RE: IML: 1961 Parking Brake

First, is it possible when the transmission shop was reinstalling the rebuilt transmission, that they did not attached the parking brake drum properly to the transmission and, thus, created this situation? If possible, would it make sense to take it back to the transmission shop along with the FSM and have them repair what they have done or should I just do it myself?

They couldn't have put the drum on wrong, but they could have put the parking brake back together wrong. I can't think of anything that would have caused this to happen on its own, but you really won't know until you pull that drum off there and see whats wrong. I wouldn't drive it in this condition as parts could wedge themselves between the drum and shoe and make a real mess of things back there.

Last, I was unable to find a cable adjustment screw/cam on the parking brake pedal & lever mechanism under the dash. The FSM shows a fairly detailed schematic of the parking brake pedal & lever assembly for both the Chrysler and Imperial models but shows an adjusting screw/cam on the Chrysler schematic and none for the Imperial schematic shown. Is there a cable adjustment under the dash for the Imperial or is it too at the brake drum on the transmission?

On my '59 the adjustment is at the transmission. There is an adjusting nut on the cable where it goes in to the brake assembly. I don't know if this should be the same or if it had changed by the time it got to your year.

BTW. Those shoes are getting very difficult to find. All of our regular sources told me they were out of them because no one will send back the cores. I finally found the last pair one supplier had but it took me a week.

Steve B.