I couldn't find anywhere else that talked about this, all I found were common problems with the handbrake. What I am looking for is this...

I just got a hold of this 1983 camaro and the previous owner had it sit for a while, started engine every month, It got drove very infrequently. The car is very sound mechanically all bearing, brakes, tranny, etc are great. But I got a small warning that the handbrake had a problem a long time ago, and they didn't know if it got fixed. What I need to know is what is the best way to go about doing a "Check-up" on the handbrake system without locking it up. I'm almost 100% sure its rear disc and all stock rear end. I can actually see the cable is still intact. ( or there at least) but haven't used it since I got it. I understand now that usage of the handbrake is almost required to maintain the rear brakes (although I haven't seen this little ratcheting piece yet) and its a 5-speed so I would like to have it working so I can quit finding flat spaces to park lol.

Thanks in advance for any help on this.

 

Well first, you can park it on a hill if you want, by just leaving it in gear; 1st or R is best because that gives the car the least amount of mechanical advantage on the engine. Turn your wheels toward the curb for added safety.

Not sure how you can be "almost 100% sure" you have discs... it's like beyond obvious. Look through the wheels: if it looks EXACTLY like the front, with a shiny smooth disc and some calipers, then they're {drum roll please} discs. If it looks like an upside-down saucepan with ribs around the side, it's drums.

The parking brake cable is adjustable. The adjustment is at the top the transmission tunnel near the center of the car, near the front of the drive shaft. The cables to each wheel, right behind the adjuster, should ride inside 2 little groove features made onto the bottom of the car body. There are also supposed to be 2 little metal "S" hooks holding the cables up. If anyof that isn't there then there will be so much slack in the cables that you won't have enough adjustment to take it all up, so make sure all of that is intact, properly installed, and in working order. Then, if you have drums, the shoes have to be adjusted up tight inside the drums; and if you have discs, you probably need new calipers before they'll ever work, because if somebody didn't use the parking brake religiously before, then all that stuff is all rusted into a solid mass.