...at least I think that's why I can't reverse. I haven't been using my parking brake for a while because it tends to hang up. But I applied it last week when the car was jacked up for bodywork. Yesterday the car would reverse for a foot or so then suddenly stop as if I hit something. After rolling forward a few feet, I could then reverse with no issue other than a slight scraping noise coming from the rear. Then this morning, after applying the parking brake again, I had trouble reversing once I arrived at my destination: after rolling for a foot or two the car suddenly stops as if it's hitting something.

When the car was jacked up, it was supported by the jack stands on the rear axle.

I've had my share of embarrassing issues over the years but this is an interesting one. Any thoughts?
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 317,000 miles
Original engine, transmission, drive train, starter
Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

1972 142 S - The Yellow Brick - 135,000 miles
All stock except for Weber Carb. B20B engine. M40

You were right - the parking brake in the driver's side rear had broken up. I had a mechanic remove the pieces in both wheels until I can get it installed. It will have to wait until warmer weather, though. Meanwhile, I'll have to cancel my road trip to the mountains.
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 317,000 miles
Original engine, transmission, drive train, starter
Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

1972 142 S - The Yellow Brick - 135,000 miles
All stock except for Weber Carb. B20B engine. M40

They look something like this before the lining comes completely loose and eventually breaks up into pieces piling up on one another and jamming the brake. It makes for a memorable event if you're going 30 mph when it jams.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

"Hanging is too good for a man who makes bad puns...
....he should be drawn and quoted."

Two possibilities come to mind. One, you may have damaged one of the emergency brake cables somehow when jacking up the car. The cables leave the drive shaft tunnel and then connect to the axle via two tubes inboard of the brake back plates. I once worked on a car where the e-brake would occasionally not release and found one of the tubes smashed. This can jam the cable where it enters the back plate. You may also have a jam in the cable itself somewhere between the e-brake handle and the back plate.

The second possibility is that your e-brake(s) themselves, or their activating mechanisms, inside the rear rotor hats, have either jammed due to corrosion, or fallen to pieces in some fashion.

After first examining underneath for physical damage to the outside of the cables, I would pull the rear rotors and look for obvious problems. If everything seems in place, then have someone activate the hand brake while yo watch the brake mechanisms.

DS