Ok, so I have finally begun the project of fixing my 1976 vette and I thought what better place to start than trying to repair the parking brake (or whatever else i have to do) so i can get the car moving again!

My dad believes we should always pull the parking brake up whenever we park the car, so after coming from the store I did what we usually do; parked, pulled the parking brake up, plugged the battery in, and left. The next time I came to take the car out though, the parking brake wouldnt come off!! The handle goes down without a problem, and you can bring it back and forth as many times as you'd like, but the "BRAKE" light still stays on, and the car will barely budge. I recall it happening once before briefly, although after bringing it back up again to re-engage it and then releasing it a couple of times the parking brake came off. Now I have no idea what to do, and it's been sitting there collecting dust. Can anyone help shed some light on this?



Also, I sincerely apologize if this problem has already been posted and resolved. I'm extremely new to this and after many searches through the forum to see if anyone else has had a similar problem it was evident that without any knowledge of the technical terminology and language, even if I found something, I wasnt going to realize it. I'm sorry if its an issue.

 

I had the same problem with the '76 I just bought. The main difference is that the button to release the brake is missing on mine. I put a small screwdriver in the hole and push down on the rod to release the brake.

Are you getting a "clicking noise" when pushing the button? If not, then the rod is not engaging. If you are, then there may be a problem with the cable to the parking brakes.

I haven't replaced the handle yet (they don't sell the button by itself - that I've found) so I don't use the parking brake, it's not a big deal as it's an automatic.

The only other solution if that doesn't work is that you will have to remove the center console to get to the parking brake mechanism and release it.

 

Its also possible that the e-brake pads are not releasing from rust and brake dust. If the above thread does not help then you may have to take your rear brake rotors off and free up the e-brake pads. If this is the case the rotors will be hard to get off at least on one side. penatrating oil will help but dont get it on the main brake calipers or pads.

 

hahahaha well it looks like i have more pressing problems with the car; when I went to check to see if i could move it before taking things apart, it wouldnt start!! the battery seemed fine, lights came on, warnings sounded, but when i turned the key the lights just dimmed a little bit. nothing else.

im even starting to think i might take it to a mechanic

 

I recently had some parking brake issues with mine; a spring had broken so I wound up taking the rotors off and lubricating all the guts inside the rotor hat to free it up. The cable was also frozen, and I replaced it with a Raybestos part sourced from Rock Auto (.com). Now everything works fine. I suspect you're just gonna have to get the rear wheels off and oil everything up back there to get it moving freely again and you may have a frozen cable like mine. As for the starting issue it sounds pretty basic. Just put a good charge on the battery, check all the grounds and clean them if necessary. The fact that your interior lights are working is a good sign; at least you know that the ignition circuit is OK. Your starter may be bad but I wouldn't pull it out just yet.

 

First thing to do is check the battery to make sure it's good. Then check all your ground connections and cables. If all is good, have your starter tested. Learn to do most of your own work, it'll save you a ton of money. Plus, it's the best way to get to know your car! Good Luck.