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I'm working on my 1965 Convertible... the brake lines are original and RUSTY. I've picked up the parts I need to replace all lines and hoses... The question is, on the long line which runs from the engine compartment down the top of the frame on the left side... can I replace that with the body in place?? It appears to be possible (side mounted exhaust already removed), but just wanted to check and ask for any pointers... Thx, Joel
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Re: Brake Line Removal - 1965
Joel,
Replacing the long brake line that is routed on top of the frame is one of the worst jobs that I did on my '65, body on restoration. It can be done, but it took me approximately 10 hours to install it and get it back where it belongs. Inspite of my best efforts, I was not able to get it secured under the two hold down clips that are located on the frame in front of the trailing arm.
I had to take most of the original bends out of the new line to get it threaded into place; then put the bends back after the line was roughly in position. If I had to do it again, I would disconnect the body mounts and jack the body up enough to work between it and the frame. Using this procedure, replacing the line would take ten or fifteen minutes.
Sorry I can't be more encouraging, but replacing that brake line will make you utter words that are not fit for this website. Good luck with your project.
Regards,
Gene -
Re: Brake Line Removal - 1965
Gene was right on about the four letter words!
Here is another option
If you cut the long line at the point where the frame cross member is(one exhaust pipes run thru) you can feed the back into place as is. Feed front section into place and screw together, push up over frame, secure into clips and nobody will see the connections. Caution - make sure you have a correct brake line connect(s) and don right, spend the money if need be.
Good Luck.
PS I could never just lift the drivers side up even a little. That may be due to rusted parts or one may have to remove all body mounts to move at all.Comment
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Jack body up about 3" off frame
... like Gene says (if he was to have to do it again). You'll need to remove body mounts on the driver side and slack-off those on the RH side. I did it by jacking up the car (by the frame) then, with jack stands and pieces of 2 by 4 under the birdcage/door sill, lowering the chassis away from the body. No bending of the new brake line required, but still the job is no piece of cake.
1966 and '67 don't have the same problem on the long brake line, as it is clipped high on the inside of the frame rail, and it passes inboard of the LH kick-up.
Gene -- you mention the TWO brake line clips at the driver side frame kick-up. Of course the AIM shows only one, but on my very late '65 convertible, I was surprised to see two. How late is your car ?Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
Wayne,
To lift the body, other than the two LH body mounting bolts which need to be removed and the two RH bolts which need to be loosened, do I need to remove or loosen anything else?
I usually work under the car by setting it on 4 stacks of 6"X6" lumber cut to 2 foot lengths, stacked 3 high, this gives me about 18" of room to work... With the bolts removed/loosened, can I jack the body up from there, and is so, where should I lift, and how far?? I assume that I should distribute the weight with a 2X4 or something similar.....
Thx,
JoelComment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
Joel -
Yup, lots of other things have to be loosened or removed - steering rag joint, throttle linkage, clutch linkage, bumpers, radiator hoses, fan shroud, master cylinder, etc.Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
Don't forget the seat belt anchors, starter wiring. Bumpers and brackets need to completley off including the u shaped ones in the rear.Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
Wayne,
My '65 came off the line on March 3-4, per the birthday calculator. I'm pretty sure that there are two clips where the line crosses the kick-up. (One inboard and one outboard). It's been two and a half years since I did the brake line replacement; perhaps my memory is not what it used to be.
Best regards,
GeneComment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
I have a 5/13/65 built 65 and it only had one clip on the rear kick up.Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
My ~20 April car has two clips. Always wondered why the engineers thought a second one was necessary.Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
"Yup, lots of other things have to be loosened or removed - steering rag joint, throttle linkage, clutch linkage, bumpers, radiator hoses, fan shroud, master cylinder, etc.
Don't forget the seat belt anchors, starter wiring. Bumpers and brackets need to completley off including the u shaped ones in the rear. "
So... basically, it will take the same amount of time either way you do it?
Unless of course you already have all these items removed.Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
Basically, you are about 5 minutes from a body off. Maybe not that close, but it is a lot of work to fix one brake line.
Now you know why old Corvettes had those "bubba" brake lines snaked around over, under, and around the frame when not restored.
No one has mentioned the fun of connecting the brake line to the rear junction block with the body one. Obviously, it was all designed for assembly, not maintenance.
Remember, they were designed to last a few years at most and be traded, not run for 40 or 50 years.Comment
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I guessed that 2 clips were near EOP modification
... but with some of the above responses, maybe it was hit-and-miss in the last half of production.
As to the reason, only one is necessary to hold the line in position. Again, guessing that the second clip (in conjunction with the first) would offer protection against pinching of the brake line when the body was lowered to the chassis.Comment
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Re: Jack body up about 3" off frame
This is actually not bad news. I already have the drive train out of the car and the radiator, etc. I figured on pulling the rag joint and bumpers... I'll just look around for whatever connects to the frame....Comment
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Re: I guessed that 2 clips were near EOP modificat
My '65 is in the 14,000 range and it has two clips. There was a discussion on this board maybe a year ago about a short production run of a month or two with two clips.
When my brake line needed replaced, I disconnected it from the front and rear blocks, grabbed hold of it and ripped it out of the frame. When I went back with it, I used a union at about the transmission crossmember so I could feed the front of the line in from the front, and the rear in from that direction. I couldn't get the line to go over the rear of the frame to route to the junction without mangling the line so I went under the frame and up. The line is on there, it's functional and doesn't look like a jury rig. Sorry it's not THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE but there wasn't enough room to get my hands in there without pulling the body.
My personal opinion is that anyone that would pull a body loose from the frame (and all the associated components) and take a chance on screwing up something else just to replace a main front/rear brake line has a screw loose or isn't thinking.Comment
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