New Guy 56 Project Truck

[PackardV8]

You said the case is closed, but your truck had an emergency brake system when it was new. Do you know why yours doesn't work? Dana 44 axles have been used on many thousands of vehicles, so parts are readily available.

Skip, if you thought about it, you'd remember the 4-speeds have the parking brake drum on the transmission output flange with an external contracting band. They didn't have the linkages to the rear brake drums.

Of course, the under-dash handle, cables and linkage from the 3-speed trucks could be added and use the Dana 44 rear brake drums as a parking brakes.

jack vines

[Jerry Forrester]

If you want to get rid of the manual trans and tow a 7500 lb trailer. Pull both the motor and trans and find a 6.0 gas LS & auto overdrive out of a chev or Gmc pickup and do a swap. There are a lot of places doing the computer rewire so it is a stand alone system. Now your working with 300 hp plus depending on what the motor came out of and set up. Way more power and better gas mileage if you working it.

Best advice so far.

[Skip Lackie]

Skip, if you thought about it, you'd remember the 4-speeds have the parking brake drum on the transmission output flange with an external contracting band. They didn't have the linkages to the rear brake drums.

Of course, the under-dash handle, cables and linkage from the 3-speed trucks could be added and use the Dana 44 rear brake drums as a parking brakes.

jack vines

One of the many disadvantages of geezer-dom is that you can't remember important stuff, like the parking brake arrangement on trucks equipped with 4-speed transmissions. However, it must be noted that I also forgot the fact that the truck under discussion was equipped with a 4-spd trans (post #1).