Remember the movie JAWS?
Every time you think it is safe……
Felt like that last night.
I constantly hope to be finished with the grinder on this built, and then it has to come out again.
Last night, after removing the side handle (I hacked a finger tip doing this 30 years ago) I slipped it from the diff, up the transmission tunnel to get to the 6 rusted in bolts and cut them back in order to remove the rubber boot on the handbrake lever.
Then, taking the best part of an hour (yes, I am extremely patient) a load of Duck oil and a screwdriver, small ball pein hammer and a ton of up and down, in and outing, I tried to get the button to release so that I could hand operate it.
FAILED TOTALLY.
It moves in and out, but only with serious persuasion.
In the end I walked away as I could not figure how to get the rubber handle off, without damaging it.
I sprayed more Duck oil in from both ends, using the extension to get in from the bottom.
Seems this has truly succumbed to 15 plus years out in a field in Scotland.