Bugeye handbrake cable

[ncbugeye]

I am trying to adjust my handbrake, which has never really worked since I acquired the car. I have the car jacked up for the fuel pump work described elsewhere.

I completely slacked off the cable, then adjusted the drums to the correct setting and now I find I cannot tighten the cable enough to actually have any effect at all. I used up all of the adjustment at the back end of the cable, and still no effect. Is there some adjustment available at the front end of the cable?

Is it just that the cable is old, tired and stretched, and needs replacing? It looks comparatively new, there is no corrosion and almost no dirt on it.

 

[JPSmit]

If the cable is stretched, here is how to fix it

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php/topics/557885/2 (scroll down)

while I suspect the issue is stretched cable, I know with adjusting mine, it took a bit to get my head around the adjustment - as I recall, what seemed to loosen, tightened & vice versa

 

[spritenut]

I can tell you that the new cables from 4 letter word suppliers will stretch in a week where it took 50 years to stretch the original.
I have resorted to Ebay and swap meets for NOS cables from England.
The new cable I used on the Holy Sprite stretched a full inch in 1 week.
Apparently the chinese never heard or understood the meaning of tempered steel.
Strand cable MUST be tempered or it will stretch like a rubber band.
Just like the replacement E brake cables.

 

[ncbugeye]

Frank,

Thanks for your insight and for your unmatched depth of experience with these cars we love so much.

I can only conclude that I am dealing with one of the cables you refer to. The PO referred to it as having been "recently" replaced when he sold me the car about 2 1/2 years ago, and it has basically never really worked.

So, do you or anyone else know where a "real" NOS handbrake cable for a Bugeye can be found? Is there a better setup from a later model that can be transplanted?

 

[spritenut]

Watch Ebay, I just bought one last night for $9.95 and it is an original made by Catton. They pop up there all the time.