Brake Line/Fuel Line Question
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Dickinson (Houston) Texas
Brake Line/Fuel Line Question
I have the body off my '78 Vette right now, and am building a Big Block for it.
As with a lot of us, life slapped me in the face and I lost my job. I want to keep on with working on my project, but since money is limited right now, I want to take some shortcuts, but not at the expense of lowering the quality of the finished Vette. I have plenty of time to work on the Vette now so fabricating things for it is appealing to me.
I need to replace my brake and fuel lines while I can get to them. Can I just buy stock stainless lines, and bend them myself and flare the ends, or is it just as cost effective to buy the pre-made lines?
www.bigdogvettes.com
As with a lot of us, life slapped me in the face and I lost my job. I want to keep on with working on my project, but since money is limited right now, I want to take some shortcuts, but not at the expense of lowering the quality of the finished Vette. I have plenty of time to work on the Vette now so fabricating things for it is appealing to me.
I need to replace my brake and fuel lines while I can get to them. Can I just buy stock stainless lines, and bend them myself and flare the ends, or is it just as cost effective to buy the pre-made lines?
www.bigdogvettes.com
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 1,507
From: Little Rock AR
I know what you mean about the "resume enhancement opportunity". Got the axe a few months ago myself.Buy some tin coated Bundyflex steel tubing and a double flare kit. You can make all the lines you want for about $1/foot that way. I have even re-used the coiled armor from some of the original lines. You can buy the armor by itself but that is more costly than bare lines and you probably will need to buy it from a resto house.
I would not go stainless. It is a pain to buy, pain to fabricate, pain to seal, and costs more.
The bundyflex will outlast you if you are the typical C3 owner who babies his ride much more than the original owners did.
-Mark.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Dickinson (Houston) Texas
Thanks!!
Did you use anything special to bend the tubing around, or just something like a pipe?
www.bigdogvettes.com
Did you use anything special to bend the tubing around, or just something like a pipe?
www.bigdogvettes.com
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
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From: Huntersville NC
Originally Posted by matchframe
Thanks!!
Did you use anything special to bend the tubing around, or just something like a pipe?
Did you use anything special to bend the tubing around, or just something like a pipe?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 1,507
From: Little Rock AR
I have a K-D bender that will do 4 different sizes of line by swapping the wheel out. I also have a K-D double flaring kit. They are not the best tools out there but they get the job done for me. Good hobby quality IMHO.
I have used a spare alternator pulley in a bench vise in a pinch and that works pretty well.
-Mark.
P.S. - Remember the mantra "Put the fitting on the line first" and chant this often while bending up the lines. You would be amazed at how many times I ended up with perfectly formed lines, perfectly formed flares and then see the fitting sitting there on the bench!!!
I have used a spare alternator pulley in a bench vise in a pinch and that works pretty well.
-Mark.
P.S. - Remember the mantra "Put the fitting on the line first" and chant this often while bending up the lines. You would be amazed at how many times I ended up with perfectly formed lines, perfectly formed flares and then see the fitting sitting there on the bench!!!
