Master cylinder - reservoir feed lines

[AndrewSlater]

My current restoration of my '74 car is slowly progressing, and I am readying to refit a new master brake cylinder onto my restored pedal box.

The plastic lines that run down from the brake reservoir were broken off from the two metal pipes that fit into the master cylinder when the car was stripped.

My question is has anyone had any success refitting the plastic lines to the metal tubes, and is this an OK practise.
I ask as the new lines seem to be sold with the pipes pre fitted and at £80+ per line I would rather save some money and reuse the old ones were possible.
I don't see anyone selling the plastic lines or the metal pipes separately.

I expect I have lost 5mm at either ends of the pipes so they will be 10mm or so shorter, but I was simply going to use a longer length of braided pipe at the reservoir connection.

Any suggestions or tips as always would be welcome.
Thanks Andrew
PS I promise to update my restoration thread when I actually finish one of many parallel jobs I have started.

[jtparr]

Andrew

It's 10 years since I did mine but from memory I replaced the flexible lines on my car and reconnected to brake reservoir and cylinder with no issues...it's not running at high pressure being on the upstream side of the master cylinder so a good press fit has proven to be safe ...I do remember wondering about this as I fitted the lines onto the master cylinder under the car all that time ago.....

Jonathan

[AndrewSlater]

Hi Jonathan,

thanks for the reply.

Are you saying you bought new flexible lines and then press fitted them onto the metal piping, or just fit the flexible pipes straight into the master cylinder?
Can I ask which kind of tubing did you go for and did you have to preform any of the kinks and twists?

I was going to reuse my lines ( as they seem all good - albeit 10mm shorter than original ).
I am more concerned with the metal tubes as they are pretty crusty - so will need a refurb.

Sorry for the questions but at the moment it seems that for every job I start I get thwarted so some progress on something would be a real boost.
Thanks again
Andrew
PS Looking forward to an update on your 'E'-type project ( I secretly hanker after one ).

[Alan @ CanfordClassics]

Hi Andrew, we make new metal inserts (which go into the M/C) for RHD cars as these are NLA. These are slightly different but may help. Most of the tubes on RHD are all crusty.

I will grab a pic for you

Thanks


Alan

[AndrewSlater]

OK thanks for the input Alan.
It sounds like the flexible lines can be refitted to the metal inserts.
Would you think it is a job a DIY'er like me can do?

Thanks
Andrew

[jtparr]

Hi Andrew

This is all from memory.....When I did my car I was unsure how clean the innards of the long rigid pipes were, so I deleted them and extended the flexible pipes from the fluid reservoir accordingly....what I can't remember is whether there was a further short rigid pipe still in the system...before reaching the master cylinder....but in any event it deleted one pair of connections so was simpler...

The pipe I bought is this....

http://www.thinkauto.com/acatalog/On_li ... e_128.html

A well known supplier down here in the SE...it comes wrapped in a pale blue type fabric covering and hasn't degraded, or sweated like some I have heard of...., never an issue with kinks or twisted lines

Thanks for the note about the E...update will be following in about a month or so when I get all the machined engine parts back for reassembly...!

Jonathan

[Alan @ CanfordClassics]

Here are the RHD items we make.

[AndrewSlater]

Thanks for the photos Alan.

I did consider making my own but didn't think I could replicate the barbs.
On closer inspection mine were as new at both ends with just the middle section showing some surface rust.
I decided to clean them up and reuse them.
I managed to get the pipes back on the barbs after a bit of a struggle so all a nice tight fit.