Bill-
Correction accepted generically. My only frame of reference is US where in my
younger years handbrake and emergency brake were interchangable and I never
heard of a parking brake except in a phrase like 'set the handbrake when
parking.' Now all manufacturers seem to label the handbrake as a parking brake
and in owner's manuals refer to it as such. Instructions are given in these
manuals dictating its only safe use as a parking brake. Even they know its not
safe this way.
The terms handbrake and emergency brake have lost usage in my experience and I
personally don't refer to the self locking brake by these terms because it
isn't safe for such use.
Ernest
----------
From: "BILL SCHOOLER" <bschooler@uhd2.uhd.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 1996 15:59 PM
To: <larry.g.unger@lmco.com>; Ernest <barrister@lawref.com>
Cc: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: Fly-off Emergency Brake
Ernest et al,
The Special Tuning booklet from BMC concerning the MGB includes the
part number for a kit to modify the original handbrake to a flyoff
configuration. Don't agree about the terms used in latest post.
It's a handbrake, no matter how configured (IMHO). I have always
considered "emergency brake" and "parking brake" to be exclusively
American terms.
Amusing anecdote follows. Well, fairly amusing. Anyway, it's an
anecdote......upon arrival in London for a tour of duty with the USAF
I was eager to begin the driving experience. I paid particular
attention to how the locals did things, but the one thing that had me
puzzled for awhile was the noise that occurred every time I came to a
stop at a traffic light or stop sign. Finally figured it out.
Standard procedure in England is to apply the hand brake whenever
stopped at traffic light/stop sign. The noise was the ratcheting
sound from everybody else's handbrake! I quickly realized that with
the majority of autos having manual transmissions, this was a good,
common sense procedure and adopted it. From there it was an easy
transition to properly starting from a stop on an incline with a
manual transmission car, holding the car stationary as you slowly
released the clutch, disengaging the hand brake just as the clutch
began taking up the load. Watching people in this country take off
from a red light, on a upgrade, in a manual still gets my goat as they
roll backwards until the clutch engages.
Bill
<Date: Wed, 27 Nov 96 10:14:05 -0800
<From: Ernest <barrister@lawref.com>
<To: <larry.g.unger@lmco.com>
<Cc: mgs@autox.team.net
<Subject: RE: Fly-off Emergency Brake
<Reply-to: Ernest <barrister@lawref.com>
<I have studied the B and think it to be a small modification to move the
spring point on the latch to convert it to a fly-off brake. Plan on trying it
when I get time.
<Incidentally, the fly-off is an 'emergency' brake and the later self locking
is a "parking brake' in proper terminology. The change was prompted by industry
wide PR considerations of the time.
<Ernest
----------
From: <larry.g.unger@lmco.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 1996 18:00 PM
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: Fly-off Emergency Brake
Ross MacPherson wrote:
>>Regarding the "stockness" I don't know about A's or
>>later Magnettes but I believe all T's and earlier did
>>indeed leave Abingdon with fly-off handbrakes.
>
Ross, the 'A's also left Abingdon fitted with a fly-off
handbrake ... I find it rather shocking to hear that later
models were not fitted with the proper handbrake. ;^)
Safety Fast! ... larry.g.unger@lmco.com
'61 MGA 1600 MkII
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