Handbrake handle removal (Pictures at foot of Tutorial)

Perhaps the most basic modification you can do to your Corsa interior is to replace that nasty plastic handbrake handle with a shiny alloy one or something leather from the likes of Momo.
Once removed, fitting a new handbrake handle is done in seconds, it's just removing the old thing that's the problem.

An electric mini-saw (ala Dremel) is probably the easiest tool or failing that, a junior hacksaw, bags of energy and a few choice swear words will get the job done just as well!
Hopefully, you'll not have to hack your handle into a thousand pieces before you realise there's an easier way...

Vauxhall vacuum form the plastic handle in the Corsa onto the metal handbrake level, with only two little lugs about 2 inches from the handle used to hold it in place.
Because of the angle and shape of the handbrake lever, the only direction the plastic handle is coming off is forwards (towards the dashboard), but the two lugs prevent this - I personally sliced the handle to bits with a hacksaw before I realised where the two lugs were, but hopefully with this guide you can make an informed guess and cut out the plastic in the lugs on the first attempt.
Once the plastic is free from the lugs, the handle should slide straight off the sleeve.

Another method may be to heat the plastic handle however you should only need to concentrate on the areas where the lugs are located - just enough heat to free the plastic and allow you to pull the handle off.
Fitting the new handle really depends on which handle you've gone for but most simply slide over and are secured by a small allen-key grub screw.

Guide by Joff, number 1 in a 10 part series. Free binder with part 2.





[Edited on 26-10-2003 by Romford Astra]