Hello All, Bought a 77 Last Month, and had Knee surgery a day after picking it up. started messing with it this week and took it in for an inspection. The mechanic told me that a few things would need to be fixed. There is a hose that goes from the airfilter to the Manifold? hope this makes sense to someone. He said that the car had headers, and thats why the hose was missing. the hose wouldnt serve a purpose now, but it needed to be there to pass inspection. The parking brake does not hold the car, and you have to manually engage it, that is the button on the handle does not move the clip onto the teeth. Not sure if this is enough info, but does anyone know what hose this is, and what kind of repairs need to be done to the parking brake? any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

The hose was just part of the emissions components. It went into the exhaust manifolds. Since you have headers you won't have anywhere to put it.

Depends on your state requirements. Usually these cars are exempt from passing emissions tests but have to pass a visual inspection to ensure that you have the equipment on the car (even if it isn't operational). It is very common to have this stuff removed and depends on your state and even more on the inspector. My suggestion is to just take it in to a small station and see what they say. Many times they are run by kids too young to really know what they are looking for and since they don't have to test it they will slap a sticker on if your lights and all the basics are working. I've never had them pop the hood or look under the car to see the cats are gone. Your mechanic was RIGHT in what he told you but unless you are in California you will probably be ok. If you have the original breather just put the hose on it and let it hang for your inspection. Otherwise you will have to replace the headers with original exhaust manifolds.

As far as the parking brake, I'm not really understanding. It should ratchet up on the teeth by pulling up on the lever and all the button is spring loaded to allow it to release the brake lever. How are you manually engaging it? There is a cable attached to the brake lever and runs back under the car towards the rear. It the turns into a Y with a spring that gives the tension to the system and the cable turns into 2 cables that run one each to both back wheels. You will make adjustments down there. Could just need adjustments at the spring. Again it is not uncommon for the e brake not to hold very well after all of these years.

Trying to understand your question about the handle not moving the clip to the teeth, are you meaning that you have to pull the button out manually to hold it into place or are you trying to push the button to e engage the brake. To engage you should only pull the handle up. There should be a spring in the button that will extract the button when you stop applying pressure to it.

 

Purchase the assembly instruction manual (AIM) for your 77. It shows the hose you're looking for and lists the original GM part number for it. The AIM also shows installation of the ebrake handle.

 

I think he is referring to the driver's side exhaust manifold heat stove flex pipe to air cleaner choke elbow.

 

Man I hate working on the emergency brake system.

 

 

The problem is that you can't buy the heat stove these days. You might get lucky on the outer side (NOS) but the inner side is not reproduced.

 

I am not sure what your state offers. However, some states have an antique vehicle registration. If its not a daily driver, you may look into this.

For example, here in Texas, my car has no inspection. I have no stickers on my windshield nor my license plate and I am only required to have a rear plate. I am not required to have a safety or emissions inspection. The down side of this approach is that you are only allowed to drive the car for parades, car shows and other public "exhibits".

As a result, my car is always on exhibit.

 

Great info, will definately have to look into the AIM. as far as the parking break, in order for it to engage when I pull the handle up, i have to move the metal clip at the base of the handle with my thumb in order for it to engage the teeth. is that piece spring loaded, or possibly just broken, and the whole thing would need to be repaired?
probably should have taken it to a gas station for the inspection, but ended up taking it to jiffy lube here in town. the mechanic really sounded like he knew what to look for even on an older car like this one. but, at the end of the day, I would like to make sure this car has no problems passing any further inspections.

 

For questions like these it really helps if you fill out your profile. Emission laws vary state to state, county to county.
There is a kit to adapt the hot air tube to headers. Very simple fix. Parking brakes are a little more involved.
Mike