brake line replacement - recommendations

[Oliver S.]

Hello,

I have my '65 in the repair shop. As it turned out the brake line needs to be replaced - it ripped open in the shop while bleeding the system.
I know that the line can't be installed factory like without lifting the body. The shop owner told me he must realign the line and, in order to get the line fixed he needs to drill holes in the frame for the clips. Here in Germany the car is examined every 2 years if it's compliant with technical guidelines - no cable straps are allowed and the repair has to be acceptable for the inspector.
If I had experience, time, space and help maybe I could figure out a way to install it as closely to original as possible (except the rear kick member). But that is not the case.
I'd like to ask if you can give me some tips (that I can forward to the shop) what can be done to be as original as possible when considering the crucial spots at the frame in this context. Sorry for not being more specific - the car is away so I can't have look and my knowledge is more than limited in this area.

Regards
Oliver

[Domenic T.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

Oliver,
It sounds like the shop may have made a boo boo and messed up your line.
Tell them that the guy that designed the Porshe desigend the vette, just kidding.

If they drill a hole in the frame then so be it, that is easy to fix at a later date if you want to be 100% stock.

Most mechanics don't like advice from others, especially in their own shop.

We tend to split hairs here as to how it should be done but sometimes you get stuck and have to take what is dished out.

I think that thats why most are learning to work on their cars.

DOM

[Oliver S.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

Domenic,

my consolation is that these holes can be fixed - despite, it hurts to have'em drilled. May be one day there'll be a frame off.
Actually, I'm satisfied with this shop over the years since I have been owning my Vette.

Oliver

[Patrick H.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

They can't use the original holes and brackets to hold the lines?

[Keith B.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

You can replace all the lines without removing the body. I have done it to a 67. So it can be done.

[John H.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

You can replace all the lines without removing the body. I have done it to a 67. So it can be done.

Keith -

It's a lot harder on a '65 - that line is up on top of the frame rail, not down on the side like it is on a '67.

Both end up at the same place at the rear tee, though, so he could use a '67 front main line and drill the holes for the clip screws in the '67 locations.

[Doug L.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

Keith,
I'm not convinced that the lines could not be replaced with the body on the frame. Mine is a '64 and I don't know how / if the '65 is different. My body is off the frame at this time but the top of the body mount pads are above the upper surface of the frame. There may be space between the frame and body. I doubt the body sits hard on the frame / brake line. With the car on a lift one could easily determine if there is space between the top of the frame rail and the bottom of the body. There are only 2 or 3 "U" clips that hold the brake line in place. The line could be pushed out of the clips and the clips rotated to face the center of the car for the installation of new lines. I bought new brake lines frm ZIP Corvette and they are pre-bent making installation quite easy. Here are some photos of the lines attached to the frame.

Doug

[Alan B.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

I don't know if your '65 is the same as my '63, but I bought a set of lines from Paragon for my '63 and installed them with the body on the frame.

The pre-bent line going down the driver's side on top of the frame had to be pretty much straightened out to feed it up on top of the frame around the body mounts. The section of line that comes up from under the frame and connects to the fitting just in front of the stearing gear does not lay as flat and pretty as it did from the factory but it works and it will do just fine until I do a frame-off some day. I could not get the line back in all the clips on top of the frame under the body, but in your case I doubt any inspector would take the time or go through the effort to reach up there and check anyway.

It was also difficult to get the liine that goes down the driver's side turned and connected to the fitting at the rear frame member. Difficult .. but after a number of tries I did get it in.

All of the other lines went in very easy and clipped into either the factory clips or new clips that went into the factory holes.

It's much more frustrating than hard, it took the better part of a day to get the line in place but in the end it is possible.

Compared to the price of most of the other parts on these cars the cost of the brake lines was pretty low - you've got little to loose by trying.

Good luck
AB

[Dick G.]

Re: brake line replacement - recommendations

Hi there. My post is a little late but thought I would kick my two cents in. I had replaced the lines on my 65 last year and upgraded the master to dual in the process. Car has standard brakes, 350hp. The shop guys suggested I run a 66 brakeline. The 66 brakeline runs on the inside of the frame, unlike the 65 which runs on the top. All they had to do was open up the gap where the transmission cross member is welded to the frame (4sp) and the line fit perfectly. (the gap is triangular in shape, they just die ground it to a circle). Plumbing on the front was a little different without power booster, but it looks good. They used a 67 master. Also with a little frigging around in the back, they got the line over the frame rail to the distribution block. It was a very neat job. There was on hole drilled near the front to secure the line, maybe on in the back, im not sure.