Is it possible to remove and replace the brake line going to the rear of a 1970 240Z WITHOUT removing the transmission?

I need to replace the line because it has a leak, but I have not lifted up the car yet (to be scheduled) and wanted to find out if anyone had done it or knew if it was possible.  I would prefer not to remove the tranny until the time I have to replace the clutch which is still very good now.

I thought about it and saw some videos which left me wondering if there is enough room either thru the bottom or by going thru the shifter hole and accessing the 3 or 4 clamps that secure the brake line along the tunnel.  It looked like the two inner clamps closest to the shifter might be accessible thru the top and the outer two from the bottom...not sure.  If someone has a clue or video, let me know and/or post the link.

You could run a new line in areas that you can reach and just leave the old line in place until you remove the transmission for other reasons.  An in-the-meantime solution that will fix the leak.

Edited May 7, 20213 yr by Zed Head
cond is not a word

Not sure where your leak is but you can replace only a portion of the line if the rest of it is still ok.

You need access to a double flare tool though.


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I think if I have a brake line leak, I'm replacing the whole thing unless there is obvious external damage

On 5/6/2021 at 4:41 PM, Zed Head said:

You could run a new line in areas that you can reach and just leave the old line in place until you remove the transmission for other reasons.  An in-the-meantime solution that will fix the leak.

Yep, that might be the smartest solution Zed..  I will have to attach new brackets to hold the new line, and don't want drill screws pointed into the leatherette tunnel covering...

A way to buypass that, might be to run the line thru the firewall, under the center console and popping it down below before the tunnel ends.  Unseen, can be attached downward and would provide as you said, a temporary solution until the gear box comes out.   Either way, the entire line HAS to be replaced, I don't like joined brake lines.

If anyone has a better solution and/or information, let me know.  Thanks to all.

I would run the new line in the tunnel and ziptie it to the others lines until you pull the tranny

35 minutes ago, Patcon said:

I would run the new line in the tunnel and ziptie it to the others lines until you pull the tranny

Yes, that might also be an option.  I could jacket the line just at the zip tie points by sleeving it with 1/4 inch line to prevent rubbing and then secure it.  Its only temporary for a couple of years until the transmission has to come out.

Thanks for the input.

16 hours ago, Patcon said:

I would run the new line in the tunnel and ziptie it to the others lines until you pull the tranny

Yes.. and put some rubber from a inner bike tiretubing between the old and new brakeline. just wind it around the new tube and ziptie it.. (i bet it will stay in there for many years! 😉 ) 

Assuming you'll be flaring the brake line yourself, consider buying this tool: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ttn-51535 It's super quick and easy, and it makes near perfect flares every time. A bit pricier than the regular flaring tool kits, but I think it justifies its cost. I originally tried using one of the regular tool kits when I replaced a line, but it was super finnicky and hard to use (was a bit on the cheaper side though). Got the Titan and accomplished more in five minutes than I did after an hour or so of mucking about with the kit. Plus, you can use the Titan to flare the line while under the car if you need to make some last minute adjustments - particularly useful in your case since you're probably going to have to figure out your own custom lines. 

I might have to check that style out Tweeds. I have been using the other kind but it’s sort of a pain in the but and I don’t always get consistent results.


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@mailnome I can vouch for that tool, it’s so much faster to use, and it’s perfect every time.

14 minutes ago, mailnome said:

I might have to check that style out Tweeds. I have been using the other kind but it’s sort of a pain in the but and I don’t always get consistent results.


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It's so much better, there's hardly even a comparison. It's an almost foolproof way to flare lines, and the best thing short of a $100-200+ flaring tool. Only downside is, you need one for each size brake line. Pretty sure the 240 only uses 3/16 though, so it doesn't matter if that's all you're gonna work on. Guarantee you'd never use one of those finnicky kits again!