hobbsy Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Hi,I know they've been other threads but I'm yet to find this exact bit of info.The history is that my car was used for speed events for a number of years and when doing so ran with non handbrake rear calipers and so in the pursuit of weight saving the handbrake lever (under dash) was removed.I am now re-instating this so I can MOT the car.I have the lever as supplied by Caterham (see photo) and I'm aware that I need to bend it upwards relative to how is it mounted in the car (so in effect a sideways bend if it was mounted in the conventional trans tunnel position). I also have the relevant page from a Caterham build manual.My (perhaps slightly ignorant) question is - how does the lever act upon the cable? Am I missing a part? I have a photo taken from another website showing the lever but I can't quite see how this part works?Essentially what other hardware do I need other than the lever I have for a successful installation? Help please! :)hobbsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auyt Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Hi This might help Curtsey of the Tony Weale Book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bxhunt Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 I had the same problem with my 1994 VX race car and the first thing I had to address was the rear calipers; they had to be replaced as there was no facility for a handbrake. Then I found that there was no mounting point under the dash for a handbrake lever and nothing in the transmission tunnel to route a cable. Finally there was no bracket on the de Dion assembly to mount the cables.Hopefully you are in a better situation than I was. Have you checked all the other points I mention some of which are shown in auyt's diagram?Just to finish the story; I ended up by buying a 1965 Mini handbrake, made a mounting point on the transmission tunnel, fabricated a link to the twin cables, made a bracket to fit to the de Dion assembly and fitted it to the new road calipers I had purchased.Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 4, 2020 Member Share Posted October 4, 2020 Private Message sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catgraham Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Hi hobbsy,You've probably twigged this from the Tony Weale diagram above...The handbrake lever works "backwards" to what you would normally expect. The inner cable is fixed at the bracket welded to the chassis (extreme left of photo) and the cable outer is "pushed" by the lever. It does this via the "barrel" which pivots through the large hole in the lever, and has a slot to pass the inner cable through and a counterbore to act as abutment to the outer. The barrel can be seen behind the main pivot bolt (hex head) with circlip groove around lower end (the groove is to hold a cover over the assembly). The nyloc between the main pivot bolt and the inner cable bracket is securing the ratchet quadrant. This and the main pivot bolt are the two fixings to the chassis.I'm in the process of doing this myself - to return a racer to the road - but can't find a lever. If anyone has one gathering dust on a shelf I would be very interested..!Hope this helps.Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbsy Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 Many thanks for the replies folks including the full quality page scan via email. Any idea where I can get the handbrake barrel I am missing as shown in the diagram? I think everything else is just nuts bolts and washers which push comes to shove I may be able to temporarily use metric versions that are close. Edit.. found it (not cheap for what it is at £38) but frustratingly no stock https://caterhamparts.co.uk/handbrake/1435-handbrake-barrel.html?search_query=Handbrake&results=30 I've heard that it's a Herald handbrake lever but also from a Mini or a forklift truck but in any case that they are a pain to get hold of, I am not an expert on handbrake levers but I'm hoping that this barrel part may be common to other levers! I will try Redline in case they have one. Unless anyone randomly has a spare one at home? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 On caterham parts website there is also a clip used on all pre 96 cars. There seems to be a groove in the barrel so wondered if it fits that?Looking at the part I think it is bespoke to seven IMHO.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catgraham Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 I need all the parts and have been waiting for levers to come in stock for ages. Redline did have the other bits a while back, but no levers.Out of curiosity I have been trying to find out what these levers originally came off - I'm sure Mr Chapman would have acquired them from a production vehicle back in the fifties, but will no doubt just be made for Caterham now. I don't believe it's Triumph or Mini. Fork-lift I haven't looked at, but wouldn't surprise me - I've also heard taxi and milk float!This set-up is also used in the Lotus 11, but that's probably not much help!Yes, the circlip listed does go in the groove on the barrel, but it's only to hold a cover over the assembly. This probably makes the barrel a "special" - maybe the original was shorter and without the groove? But if you don't have the cover you won't heed the extended barrel or the circlip. Btw I think the circlip is from a Ford pedal box shaft, but could be wrong...Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobM Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Surely wouldn't be too difficult to fabricate one of those barrels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 I spent 40 mins googling handbrakes of the world and I cannot find anything like it. Most have much shorter tubular sections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 I have a physical parts catalogue from circa 1999/2000 and the handbrake is listed as the same part number 010321. This number is different to the majority of part numbers, that all begin with a 7. I've found previously that Lotus / Caterham used to adopt some OEM part numbers. Google doesnt find much for 010321.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbsy Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 When I spoke to Caterham parts today the chap said it was from a truck (not a fork lift) but that they are out of production but I think he said Redline or someone was looking at alternatives... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbsy Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 When I spoke to Caterham parts today the chap said it was from a truck (not a fork lift) but that they are out of production but I think he said Redline or someone was looking at alternatives... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul jacobs Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 I changed my under dash lever to a Midget tunnel mounted vertical lever, so might still have the original lever knocking around somewhere. Now that I know it's a valuable item, I will certainly instigate a thorough search. I can recommend this alteration, unless an owner is dead set on keeping the car original, it is a much better option. It can be reached whilst strapped in, and the leverage is better (for autotesting etc). I've done it on at least 3 Sevens over the years and it is certainly something I would recommend doing.David, if you are still missing that little £38 bit, I may have one knocking around as well. PM me and let me know if you still want it and I'll see what I've got in my 'box of bits'.Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catgraham Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Paul - vertical lever mod sounds interesting. By vertical do you mean as in the conventional style, or lever vertical so that you pull back on it? If it's the latter did you pick up off the chassis at the base of the tunnel? Not much substance in the tunnel otherwise...Graham(PM sent regarding under-dash lever) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbsy Posted October 6, 2020 Author Share Posted October 6, 2020 PM sent Paul and thanks for the reply both you and others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul jacobs Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 Will respond to Graham and Hobbsy by BM, but with regard to my vertical handbrake mod, on the current car, which is bike engined, it is much easier without the gearbox in the way, to use the gearbox mount to bolt a bracket onto, on which the handbrake base is mounted, on previous cars with a standard gearbox, on one I used a Morgan flyoff and another I used a Midget lever. It was a while ago (25 years) so details are a bit fuzzy, but I believe I mounted them to the narrow chassis rails with small nuts and bolts. I was into autotesting at the time, and they both held up really well to the abuse.If anybody feels that might be the way to go, get under the car and have a look around, there is decent metal available, if only for a bracket to mount the lever base to. It's not just a simple bolt together mod though, but well within the average bodgers ability.If anybody wants some pictures, BM me with an email address and I'll send out some piccies of what my current car looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_w Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 Here's the barrel I made, don't think Caterham have had them in stock for a couple of years. Started with a thick bit of tube, I think it was the centre of a shock bush or similar, cut it and drilled it so the inner cable went right through but the outer cable didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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