I bought a replacement parking brake handle on Ebay and when I swapped it last night, I noticed that it was quite a bit different than my stock one. I thought it might be nice to get feedback from everybody so that we can learn about the various different handles and what years/models they were used on.

I'm aware of the grey leather ones in the firebirds, the black leather ones in the Camaros, and the plain plastic ones that were probably in both. What I find odd though is that the leather on my new one is different than my original. The stitches are much smaller, and there's more of them. The grain and shine of the leather is also very different, though that could be partially due to age and *** knows how much armor all on the original one. What's interesting is that the grain and stitching on the handle should probably match the shift **** and perhaps the steering wheel, and if there's this much variation between model years, it could make a concours restoration very interesting.

Anyway, let's start a poll of sorts by answering the following questions:

1. What year is your car?
2. Camaro or Firebird?
3. Trim level? (SC, IROC, etc)
4. Did your car come with a stock leather steering wheel?
5. Did your car come with a stock leather shift ****?
6. What does your parking brake handle look like?
A. What is the color?
B. Does it have the large or small stitches (if it's leather at all)?
7. Does it attach with a fine thread screw or a self tapping screw?

Attached is the pic of my 2. The bottom one is my original 85 handle. The top one is the one I just bought. You can see that the original has much larger stitches, and though it's hard to tell in this pic, it's also much shinier with a smoother grain to the leather. Another interesting thing is that the new one came with a fine thread machine type screw instead of the self tapping job that held my original in. The machine screw wouldn't work so I had to re-use the self tapping screw.

 

My 86 Iroc had a leather wrapped wheel and the leather wrapped automatic shift ****. My e-brake handle is still intact however and it looks identical to your original on the bottom there. I dont have a pic of it but I can tell you without a doubt it is identical to your original. FYI when my car still had the automatic I purchased a leather shift **** from year one and it was exactly like my stock one.

 

ya my 84z28 came with the bottom one also replaced it with a plastic one

 

I have an 89 iroc and it has a handle like the lower one in your pic

is the other one from a bird?

Speed

 

1-1983
2-Camaro
3-Z28 w/Custom Cloth interior4
4-Yes to stock leather steering wheel
5-Yes to stock leather shift ball
6-Like the bottom handle in your pic
6A-Black
6B-Large stitches
7-Fine pitch in first hole of the parking brake metal handle(did you notice there's second hole in the handle?)

 

Hey Jim,

Can't say as though I've seen one like the top one before... But then I've never looked all that closely. I've got a couple from 83-84 Z28's that all look like the bottom one, same as the one in my 87 Iroc.

The later Firebirds (85-up) all used grey leather, with stitching spaced about the same as the bottom handle.

It's possible that its from an 82-84 Firebird or a later (90-up) Z28, but I'd suspect its either been recovered or its an aftermarket copy or from some other type of vehical.

As for the screw, I've seen both fine thread retaining screws and self tapping. Not sure which goes with which vehical though.

 

85 IROC with leather steering wheel and leather-covered shift ****, both in black. The handle is like the second one. Unsure about the screw.

JamesC

 

1. 1988
2. Camaro
3. IROC-Z
4. Stock leather steering wheel.
5. Stock leather shift ****.
6. Black leather, like the bottom one pictured.
A. Black
B. Large stitches, same as **** and wheel.
7. Fine thread screw.

Perhaps the one you bought has be recovered?

 

could one be leather and one vinyl???

 

In the case of my 2 handles, both appear to be real leather. It's entirely possible that the one I bought is an aftermarket piece, but I'm not aware of there being any aftermarket repops.

I'm also finding it interesting that most of the guys responding have a machine-thread screw holding theirs in, while mine is a self tapper.

 

Here's another pic of the two handles:

 

Jim on your car does the parking brake handle itself have 2 holes drilled in it?And does the self-tapping screw on your's go in the first or second hole(from the release button end)?The machine thread screw on mine goes in the first hole.Could it even come down to what plant the car was built at?Mine is a van Nuys car.

 

Where's this one fit:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=342550

JamesC

 

1. 1986
2. firebird
3. base
4. plastic/vinal steering wheel
5. plastic vinal shiftknob (stick)
6. What does your parking brake handle look like?
A. grey
B. plastic
7. fine thread screw


1. 1988
2. firebird
3. GTA
4. Did your car come with a stock leather steering wheel? yes
5. Did your car come with a stock leather shift ****? automatic, yes
6. What does your parking brake handle look like?
A. black
B. large
7. Does it attach with a fine thread screw or a self tapping screw?... you know... i have never removed it. EDIT fine thread

 

Cavalier, or early 80's Sunbird.

 

1. 1987
2. Firebird
3. Trans Am
4. Yes
5. Yes
6. No. 2
A. Grey
B. large
7. No idea- never have removed it

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=343247

 

I posted a best guess, sorry I didn't make that more clear. Learn something new everyday.

 

S'ok, I am a continuing thirdgen student as well LOL

 

I havn't had a chance yet to check if it fits; However, I put a momo parking brake leather handle on my 88 Supra that looks REALLY sharp!

If you run a search on Ebay for MOMO, it probably will pop up, or your local Hot Rod parts shop probably has the momo color catalogue. I did the momo brake, shift handle, pedal, door sills on the Supra and it really gave the car a refined, fresh look. Nitro

 

Um... thanks, but I'm more or less just trying to learn about the stock variables, not the world of the aftermarket.