E-Brake mod to console mounted E-Brake

[Stormin' Norman]

Back in 2008, when I did the first restoration, I changed my entire e-brake for a 1981 Capri system. I haven't seen any posts to do this, so since my car is up on jacks and no carpet inside, I figured I'd take some pics later today, and post them this afternoon.

Our snow and cold weather DEMANDS that you wear insulated boots, and that e-brake pedal was always a nuisance. It had to go!

When I scooped the console at the junkyard, I brought a battery-powered jigsaw to cut out the e-brake hump oversized so I could pop-rivet it to my floor, and sealed with ProForm seam sealer. I also scooped the rear cables and ALL the hardware.

On mine, I grabbed 2 cold brewskies (dark ale) and took out the pedal, and filled the weld-nuts with seam sealer. I took out the cables from front to rear, the underside brake cable pivot and all the front underfloor cable hardware. Glad I did too, because the sub-floor frame add-ons were much easier to weld in, in this 2016 resto.

I soaked the Capri cables in a pail for 2 weeks in a Vinegar/Water mixture - 2 parts vinegar, 4 parts water, 2 tablespoons of table salt. Then, I soaked them for another week, in old ATF oil. That steel cable comes greased at the factory, so since ATF is thin enough to get into all the cavities inside the rubber shield, it did a good job. 8 years later they are still rust free and move nicely in the shield, after 8 years of roadsalt.

One thing that might look impossible are the tubular sleeves on the rear cables. I overcame that by making my own from 1/2" copper pipe. You have to make a RH and LH tube. Cut into one end and flatten it, drill one 1/4" hole into it and a hole into the rear floor on each side (the pic will show where, but its on the ridge above the rear floor pan, away from a rust-prone area). Slip each cable into its tube, and bolt it on!

The e-brake adjustment is just below the inside handle. You could install it in an afternoon, after prepping the cables. If you don't use the console, just trim your carpet neatly and use a colored fabric tape to keep the carpet from fraying. I used the console, so that grey bracket is a console support bracket.

Just took them. I hate 'pendings'.

The e-brake handle mounted - I spaced the rivets pretty close - 1.5" apart. I put seam sealer inside and outside - use your finger to spread it around - that's what the body supply guy told me. Cleans off with mineral spirits.


Shows the cable retainer (from the Capri) and the flattened end of the cable tube guide. Do both sides.




The rear floor holes. One for the cable retainer bracket and one for the tube cable guide. The tube is 6 inches long. do this for each side.

Passenger side.


Driver's side.


OMG! Almost forgot the E-brake warning light wire. When you remove the Capri/Mustang console, scoop that wire and the switch at the brake handle base. I ran that wire taped to the seat-belt wire behind the seat crossmember, from the same wire for the Fairmont's switch.