Brake lines

The brake lines proved, as with my last build, to be the most challenging part of the construction thus far.  It’s a step where I felt I was really fabricating a car.  Basically, the lines consisted of these steps:

  1. The lines from the master cylinders through the bulkhead forward of the cylinders;
  2. The line after the bulkhead fitting to the DS, front brake;
  3. The front brake crossover;
  4. The line to the DS rear brake;
  5. The rear brake crossover;
  6. The placement of the remote brake fluid reservoirs and the hose from the master cylinders to the reservoirs.

I purchased pre-made stainless steel braided PTFE hose from Pegasus Racing with -3AN fittings to go from the master cylinder to the bulkhead.  I made the lines for my last build, and it wasn’t that difficult, but the ones offered by Pegasus are roughly the same price as the component parts without the hassle of making them.  In the photo below you can see the lines connected to the master cylinders and attaching to the bulkhead fittings.

The most substantial step forward in the brake line fabrication was the purchase of NiCopp (Ni, Cu, Fe) tubing for the brake lines.  NiCopp easier to bend than the soft steel lines usually used and, I believe, seats better in the couplings.  It is corrosion resistant and relatively cheap. I double flared the ends using an OTC double flaring tool.  I fastened the lines to the chassis using rivnuts rather than rivets.  I also used Jegs line clamps.

The 25 ft. roll of NiCopp was just sufficient for the entire car.  My first lines, from the firewall to the DS front brake, were made several times before I was satisfied.  Toward the end of the brake line project, I felt pretty good about my ability to make a line that fit.  See the brake line album for photos of the lines.  The photo below shows the forward set of lines:


The final challenge was how to get the hoses from the remote brake fluid reservoirs to the master cylinders.  I decided to put two 13/16” holes throughout the firewall and to use grommets to protect the hoses.  Drilling the 13/16” holes through 1/4” steel plate was a bit challenging but they turned out well:

The hoses in place:

I’m getting a 3/32” plate made to hold the remote reservoirs that I’ll then attach to the 3/4” tubing about 6” from the firewall (the tubing is covered in blue tape in the above photo).

The last step to finishing the lines, before they can be tested, is installing the brake fluid reservoirs.  I decided on a separate reservoir for the front and rear brakes, thereby establishing some redundancy.  I purchased and additional billet reservoir from F5.  I made a template for the reservoir attachment plate and had one cut from 1/8 steel at a local metal fabrication shop.

The reservoirs were attached to the plate which in turn was bolted to the 3/4” frame member.

The red hoses from the master cylinders then were attached to the hose bibs at the bottom of the reservoirs.

In a modification, I decided to change out the reservoir holding bracket as well as the hose for another Gates product better suited to brake fluid.