Access to cable for heater lever?

[Ted S]

New-to-me 911 owner from Northern VA here.. Picked up my favorite toy ever in early November of last year - a '78 Targa. It's a California car with LOTS of history. Nothing fancy, just a clean driver. I've spent countless hours polishing the oxidized paint to a gloss, doing some minor repairs and doing TONS of reading here on Pelican. I've even received my first shipment of goodies from Pelican :-) And of course I've been driving the heck out of it every chance I get. Obligatory new-guy pics are attached.

I'm stumped on something and I'm hoping to get some guidance. (I've practically worn the search button out). How in the heck can I get access to where the cable connects to the center heat levers? The passenger side cable is not connected. I read about an access panel under the passenger seat so I removed it to no avail. I see no access panel nor access from below the car. What am I missing?

As an aside, I 'd like to say a huge thank you to Wayne and the collective Porsche brain trust that has made this forum one of my favorite online places.

[javadog]

Lots of threads talk about similar, but not-the-same subjects. Removing the passenger seat and opening the access cover is useful for dealing with the cable on a car equipped with the auto heat option. With manual levers, not so much...

What you need to do is first disconnect the cable at the flapper box under the car. Then, realize that your heater levers are part of the handbrake assembly, so removal of that assembly is what you need to do. You may not need to remove it all of the way. It depends on how much slack you have, how much of a contortionist you are, whether you have friends like the little people in Gulliver's Travels, etc...

Have fun,
JR

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by javadog

Lots of threads talk about similar, but not-the-same subjects. Removing the passenger seat and opening the access cover is useful for dealing with the cable on a car equipped with the auto heat option. With manual levers, not so much...

What you need to do is first disconnect the cable at the flapper box under the car. Then, realize that your heater levers are part of the handbrake assembly, so removal of that assembly is what you need to do. You may not need to remove it all of the way. It depends on how much slack you have, how much of a contortionist you are, whether you have friends like the little people in Gulliver's Travels, etc...

Have fun,
JR

Thank you Javadog - at 6'3" and 230lbs, I'm not much of a contortionist, but we'll give 'er a try!

[Mr.Doback]

What are the odds that a fellow GPW 911 owner from Northern VA is doing the same job I am this week....

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Ted S

Thank you Javadog - at 6'3" and 230lbs, I'm not much of a contortionist, but we'll give 'er a try!

In that case, I'd suggest pulling the seat out anyway... it takes 5 minutes and makes things a lot easier.

JR

[78SCRSMAN]

Ted, you will also need to remove the nut (one each side) that secures the e-brake cables. This will allow you to remove the entire assembly. To get at those nuts, you will need to remove the rear wheels and the brake rotors. They are behind the rotors.
Also, if the cable is not attached to one lever, it is likely broken! The cables have a large loop and would not come off on their own. There is another way but trust me, this is the easiest. Also you can get the e-brake adjusted up when you're finished.