Good day all: In the process of prepping the engine compartment of my Pinto. Inspection of the passenger line reveals some rather substantial rust damage, really warranting a replacement of the line. Having been removed, I have no issues with creating a new line (given I'm not going to buy one at a Napa anytime soon ), but from others' experiences here, what would YOUR recommendation(s) be regarding brake line replacement? Stainless steel? Standard material? Other? Tricks/tips? Where would one readily source a length of material that would be of sufficient length? This guy is pretty long..... Thanks for your inputs. Chris
Stainless is awsome but you will need some awsomely priced tools to work it/flare it. Regular plain old steel line is fine and simple to work/flare. Buy it by the roll if you dont want to get lengths. You will have use for the roll down the road (trust me) If you can try and buy the green coated stuff if you are concerned with rust,or paint the lines prior to install to protect em... Good luck!!!
The "laminated" brake and fuel line is what you want to get - that is what comes in the various lengths with nuts and pre-formed flares or you can get it in different roll quantities. It is soft steel tubing that is easy to put the inverted flare (double flare) that the nuts need. Match the sizes - don't put larger lines on - it just causes a mild spongy brake feel. replace the "rubber" lines too - they get weak and when they fail it is almost always a catastrophic failure (it drains the brake fluid VERY fast) Protection against rust is best done after installation - brake fluid will take most finishes off so if there is any fluid in the system it will remove the finish. If you're assembling the system dry then you can paint it before installation. Use any good enamel with a decent primer. If you want the look of stainless then put the primer on, and then use a "high gloss chrome" color and finish it off with clear gloss enamel. That will give a look of gloss metalic gray - like stainless after it is exposed to air for a while. Either way you go (fixed lengths or by the roll) you are going to need a good flare tool and the invered flare (double flare) adapters to go with it.
Leave the stainless to the show cars that want to polish them. I have read it's more difficult to get the stainless to seal being it's a hard material. You might also make contact with an industrial hose supplier, I work for one and we stock the tubing in 20' lengths. The only reason I mention that is it's easier to have straight lines when you start with a stright stick. Hopefully if you find it that way they are a kind as we are and will cut it to length instead of selling you 20'.
