Are these hard to find?

[Beltfed]

I'm thinking of hacking up this cross shaft to make a part I need.  Am I committing an unforgivable crime?  It came off a 1938 4 door a guy was rat rodding. 

 

[38ShortopConv.]

• Yes sort of.  Are you making up a hand brake cable hook up system? If so just use this cable cross arm shaft  as it is. The cable to the handbrake hand piece inside car hooks into the slotted hole in center of cross arm shaft, the cables to the rear  wheel parking brakes hook up to the two top holes on the cross arm shaft assembly.

[Beltfed]

Yes, I am hanging parking brakes on the 38.  The thing that has me stopped is the offset from centerline of the car to the cable connection from the e brake handle

[38ShortopConv.]

I'm assuming your 38 LZ has been changed from cable brakes to hydraulic and a previous owner has fitted a hydraulic master cylinder  to the frame cross  member which prevents the central cross arm shaft assembly  being  refitted to its original position to centralize your e/brake cables.  If this is the case you may have to alter  the cross arm  assembly or relocate the hydraulic cylinder. Just a bit of a guess.