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1969 Deville Convertible parking brake release

Started by BWX, July 23, 2019, 11:39:44 PM

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BWX

Hi, brand new to the forum, I have been searching forum but haven't found answer yet.

My step father has a 69 Deville convertible that's been in storage for a few years.. maybe 4 or 5.
Everything was working when it went into storage and it was started and checked on once in a while but not driven. It had a restoration some time ago, maybe 15 or 20 years. It's in very nice shape.

We got it running after replacing the main battery ground which was originally shorting out on the exhaust manifold (melted insulation!). Crazy to see that but I replaced the cable and it started right up and ran great..

It just needs a NYS inspection which will require parking brake to work. It is not releasing on it's own when shifting to drive from park. I read about the possibility of a vacuum leak or diaphragm leak, or possibly stuck cables or mechanism. I pulled up on it really hard while in drive and didn't feel it moving but it eventually was up at the top and released. Went for a spin around the block today and everything seems to work.  I need to check further into this brake release problem obviously. I already lubed all the cables underneath and the mechanism but I do not think that is the problem, but who knows.

My question is, does this thing have a manual parking brake release so he can at least pass inspection? I read some newer ones do but not sure about this one. What would it look like if it had one? Thanks!

Some pics attached- pretty sweet car huh?

TJ Hopland

There should be a manual release.  It would be up under the dash.  I'm sure someone with a 69 can tell you exactly where to look.   I later years it was obvious once you got a good look at it.   The ones I have had its just a little extension on the arm the vacuum servo connects to.   Its just getting a good look at it is easier said than done unless you are 20 years old and weigh 100 pounds.  Once you know where it is you can likely do it while seated.   

Does the climate control work?  Some years it was the same vacuum feed through the firewall.   

Do the reverse lights work and it only starts in P or N?  If not that could be a clue that the park neutral switch isn't working right which is where the vacuum release switch was in later years so I assume was there also in 69.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

BWX

Thanks TJ!

I will check those things. I think they work but will double check. Yeah I have a bad back so it'll be a pain but I think I can look up in there. I already did once to put some dry lube on that cable up in there but I did not notice anything obvious but I was not looking for a release either.

I think I'll look again, it must be right there. At least I can see if that works. If not, then it's probably stuck cables or something else.

Mike Josephic CLC #3877

To make your search a bit easier do this.  There is
no need to crawl under the dash.  Get a mirror and
look under the dash just to the left of the parking
brake petal.  You should see a metal piece about
the width of your little finger about 2 inches long
facing the door.

If you pull down on that lever, the brake should
manually release.  That's the override in case the
vacuum system fails.

Good luck,

Mike

1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

BWX

Oh.. facing the door. Yeah I was thinking just using my phone to take some pics too. I'll try it!

TJ Hopland

If its like later years the manual lever doesn't really stand out.   On ones I have dealt with it was painted black just like many of the other linkage parts.  It would make it easier if they would have made it red or yellow or something that would stand out a bit.   

You should be able to see the big round vacuum actuator and the rod coming out of it.  The release will be what that rod connects to. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

DeVille68

There should be a neutral safety switch on top of the steering column at the bottom where the firewall is. It should have an electrical connector and vacuum ports. Can you start the car in drive? It should prevent from starting the car other than P or N.
The vacuum is sent to the parking brake only when in D or R, this releases the brake and further prevents the brake to lock again when used to slow down while in D and R. So it is a true emergency brake that can be modulated.
You can move the neutral safety switch side to side to adjust when the vacuum is sent to the parking brake.
There may also be more vacuum ports for the idle speed up when the A/C is one. Do not use these ports, then the release will not work right.

Best regards,
Nicolas
1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible (silver pine green)

TJ Hopland

Does the inspection require that the auto release works?   Or could he pass if he just finds and uses the manual release?  Worst case wrap a piece of wire around the handle to make it easier to operate?   I would guess they would be more concerned with the brake working than releasing but then again its government not logic.

Is the park/n switch on this all metal or is it a combination of metal and plastic like later ones?   On the later ones it was common for the plastic and metal sections to separate which obviously effects how well they function.   
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Cadillac Fleetwood

The manual release lever on a '69 is INBOARD of the parking brake pedal arm, rather than outboard, towards the door.  You will lift up on it. It disengages the toothed gear mechanism and allows spring pressure to release the brake.

Charles Fares
Forty-Five Years of Continuous Cadillac Ownership
1970 Fleetwood Brougham
1969 DeVille Convertible
1989 Fleetwood

"The splendor of the most special occasion is rivaled only by the pleasure of journeying there in a Cadillac"

Scot Minesinger

Highly recommend you buy the Cadillac Factory Shop Manual, it is worth it's weight in gold.  It spells out what I wrote below.  I have a three 1970 Cadillacs, which are nearly identical (and are on this topic).

This absolutely has a manual parking brake release so you can pass inspection.  To pass inspection the brake does not have to release automatically.  The release is right above the e-brake pedal, a lever about three inches long hinged toward the kick panel with lever pointing towards passenger side, just under dash - painted black.  Look under dash and it is easy to see, or even just feel for it while in driver seat.

The auto release is faulty probably because of the NSS.  You can check by applying a vacuum to the actuator and see if brake release works.

BTW you may be able to forgo inspection and register it is an antique - check State laws.  Although here in VA I proceed as you have and register it going thru inspections every year with ease.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

The Tassie Devil(le)

Quote from: TJ Hopland on July 24, 2019, 02:37:09 PM
Does the inspection require that the auto release works?   Or could he pass if he just finds and uses the manual release?
I wouldn't have thought that the auto park brake release would be a requirement for any roadworthy inspection.   Not many cars had them, and I am pretty sure that not many inspectors would know of their existence if they had never seen a Cadillac after 1960.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

BWX

#11
TJ Hopland, Mike Josephic, DeVille68, Cadillac Fleetwood, Michael.Klein, Scot Minesinger,

Thanks for all the info and replies! It's been a great help.

I will do some checks next time we are out there working on it and update this thread.

As far as if it will pass NY state inspection? Probably depends on the shop. I think if it is not in working order they can fail it (if i can't even manually release it).

I'd rather just fix it first if possible or get it so we can release it manually at least.

Anyways I took some pics up in there with my phone earlier and I think just now i see the handle.. maybe..   I didn't see it the first time I looked at the pics.






BWX

Quote from: Michael.Klein on July 25, 2019, 02:09:50 AM
Congratulations! You found it! 8)
Cool! Thanks.  I will try it tomorrow.  I just thought of something, it looks as if it may be designed to push up with your foot if you know where it is..  :o 

The Tassie Devil(le)

Definitely a pull with the fingers.

Try and use your foot, apart from applying pressure to the actual pedal, and you will bust it.

Takes very little pressure to release the pawl.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

76eldo

Since no one mentioned it I’ll be a nice guy and tell you to be very careful when you use the manual parking brake release. It’s a knuckle buster and I’ve been smacked on the hand more then once by the manual release.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Brian

Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

BWX

Little update...  I found the release and it seems to pull toward the rear of the car. The brake does not automatically release though, but I am able to more easily pull it up while the manual release is being pulled.

It seems like maybe the problem is in some drag on the lines or the mechanism/ spring.  At least there is a way to manually get the brake released though! So that's at least some progress.

The Tassie Devil(le)

If the pedal is not immediately coming up when lifting the lever, then I would say that the intermediate cable, that is the one from the pedal to the underneath centre of the car, is stiff within the outer sleeve.

Could be rust.

Or, the same thing with the rear lines to the rear brakes.

When I release the park brake on the Eldo, the pedal snaps off and releases the brakes.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

BWX

I think I'll try to lube up those cables where I can get to them..  And maybe see about replacing them if needed.

BWX

#18
A little update.
I checked all the things a tech might inspect and everything worked.

Trans was leaking badly but after filling it up and putting in some stop leak adaptive, and checking and slightly tightening the pan bolts (someone else did that) it is barely leaking at all. It was coming from somewhere above the pan, but maybe at the pan too, everything was wet under there.

Then I washed the huge beast by hand! Man she cleaned up nice. Pics are on my phone and I'm on my PC now so easiest to link to my Instagram post with new pics if anyone is interested.  (earlier pics in original post was after just rinsing surface dust off with water, it was still dirty)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0YVAmqHctD/

I actually drove it over to get inspected, about ten miles and it runs pretty strong. It got new tires last week. I think the tech forgot to check parking brake, but we got the inspection sticker. Parking brake can be manually released but I have to pull the manual release lever and pull up on handle so I'll still need to figure that out.

So I went to go fill her up after inspection and put the convertible top down. Switch made a popping noise and wasn't working consistently but the top went down no problem. I tested it the day before and the switch felt like it wasn't attached to anything really but worked ok, but you had to hold it just right.

********Well I got back from getting gas and the convertible top switch doesn't do anything. So unfortunately the top is stuck in the down position. I think it is the switch that is the problem, it worked intermittently even when it did work.  I see some online for about $160. I'll check any fuses I can find first. Did not have time yesterday.I wonder if there is a way to get the top up manually? I've been searching but no answer yet.
********
My stepfather did find a really nice shop manual in his stuff which is nice. I didn't see anything in there about manually raising the convertible top while I was looking through it.  He wanted to drive it to a family reunion with my mom today after getting it on the road. He's in his 80's and can't be in the sun so even though it isn't going to rain, he still can't take it unless we can get top up.  I have been searching this forum and found some threads about fuses under the dash and I will look there first, and all the fuses/ breakers I can find.

Hopefully it's just a fuse, and I can replace the flaky switch at a later date.  The old girl is doing pretty good though, especially for being in storage for several years.  On the way home from getting gas with the top down, and car sparkling clean, I got a ton of thumbs up, and people yelling out of their windows "nice car man!", and stuff like that, and seems like everybody turns their head.  People love this car- it is quite the experience driving it around! 








savemy67

Hello BWX,

I had a '69 DeVille convertible 43 years ago.  It is still one of my favorite body styles.

If you have a blown fuse, it might be a defective switch that caused the fuse to blow.  You could temporarily wire a switch from an electronics store for much less than $160.  This might get the top operating consistently.

You might be able to operate the top manually by disconnecting the hydraulic cylinders, although this would be quite a laborious chore - more so than getting the switch/fuse issue corrected.

Respectfully submitted,

Christopher Winter
Christopher Winter
1967 Sedan DeVille hardtop