Trimming Around A Tunnel Fitted Handbrake

[Guest Twoscoops]

Having followed various posts about fittting the handbrake on top of the tunnel rather than the passenger footwell....I was looking for any good ideas and pictures about how people have made up panels to go both sides and on top of the handbrake so it doesn't fail SVA.

 

I thought about using the arm rest from a Sierra Ghia but this seems too wide for the tunnel. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

T.

[Guest SteveL]

I went through the same thing, and after several aborted ideas of using something from the Sierra, made my own cover for my tunnel-top mounted handbrake.

 

Check the April 2003 update (April 18th onwards) on my web site for details.

 

Steve

[Guest Ant]

Arch a piece of metal over it, rivetted into the chassis tubes each side.

 

Here's the parts: (nice artwork or what?!?!?!)

 

 

Cover the whole thing with 5mm foam and vinyl:

 

 

The vinyl is stuck to inside of the metal with impact adhersive, hence the pegs used to hold it while it set.

 

Here's the fitted version:

 

 

With more vinyl I made a cone shaped handbrake gaiter which is also glued inside the metal arch. Use the plastic sleeve from the Sierra over the handbrake lever - it makes a nice grip and covers the sharp metal of the lever itself. Without the sleeve the sharp edges on the lever failed at my first sva. I'm not sure that the gaiter is absolutely necessary providing that the foam goes into the cover and the gap isn't big enough to get your fingers into.

 

Ant

[Guest Twoscoops]

Thanks guys...thats exactly what I wa after.

 

Cheers again

 

T.

[Guest Phil Slater]

Not the best of pics - given I've got my seats in at the moment but hopefully it'll give you an idea of my solution.

 

The Cowl is made from thin sheet steel it flares out at the back to mold to the back panel. I'm in the process of making a gaiter and have still to cover the cowl with dense foam and vinyl or leather.

 

Phil Slater

[Guest Phil Slater]

Slightly different angle.

 

Phil Slater

[Guest bloke]

excuse me if this is a daft question but does the hand brake need a hard casing or could you use a leather gaiter with it fitted to tunnel top?

[Guest SteveL]

I don't think it needs a hard enclosure, but when it;s mounted on the tunnel top, there are loads of potentially SVA failing edges, so I went for the hard enclosure.

 

The leather gaiter idea could work, but it would have to be enormous to cover the entire handbrake assembly!

 

Steve

[Robbie 2B]

Ok it has finally stopped raining enough for me to take some pics of how i fitted the tunnel top hand brake.

I hope you havn't completed the task yet so these might be of some help. I basically made a mock tunnel out of stainless in a cheese wedge shape that fitted over the hand brake and left space for the cable like so, and then just carpeted over.

I just bolted the hand brake through the tunnel top tubes mounted on two cut down pieces of steel tubes leaving enough space for the mechanisium to work.

[Robbie 2B]

From another view

[Guest Twoscoops]

Cheers Robbbie

 

I like that design...do you mind me asking where you got the gaiter from...???

 

Cheers

 

T.

[Robbie 2B]

Made the gaiter myself out of the left over bit of vinyl that came in the kit, and brought the gaiter surround from europa.

 

robbie

[enforcer]

I too decided to put the handbrake on top of the tunnel as there was no way I could reach it on the floor with harnesses.

 

I have mounted mine further back than most seem to - most of the mechanism is behind the back panel; what protrudes beyond is now covered by a thick vinyl gaiter I picked up at Stoneleigh. Putting the handbrake this far back worked a treat beacuse the workings fit neatly into the gap created by the tunnel top chassis members parting company towards the rear. It works perfectly, does no foul anywhere, is nicely tucked away between the seats and is still easy to reach from the driver's position.

 

Sorry - tried to upload a photo but it wouldn't have it