How do you get the emergency brake of a 1966 Cadillac unstuck?

My husband has a 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood. The last time he took it for a drive, he parked it with the emergency brake on. When he tried to take it out again, he was unable to get it to come off. Does anyone know any tricks to getting the emergency brake to come off?|||Raise and support the car with a small hammer and enough force to move the cable but not damage it, tap the cable starting from the back wheels up to the front of the car. This will help break the cable free from any rust, dirt and debris that is keeping it locked. Attempt to release the E-brake. if the brake releases use a quality penetrating oil (WD-40 Is not a quality penetrating oil as it repels water, It does have lubrication properties but it's the rust that we are trying to get rid of.) and soak the cable really well. once the cable has been soaked down, work the park brake a few times to make sure it is freed up.


the E-brake is still locked solid. What now? You next step is to work on removing the drums as the links in side the drums have seized. sometimes a few good smacks with a hammer on the back plate and sides of the drum will free them enough to release the E-brake. If this is not working then you need to work the drum off but hitting the inner edge with a dead blow mallet. they will come off but it will take a lot of work. Once they are off you can proceed to lubricate and work the E-brake lose. This has worked on every old classic that we have had here in our shops. Once you have it loosened it's a good idea to lubricate the cable once a year and use it at least 2 or 3 times a year when the car is out on outings.|||if it is an emergency situation you could always cut the cable. But i would do that only if you needed to get the car moved, and there were no other options.|||Is it stuck at the cable, the pedal, or at the wheels? It's hard to tell you without knowing where it's stuck at. If it's stuck at the pedal it could be the little gear that locks it when you push the pedal. If it's the cable WD40 the full length of the cable. If it is inside the drums at the wheels you need to take the wheels off then the hubs and clean the backs of the brake pads with brake cleaner. As a matter of fact clean all the brake dust from inside the drum and backing plate. Ware a mask!!! If this is a car that spends most of it's life parked don't use the E brake to lock the car down. Chock the wheels if your afraid it might roll off. There is a lot of pressure on the cable when you apply the E brake. If you leave it there to long the cable will stretch and sometimes lock up. It will also stretch the return springs inside the drums if held open for extended periods.