Parking brake issues

[chevylookin]

Sounds like you might need to take the spring and heat up the ends to re-angle the the hooks. On my 64 short bed, the spring attaches on end to the cab cable lever by transmission on the first crossmember and extends over the lip of the second crossmember and it stays there without worry. It is a good amount of tension as I have to use a large, long heavyduty flathead screwdriver and leverage into place but you have the earlier X crossmember so I am not familiar. Post a pic