'67 Cutlass 442. Got busy so I thought I would try again. I have looked thru several threads to try and find one that tells about how to get the front cable out of the car and how to best put new one back in. The end that connects to the e-brake pedal assembly I see that it comes in from bottom up thru the frame and then thru the floorboard area and then the other end out of the same area of the frame to attach to the center cable. No problem with e-brake cables at rear wheels or the center loop cable it is the one that goes thru frame to e-brake pedal in the car. How do you fish it out since front end of the cable goes up from inside the frame thru the floor and into the car and the other end continues thru the frame and then out therefore making both ends having to be fed thru that area of the frame. What is the trick and how to get to that cable out of the frame and the new cable into the frame in order to guide each end to the proper openings? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks Mike

 

What I do is, remove the brake assembly from fire wall and then unhook cable from same. Use a small gear (hose) clamp to compress the three fingers holding the cable in the floor pan. Push down on cable to get it started through the floor. Then remove the clip from the cable in the frame and pull cable rearward. Try that.

 

Or, get the right tool for the job.




As far as snaking the new cable into place, tie a string to the old one and pull the string through as you pull the old cable out. Tie the string to the new cable and us it to pull the new one back into place.

 

Thanks but I guess I am missing something??? I understand that the cable when disconnected from e-brake pedal assembly goes down and out from inside the car into the frame BUT it appears that the other end that has the clip attached to keep it from being pulled back into the frame when e-brake is applied only goes one direction and that is toward the front of the car thereby both ends meet in the middle inside the frame. I know that does not make sense but I can not get that end of the cable housing to pull out of the frame in the direction of rear brakes. Now I am wondering if it is because of years of rust and debris holding it and I cant see it or for that matter
the forest for the trees. But thinking this through it makes sense that the cable should come out in one direction or the other. I will go back to work on it and report back in a few days. Thanks for opening my eyes!
Thanks Joe for the pic I have never even thought there would be a special tool for that!

 

Sooo, I read this post again and I realise that the upper part of the cable pulls down and forward and the lower part pulls forward after you pull the upper part out. Its kind of awkward to do but it is the way they put it together.

 

Well looking at this again both ends come out only toward the inside of the frame and there is not a big enough hole in the frame to get hands or fingers in there to manipulate the cable. So in case I have missed an opening in the frame tell me or better yet has anyone out there EVER replaced this front brake cable? Please tell me the secret besides BODYOFF restoration. And Joe I think that tool will work great on the rear brake cables and maybe to help get the upper end of this front cable to go down from inside the car and then on down through the floor board and then inside the frame but even then you cant get to it inside the frame to even pull it on down BUT I cant see a use for it in getting this cable out of the frame or installing the new cable. If you have done it please tell me how and I will buy one of those tools. I do understand the string issues and that can work ONCE you get the old cable with strings attached out and the new cable with strings attached inside the frame. thanks, Mike

 

I've removed these by pulling the clip off the frame, back underneath the drivers floorboard. Then pull the cable forward from inside the engine compartment. You might have to remove the inner fender liner to give yourself more room to work. But here's some photos of this cable on a couple frames. You can see a slot in the frame that will give you enough room to pull the cable into the engine compartment. The first couple photos are of a 1969, the last three are a 1965. But these would be very close to the same as your 1967. Let us know if you still have questions. John

 

They must have gotten smart in '69 because your cable goes along the outside of the body mount in your pic. As you can see in my pic the relation of the mount to the brake cable. My brake cable is in the same area as the mount and that is why I cant get to it. Although it does appear that getting the inner fender out of the equation might get me the access I need. I will give that a try in the next few days and report back. but I do appreciate your input and pics and your time. thanks Mike

 

Well after a closer look I will forego the use of the e-brake system due to too many items that have to be removed just to get the inner fender out of the way. If it ever gets wrecked on that side I will have the part ready to install. So unless someone has done this before on a 67 cutlass and knows of the trick to do this without removing the inner fender or cutting out some of the frame or better yet some of the inner fender and then pop rivet a piece of sheet metal over it (which I may consider cause while this is a nice numbers correct car it is not a concours). Time will tell. thanks to all, Mike

 

Just bumping this to say that may whoever designed this e-brake cable burn!! I’m having the same issue… not doing a body off… finally got the old cable out. I don’t think removing the inner fender is as option for me as I’m afraid I’ll strip or otherwise damage it. Does anyone have a trick or tool to feed the new ebrake into the hole in the firewall?

 

The trick would have been to tie a string to the old cable before you pulled it out so you could use it to pull the new one in.

 

I tried that… fed a wire down and tried to pull the new one through but it doesn’t want to make the angle. Maybe I need to try again