Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

[Michael A.]

Struggling in a cold garage today with installing the front crossover brake line on my 66 small block roadster. I'm having difficulty getting the right bends in the line to make it conform nicely with the crossmember.

First the background:

• I am in the middle of a body off restoration of my late '66 small block roadster
• As part of the restoration I am converting it to power brakes with a kit from Corvette Stainless Steel Brakes in Florida. The kit includes the "correct" booster and the dual master cylinder that I want for safety reasons..... I intend to continue driving this car a lot.
• I've installed the crossover line that came with the kit and done a lot of bending to get it to the point that you see in the attached pictures.

Overall I believe the installation as shown is ok and should work ok. However I don't feel it's quite right. Here's my questions:

• How does the overall placement look?
• From the front I'd like the line to better match the contour of the crossmember. As you can see in the picture taken from the front, the line on the drivers side drops low.
• The view of the passenger side shows the line running pretty high, near the a-arm pivot shaft. Does that present potential interference issues?
• The view of the drivers side - any potential interference issues when it comes to assembly?
• Does anyone have pictures that show it should look? Suggestions on how to bend it to change it?

Thanks for the input.

Mike

[Russ S.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

If you were to change it you would have to straighten the bend on the driver side where it turns upward and re-bend it farther out. (toward the wheel farther) This would put your vertical bend more straight up and down shortening the vertical line thus raising the height of the line coming from the center of the cross member.

[Mike K.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

Agree with Russ. I would caution not to bend to hard - go slow and easy.
The line itself is easy to break.

[Michael A.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

Thanks Russ and Mike. Good suggestions.

Mike

[Joe R.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

Mike,

Don't mean to throw water on your fire but that brake line is not even close to the original. A brake line from any dealer for the front crossover is less than $20.00 and is a correct reproduction of the original. That line seems a little large for some reason and and does not conform to the frame at all. Try Corvette America, Paragon or Lonestar for correct material and perfect fit on brake lines.

JR

[Timothy B.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

I agree with Joe Ray that it's a good idea to replace the line.

You might call inline tube and see if they will sell the crossover line, before you call it may be a good idea to dry fit the remaining lines. My guess is that they supply the major vendors but not 100% on that.

[Jim D.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

• Does anyone have pictures that show it should look?

Mike

These are from a 65 I restored. It should be the same as your 66.

[Michael A.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

That really helps Jim! Thanks.

[Donald H.]

Re: Front Crossover Brake Line on 66 SB Roadster

Here's picture of my 66 chassis as I was completing the restoration. I don't recall any issue with any brake line fitment. If I did any bending it was very minimal. Not sure who made up the lines, but I bought them from Paragon. By the way, these were tin bundy weld lines not stainless steel.

Don