Brass brake line blocks

[Daniel H.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Ok, I am going to buy new ones Thanks everyone

[Gene M.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Gene, I agree with you as NCRS judged cars are using "As delivered to the Customer" for the criteria of factory original finish! Clear coat is not even close to the original finish.
This is not concours judging! IF you want a Corvette like that go to the NCCC or World of Wheels!

JR

Joe, Ya don't have to tell me. I was the one that pointed out clear was incorrect. The new NCRS concours judging kinda competes with NCCC or World of Wheels with that type of stuff done to a vette. Pretty but wrong......... not my bag.

[Joe L.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Joe, Ya don't have to tell me. I was the one that pointed out clear was incorrect. The new NCRS concours judging kinda competes with NCCC or World of Wheels with that type of stuff done to a vette. Pretty but wrong......... not my bag.

Gene-----


Yes, clear coat is incorrect, albeit undetectable if done right. However, tarnished brass is also incorrect and very detectable. The cars were not delivered that way. So, pick your poison.

[Bob J.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

It can grow tarnished but can't grow clear if you look at it from the originality point of view.

[Troy P.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

In my experience no need to bead blast. That could roughen the surface. Just need a fine wire wheel.

As far as finish. I'm guessing that the brass would have already started to tarnish by the time they were installed. So no one can say what the looked like when the assembly was completed. Probably not as shiny as you'll get with a wire wheel.

Brass tarnishes faster in humid weather. Also where there is air pollution. Pretty much describes Flint in the summer.

[Joe L.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

In my experience no need to bead blast. That could roughen the surface. Just need a fine wire wheel.

As far as finish. I'm guessing that the brass would have already started to tarnish by the time they were installed. So no one can say what the looked like when the assembly was completed. Probably not as shiny as you'll get with a wire wheel.

Brass tarnishes faster in humid weather. Also where there is air pollution. Pretty much describes Flint in the summer.

Troy------


I highly doubt that the brass blocks evidenced any significant tarnishing at the time the cars were shipped from St. Louis or, even, by the time they were delivered to the original owner. I expect they appeared very much like the new brass blocks that can be purchased today or, even, as brass fittings one can purchase in a hardware store.

By the way, as far as the use of a satin clear to preserve the as-new appearance, it is true that such a finish preservant is not original. Understand, though, that, for me, restoration of a Corvette does not represent a religion. It's very nice and interesting to know what original parts configuration was but that does not mean that one should always follow originality to the letter. As I've said many times before, there are MANY aspects of restoration which do not follow a religious or assiduous devotion to aspects of originality. For example, no Corvette was ever delivered with stainless steel liners in the disc brake calipers or master cylinder. No Corvette was ever delivered with an engine with over-bored cylinders. No Corvette was ever delivered with undersize crankshaft journals. No Corvette was ever delivered with valve guide inserts. No pre-1990 Corvette was ever delivered with synthetic oil. No Corvette was ever delivered with synthetic lubricant in the transmission or differential. No Corvette was ever delivered with a repair sleeve on the harmonic balancer. And on and on and on.

Now, you might say that none of the above items are visible. That would be correct but if one approaches restoration as a religion, none of these things should be acceptable. In addition, the fact that brake blocks are satin clear finished is not visible, either.

[Gene M.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Troy------


I highly doubt that the brass blocks evidenced any significant tarnishing at the time the cars were shipped from St. Louis or, even, by the time they were delivered to the original owner. I expect they appeared very much like the new brass blocks that can be purchased today or, even, as brass fittings one can purchase in a hardware store.

By the way, as far as the use of a satin clear to preserve the as-new appearance, it is true that such a finish preservant is not original. Understand, though, that, for me, restoration of a Corvette does not represent a religion. It's very nice and interesting to know what original parts configuration was but that does not mean that one should always follow originality to the letter. As I've said many times before, there are MANY aspects of restoration which do not follow a religious or assiduous devotion to aspects of originality. For example, no Corvette was ever delivered with stainless steel liners in the disc brake calipers or master cylinder. No Corvette was ever delivered with an engine with over-bored cylinders. No Corvette was ever delivered with undersize crankshaft journals. No Corvette was ever delivered with valve guide inserts. No pre-1990 Corvette was ever delivered with synthetic oil. No Corvette was ever delivered with synthetic lubricant in the transmission or differential. No Corvette was ever delivered with a repair sleeve on the harmonic balancer. And on and on and on.

Now, you might say that none of the above items are visible. That would be correct but if one approaches restoration as a religion, none of these things should be acceptable. In addition, the fact that brake blocks are satin clear finished is not visible, either.

There is a big difference in the things that you can see and the stuff you can't. If you can't see you don't judge it. Get real. Don't tell me or many of the judges out on the show field that they can't tell clear when it's applied to a part. Brass will tarnish prior to shipment to GM prior to assembly or even sitting on the dealers lot. Again get real. Did I hear you fall off your soap box...

[Page C.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

I was able to clean my original brass brake line fittings to look like new with 4/0000 steel wool and a little 3 and 1 oil. A fine scotchbite pad and 3 and 1 oil would also work. No clear coat

[Joe L.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

There is a big difference in the things that you can see and the stuff you can't. There should not be if restoration is a religion to a person


If you can't see you don't judge it. So, that means that restoration only applies to things that can be seen?

Get real. I am

Don't tell me or many of the judges out on the show field that they can't tell clear when it's applied to a part. If it's done the way I described, that's what I'm telling you.

Brass will tarnish prior to shipment to GM prior to assembly or even sitting on the dealers lot. Really? Check out the brass parts (non brake parts) I've posted below. These have been in GM boxes for more than 30 years. See any significant tarnishing on them? Tarnishing mostly occurs because of exposure to the elements. Brake fluid distribution blocks are exposed to plenty of this.


Again get real. Again, I am.

Did I hear you fall off your soap box... No, I did not. However, I do regard this comment as a personal invective which is disallowed and inappropriate on this board.

[Bob J.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

NCRS is a RESTORATION club.
NCCC is all about pretty and no dirt.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Are these brass parts available from GM, I have always done what Page does in post 23 without problems. I completely understand Richard's point about the sealing flare especially the carburetor fittings and steel lines.

[Joe R.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Timothy,

These brass parts (fittings) are available in the aftermarket by most vendors. Earlier I purchased most of these from GM BUT that was years ago and most have been discontinued.
With the use of NEW TBW brake lines the problems of leakage is mostly eliminated. That is if the lines have double flares which allows the line to seal if tightened properly. Double flares adapt well to used fittings as they are made to seal against the brass fittings even if the fittings have been mated already to a previous brake line.
The problem of used fittings leaking almost never comes up BUT if it does it will propose a problem you don't want to deal with ever!!!!

JR

[Gene M.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

There is a big difference in the things that you can see and the stuff you can't. [COLOR=#]There should not be if restoration is a religion to a person
[/COLOR]

If you can't see you don't judge it. So, that means that restoration only applies to things that can be seen?

Get real. I am

Don't tell me or many of the judges out on the show field that they can't tell clear when it's applied to a part. If it's done the way I described, that's what I'm telling you.

Brass will tarnish prior to shipment to GM prior to assembly or even sitting on the dealers lot. Really? Check out the brass parts (non brake parts) I've posted below. These have been in GM boxes for more than 30 years. See any significant tarnishing on them? Tarnishing mostly occurs because of exposure to the elements. Brake fluid distribution blocks are exposed to plenty of this.


Again get real. Again, I am.

Did I hear you fall off your soap box... No, I did not. However, I do regard this comment as a personal invective which is disallowed and inappropriate on this board.

Restoration of Corvettes and religion, really? This discussion is meaningless.

And yes if YOU CAN'T SEE IT YOU DO NOT JUDGE IT. TO EVEN IMPLY JUDGING COMPONENTS OF AN INTERNAL ENGINE IS NOT EVEN WORTH TALKING MORE ABOUT. Some logic has to apply.

Parts on cars that GM built in the 60's DID NOT COME IN A BOX. In fact neither of your photos of NOS brake parts in the box are mid year pieces. NOS and original assembly line parts sourcing, storage, shipment, handling, process, environment, packaging, etc differ and many time do not have similar configuration. Your distribution block is not even close to any mid year piece.

Brass tarnish, yes really, this is planet earth with natural environment. Yes on earth it occurs everywhere, all the time and brass on a Corvette is not exempt from nature.

The soap box has shown to be very tipsy and not a very sound foundation.

[Joe L.]

Re: Brass brake line blocks

Restoration of Corvettes and religion, really? This discussion is meaningless.

And yes if YOU CAN'T SEE IT YOU DO NOT JUDGE IT. TO EVEN IMPLY JUDGING COMPONENTS OF AN INTERNAL ENGINE IS NOT EVEN WORTH TALKING MORE ABOUT. Some logic has to apply.

Parts on cars that GM built in the 60's DID NOT COME IN A BOX. In fact neither of your photos of NOS brake parts in the box are mid year pieces. NOS and original assembly line parts sourcing, storage, shipment, handling, process, environment, packaging, etc differ and many time do not have similar configuration. Your distribution block is not even close to any mid year piece.

Brass tarnish, yes really, this is planet earth with natural environment. Yes on earth it occurs everywhere, all the time and brass on a Corvette is not exempt from nature.

The soap box has shown to be very tipsy and not a very sound foundation.

All------


As I read this response a famous quotation attributed to Abraham Lincoln rushes to my mind. I'm not going to recite it here though as I'm not wont to saying things that could be interpreted as unkind.