So for today's "ugly but it works" picture, behold my offset brake handle:
Just a piece of scrap 1" tubing, annealed and beat on with a hammer, and then riveted to a fuselage tool.
I discovered when removing and replacing the brake line sheaths that the old ones both had kinks in them where I had fed them through the gear legs that were pretty tight. The metal coil of the sheaths were both pinched tight.
So add yet another potential cause for why the brake locked up. When I released them they might not have completely released.
So the new lines will go along the outside of the gear legs, zip tied top and bottom and concealed somewhat by some aluminum tape that I'll paint.
Still working out the brake drum holes to fit the wheels - my wooden jig system didn't work - and the brake assembly thingy mount as well.
Here's something pretty, though:
Engine all put back together and runs pretty darned good: