URGENT: Need driver's side S-shaped brake hardline

[BoldUlysses]

Does anyone have one of these lying around they can ship to me (central NC, ZIP 27023) so that it'll arrive by next Tuesday?

#14 here:

One of the fittings is completely rounded on the one I have, and I'm trying to get my Z back on the road for the first time in 8 years so I can drive my son to school in it on his last day of 1st grade (next Thursday). Called my local Nissan parts counter Z expert and he says they're NLA. I also went to Carquest, NAPA and the local import parts specialist and none of them can match up the thread size and pitch.

Any help would be awesome. I'm going to call local junkyards tomorrow...

Edited May 31, 2012 by BoldUlysses

[SteveJ]

Try calling Z Specialties at 800-518-5480. They have the bridge tube listed on their site. (http://www.datsunstore.com/index.php/cName/7073-240-z1-brakes-1)

By the way, Black Dragon offers brake tubing with metric threads, though I'm not certain about the pitch. See page 89 of their catalog.

[Zed Head]

You can buy pre-fitted and flared lines of the desired length, with the proper thread, from most auto parts stores. With a piece of wood and some wood screws you can build a jig for making the bends. Or if you're in a hurry, you could just screw one end in and make it work, and re-do it later.

Take a length of string or wire to the piece you have to get the length dimension you need. You could have it done in a few hours.

[zKars]

The proper thread is 3/16 tubing, with 10mm x 1.00mm nuts, using double SAE flare. Not a lot of metric choices to choose from, just being sure.

Don't worry about getting the exact shape or length, just go buy a 12" piece (maybe two, one for practice) from any auto store, thread in one end to the caliper, snug it down and then bend it in a loop until it fits into the hose end, without kinking and clear of the caliper and strut tube. Not much to get in the way unless you get to close to the wheel well or something.

Leave the hose end loose from its mounting point so you have wiggle room to make it thread into place without having to have the exact shape. Wear gloves and bend it around your fingers, a little at a time. Don't be afraid to use wide pliers to help if you pad the jaws. Practice with a piece of thick wire to see what path you need to take to get it into both ends without getting it too long or crazy but with only wide radius bends.

Have your son help with the bleeding process by pressing on the brake! You'll get him to school in the Z one way or the other!

[BoldUlysses]

Thanks for the advice and tips, guys. I just ordered a brake bridge from Z Specialties. Should be here on Tuesday. Nice talking to the gentleman—he gave me a lot of good advice about working on the car, especially concerning replacing the diff gasket, which is the task for tonight.

I might try making my own brake bridges for the rear wheel cylinders. My Z has the early cylinders (in spite of being a 7/72 build) and I'd like to switch to the later ones eventually, since their availability seems to be higher.

[SteveJ]

Z Specialties is good people. Oliver was a fixture at Zcar.com for a long time. He helped a lot of people on that board.

[Wade Nelson]

Next time, go to NAPA, get a generic piece, and find a friend / machine shop with a tubing bender. Or pick one up in a pawn shop for $10. You can bend by hand, around dowels and such, but a bender does a nicer job. After bending 3-4 pieces you'll learn how to get the lengths right.

[BoldUlysses]

Thanks for the input, but as mentioned, neither NAPA nor Carquest nor the local import parts specialty place could match up the thread size/pitch of the fitting. Otherwise I'd have done exactly as you suggested—bought a length of straight pipe with two fittings and fabbed it up myself.