OK, I admit it - I'm a quitter!
I played all day yesterday trying to flare stainless brake lines, and I ran out of either talent, equipment, patience or all three. I give up, I'm using standard brake lines. For the way I and anyone else will use the car, they'll be more than fine. The stainless look better, but they are impossible (for me) to flare. I have a pretty good flare tool, it's not some Harbor Freight $20 cheapie. It's a $100 KD Tools unit, and it works wonderfully and effortlessly on regular brake lines. On stainless, it's an exercise in futility. I give up! It's going to be regular brake lines for the car now. This is the first thing that I have "skimped" on, everything I have put into the car so far has been the best available, I feel very guilty!
I have never bent brake lines before and I was somewhat apprehensive about it. I was telling this to someone the other day (maybe it was Nick) and he told me that it's the kind of thing that once you start you'll actually enjoy it....WRONG !!!!
I don't like it at all, it's a royal pain in the a$@.
I'm not thrilled with how they're coming so far, but it's passable. I'll post a picture or two here, I would be interested in your comments, since I don't know if I've done anything wrong here. I thought it looked OK at best, but I want to make sure I didn't break any common rules of the job. Please be honest if it look bad, I don't want anything bad to go through on the car. Let me know what I can do better and I'll try it. It's my first time doing it, so I imagine that you all will have helpful tips for improvement. I got the front wheel lines bent up. I had the front wheel feed lines done as well, and then found out after they were all bent up and flared that I had put the wrong fittings on them. Out to the garbage they went, I'll re-do them tomorrow. Did I mention that this is a frustrating job for me?
I have the rear sway bar just about done, it's all mounted up. I ordered some radius rods and teflon lined heim joints for it, I ordered the radius rods just a touch too long, I have a new pair coming tomorrow and that'll be hooked up by nightfall. Nick is making me a set of custom radius rods for the front sway bar, once he ships them in the front and rear suspension will be complete! Once I get all the brake lines done, it's just a matter of the fuel tank and line, and the chassis is done. Then it's off to the body for trim and electrical. I'll have LOT'S of questions for you guys once that starts, I'm the biggest electrical zero you'll ever meet. Slow and steady, I'll get it done, and it'll be done right, I assure you of that. That's it for tonight, I hope I'm not boring you guys, here are some pictures of the rear sway bar and brake lines to follow. I'd appreciate any comments you have for improvement.
Rear sway bar:
First try at bending brake lines:
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