

 

Except you couldn't reach it when seated and belted.  Because, Issigonis.

 

[flat4alfa]

BMC Farina, between seat and sill on right*. See also Renault GTA.

image.jpeg

**Perfect for taking the driving test. Not.

 

Don't forget the marvelous Multipla

 

Honestly, it works very well.

 

 

Except in this photo it's a bit limp.

 

Still, miles better than the Honda FR-V effort coming out of the dash you clout your knee on, as does everybody else getting into the middle seat. Wrong.

[Timewaster]

Don't you just love half-arse RHD conversions?

Wasn't the RHD GS dash cobbled together with universal instruments rather than the bespoke dials on the frogside version?

[Eddie Honda]

Wasn't the RHD GS dash cobbled together with universal instruments rather than the bespoke dials on the frogside version?

I don't think that was due to half-arsedness, but it may have been due to the potential of conservative RHD buyers heads exploding when faced with something a bit too unconventional in direct view.