1960s Chrysler Removing Parking Brake Cable

[Packard Don]

I know what the service manual says but try as I might, I cannot seem to release the parking brake cable from the transmission! Are there any tricks not in the manual short of cutting it off? Mine is a 1965 Imperial LeBaron but should be typical of any 1965 or prior with cable shift.

[JACK M]

If your cable has seized and it cant be pulled enough to remove you may have to cut it.

[Packard Don]

The cable isn't seized at all but I simply cannot release it from the mechanism in order to pull it out.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Packard Don (see edit history)

[Packard Don]

Finally got it out after finding this site with far better photos than those in the service manual!  I tried for hours over several days but got it out in a moment once I knew what to feel for with the screw driver to release the lock.

[keiser31]

EXCELLENT!

[JACK M]

Glad you figured it out.

[Packard Don]

Thank you for your responses! I've owned  this 1965 LeBaron since around 1972 when it was fairly new and always had trouble with the shift cables coming out of adjustment so I would love to convert it to the 1966 linkage-type shifter if I can locate a proper tilt-and-telescope 1966 column but have had no luck so far, made more difficult by being deaf and not using a telephone and most Mopar parts places are not online. The engine and transmission were just removed yesterday for some repairs so this would be a good time to do it!

[JACK M]

65 was the only year that they had a shift cable and a shift lever on the column.

I had a 65 Newport years ago but never had a problem with that cable.

That car got crashed so I decided to part it out and that tranny and column were the first things that sold to some 300 guy.

I am thinking that if you change out to a linkage type column you may need to also source a different transmission. Or at least the part where the linkage shifts it.

I don't recall just where or what the difference is.

A floor shifter could be an alternative. We always did that on the race cars as all those Cordobas with floor shifters were plentiful at the boneyards.

[Packard Don]

Yes, I've had both 1964 and 1965 Imperials including a 1964 Ghia Limousine. The push button system was very dependable but the column shifter was a last minute change for 1965 and done hastily without particularly good engineering so you've been lucky on your Newport. To do the conversion, I'll likely need to get a 1966 Imperial parts car as the transmission is completely different and I understand that even little things like the rear mount are different to the point that there is a special one just for the purpose of the conversion. My 1965 transmission has only a couple hundred miles on a full rebuild but it was done decades ago so likely needs new seals by now.

 

Although I live in California, my cars are in Central Oregon where I go to work on them to every few months for a couple weeks at a time (I'm there now) and the last time I was here I found a suitable parts car on the west side of the mountains but couldn't get the guy to send better photos and, as I am here without transportation, I couldn't go look for myself so had to pass it by for now although he likely still has it since it was very, very rusty. My car needs a good front clip too and that was mainly what I needed to see to be sure that it was rust free.  Anyway, thank you for the information!

 

By the way, a floor shifter is not an option for me! Although I don't mind making little improvements, it needs to at least look original.

Edited May 11, 2017 by Packard Don (see edit history)

[Furyman]

I had my park cable break on my 65 Belvedere 4 door at the beach about 10 years ago.....had to flat deck it home. I'm currently working on a 65 Polara 440 model wagon .Using a later mechanical shift 727 and a 66 column. The 65 firewall has a bigger hole in it for the cable shift mech so you would have to use the 66 column and tow plate as well. Might be better to keep the Impy stock though...you would have to change the transmission as well for the shift linkage; add  the bell crank for the shifter linkage and 66 kick down is completely different from 65. Complicated. We just rebuilt the 413/727 in a customers 65 Imperial convertible. Took the mechanic 4 hours to set up the park cable....what a pain but it's working well now.

[Packard Don]

I have the proper 1966 Imperial column now and had all the other parts lined up too but the guy with the parts car was too busy to remove the rest for me at this time.  I am hoping he will just sell me the parts car itself as it's not far from my shop and I need its front clip for mine in addition to all the shifting hardware and rear transmission mount cross piece that is different on 1965. Apparently the rear mount was completely redesigned for 1966. The last visit up there I pulled the engine as there is a crack in the water jacket but I would really like to replace the block with a properly coded 1965 Imperial engine as mine, which was replaced by the original owner when the car was still fairly new, is from a 1964.