66 Parking Brake Handle

I recently bought a new parking brake handle, however the original one is  still on.  How do you get it off?  I realize that thier is a small pin that holds it on to the shaft, but it's in thier real tight.  Is thier any trick to taking this off?  

I use a finishing punch to remove and install the brake handles. It looks like a center punch but its used for finishing nails so the point is small. I have also used a super small junk screwdriver to push it out too.- Ron  

ok, but the handle is still on there good, even with the pin removed, which thank you the finishing punch worked good, the handle does'nt just come off, and i'm doing this inside the car which makes it a little more difficult to get good leverage on it. Is there still something i'm missing?  

The shaft most likely has a bit o rust on it and is fused in place into the plastic. It should come off if you try twisting the handle and pulling out on it. I guess you could try getting some liquid wrench into the pin hole. But it should come of with a pull twist.- Ron  

I'd remove the whole parking brake to be able to really work on it. Couple of screws and couple of nuts, remove the pin from the wheel at the back to get the cable lose. I replaced mine long ago but seems it was stubborn like yours. I think I had to grind some away to loosen its hold. Be sure if you take it out to get it on, notice its orientation on the rod. I put mine on 180* off thke first time.  

Try a dremel tool with the cutting wheel attachment.I had to do this with mine when the pin would not remove.Cut a notch then use a screw driver to twist the plastic and metal.  

I've got a 65 and the amazing thing was that the pin holding the parking brake handle could be pushed in, but there was no way to push it back out! After much filing and prying...I took a recipricating saw to it. Sounds drastic but after an hour of other ideas, this one worked. I guess they never figured a parking brake handle could go bad.  

I just did this myself.  After you've removed the pin, soak the handle in liquid wrench.  Add a little elbow grease and it should come off.