Classic Tube brake/fuel/clutch lines purchased with comparison pics

[xray]

I just got in my replacement steel lines for the brakes, gas and clutch. After searching every source I could come up with, I had no success except at Classic Tube. Thinking I could bend them myself, I attempted to replicate some of the BMC to brake switch tubes as a test case. I spent several hours trying (and subsequently failing) to accurately bend to my satisfaction the short lengths available from NAPA for those lines. I tried sanding, priming and painting my old lines (Eastwoods CAD paint system), but they look very fake, and don't deal with the core issue--inner corrosion. Plus, the flares and nuts were rusted and would look pretty poor against a nice shiny engine bay.

So, I purchased the stainless steel fuel set (supply, return and vapor), clutch line and brake set. Not cheap. But, the bends and overall appearance are definitely high quality. The hardware is a perfect match. Some of the bends look a little too "machine" bent (which they are) compared to the more "hands on" bending done in the 1970s, but with some minor tweaking they fit and look great! I know stainless isn't OEM, but it'll last longer than plating, won't corrode as quickly, and maintains (IMO) a better appearance overall.

Here are some pics:

[back-to-zcars]

Could you tell us who the supplier was?

They do look nice.

DAve

[xray]

The company is "Classic Tube," as stated in the title

http://classictube.com/

Steve

[back-to-zcars]

Sorry my bad, totally missed that and even looked!

Dave

[240znz]

Nice work

[xray]

Sorry my bad, totally missed that and even looked!

Dave

No problem. Not many folks seem to be in the need for tube replacement now, but if someone is in the future, hopefully a search will turn up this thread and pics and help someone else out!

[dkd021]

Good luck getting those in. I'm in the process of doing mine. It's a bear for me because of the binding in the back of the car & the position I'm in.

What have you done for your fuel line insulators? I tried to get some new/repro ones but couldn't find any. I checked everywhere. What I did was take some engine stop leak junk & put my old ones in there. After a few days in the stuff & another halfday sitting out, they've become surprisingly pliable & easy to use. They're a little oily, but not nearly as bad as I expected.

[xray]

DKD021,

A buddy of mine and I are going to get them back in place, since keeping them all together and properly oriented will likely be frustrating for one person. I'm going to do something similar to what you describe for the insulators. Most of mine look OK, but not great. There is no repro for them (after looking for the last year), and none of the Z junkyard shops have anything available when I contacted them. Ditto with the brackets for the firewall. Seems like it would be an easy piece to fabricate for those with contacts in the industry, but a couple of attempts in the past (by members of this board, IIRC) have been non-starters.

What tubing are you using? Did you just clean up your originals? Go with Classic Tube, or a different vendor?

Thanks,

Steve

[dkd021]

I used my original fuel lines but got the brake lines from Classic Tube. After getting them cad plated, the fuel lines showed flaws than I expected. I should've just went stainless steel for both from CT. Live & learn I guess.

[Carl Beck]

Hi X-Ray:

The tube coming down from the brake master cylinder to the distribution block... the one on the right in the last picture ...... looks completely wrong...

What did you do about that?

What year Z did CT think that line was for?

Thanks,

Carl B.

[webdawg1]

How about Fedhill? Did you check them out as well?

http://www.fedhillusa.com/

90-10 copper-nickel tube would be pretty easy to work with compared to the stainless steel...

webdawg1

[Zup]

Here is a link to the sideline above about the rubber insulators/standoffs discussed previously.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?p=212067#post212067

There was, and still is, interest in reproduction of these seemingly simple parts.

(ME!! )

KTM did not have any luck. Will has about a billion things going on. :nervous:

I liked JimmyZ's bandsaw/drill approach using hard rubber, but it needs to be 3/4" thick and it won't reproduce the ridges on the sides that the originals had to locate and secure the blocks in the metal clamps.

Attached are pixs of some insulators that I cleaned up using laquer thinner and then sprayed with PlastiDip. Given several coats, it greatly improves the degraded finish and mends the imperfections (cracks and splits) in the surface with a resilient layer that is quite durable. Not perfect by any means, but I think you will agree it is a worthwhile improvement. The blocks that were applied without the splits are most difficult because of the needed masking steps to get a clean line at the transition between the rubber and the hard line.

Rejuvenation of these small bits, is in my mind, one of the more difficult aspects of a restoration that looks reasonably well done and any suggestions or comments are appreciated.

If someone steps up and reproduces these please keep me in mind.

It remains one of those nagging items that I wish was available.

Jim D.

"Zup"