Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Chancer wrote:

Mazzini wrote:Perhaps a silly question, but are hydraulic brakes legal in the UK?

I think that you mean hydraulic [u]hand[u]brakes.

Yes you are quite right - thank you.

Hello again. I've been driving around all week in sunshine and rain, on country roads and in heavy traffic, and in particular up a lot of hills, and I have to say the new hydraulic handbrake has been perfect. Today I spent ages in rush hour city traffic crawling up hill and found the handbrake easy to use and very effective. It helps that is on the left like a modern car and you lift it up to put it on and down to take it off. It's much more like a normal handbrake. The only thing to remember is that you have to hold the foot brake on until you have pulled the handbrake lever up. But that's not hard to do. Once it's on it holds the car the same as if you were pressing hard on the foot pedal. Pulling away is easy. I was so pleased I came home actively looking for hill starts to do!

Thank you for the post .
It is a handy addition to the rather clumsy standard handbrake set up.

Here's my hydraulic handbrake



As the manual release mechanism is covered by the tunnel cover, I had to fit an electric actuator and button.

Someone help me with my brain fade please.

Fly off handbrakes, the sort used for auto-crossing with the ratchet reversed, in the misty muddles of my memory I recall them being either illegal or an MOT failure, I had one on one of my 7's, probably modified by myself but I also recall having had a road car with one that caught everyone out, a Triumph Herald or Spitfire perhaps?

ring any bells for anyone?

My 1955 Triumph TR2 had one. I wondered what happened to them. I sold the car in 1962.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

The MGA has a fly off handbrake as standard - catches out modern mechanics (technicans)?!!

Having Googled it must have been one of my early Triumphs, none of the early 7's would have had one as they used a Coventry climax fork lift handbrake handle tucked under the dash that you needed to release the 4 point harness to reach, it must have been one of my Westfields that I converted to fly off.

Doesn't seem that they are illegal or an MOT fail either sp I must have imagined that.

Only just seen this thread and a brake line lock looks to be an excellent idea.

I’m surprised that there aren’t more cars fitted with this.

If your car is 1967 it's MoT exempt????

Yes, this thread was started quite a few years ago before the MOT changes. We fitted the hydraulic line lock just to make it easier than stretching forward to use the umbrella one. It makes it a lot easier on long hills in traffic. It just holds the car as if you’d kept your foot on the brake pedal. No more jumping from pedal to pedal and no more worn out handbrake pads.

mikealdren wrote:If your car is 1967 it's MoT exempt????

1971 Historic so MOT exempt. However I will retain the umbrella handbrake for MOT.

Couldn’t find the info in the thread but here goes, sorry if I offend.

I use a hydraulic “line-lock” style brake for work every day, so I know the shortcomings, and strengths.
Indeed it works for a short period of time, 1-2hr max. Beyond that, your asking for trouble.
Short stops, like has been described. Ascending a hill, suppose even descending. Getting out to drop a present off etc, but not for prolonged e-brake requirements.
Here in Canada, a secondary brake system is considered an e-brake. There is only one vehicle (farming and off-road is different) that I know of legally allowed to use a line-lock. Wrecker/Recovery towing. As we require the Power Take off to be turning, engine running, in neutral. Doesnt mean we dont use wheel chocks (I’ve crushed a few of those over the years) also the Spade that goes on the Stinger arm does its fare share of biting.

mikealdren wrote:If your car is 1967 it's MoT exempt????

Just because a car is MOT exempt does not relieve the owner/driver from the obligation to make it as safe on the road as if it still had to do an MOT.

I suspect that if a driver has an accident and the insurance assessor discovered any unsafe features the insurance company would treat it as if the car being driven had failed its MOT. Missing a mechanical handbrake would probably classify as an unsafe situation.

billwill wrote:

mikealdren wrote:If your car is 1967 it's MoT exempt????

Just because a car is MOT exempt does not relieve the owner/driver from the obligation to make it as safe on the road as if it still had to do an MOT.

I suspect that if a driver has an accident and the insurance assessor discovered any unsafe features the insurance company would treat it as if the car being driven had failed its MOT. Missing a mechanical handbrake would probably classify as an unsafe situation.

There was no mention of removing the mechanical handbrake in any of the posts.

The idea is to have a supplemental hydraulic lock in a convenient position for facilitating hill starts. The mechanical handbrake remains in place for long term parking and MOT requirements.