Brake / hydraulic lines

[alfacybersite <acs@domain.elided>]

Normally I don't repeat entire posts, but...

Eastwood sells flaring tools for both single/double and ISO - I've never
had
any problem using either tool - I've made hydraulic lines for Spiders,
GTVs,
and Alfettas.  If someone out there actually has aftermarket part
numbers for
the correct size metric tubing with the correct end fittings for any
hydraulic line on an Alfa I'd like to see them and have them on hand as
a
reference.  Recently I tried PepBoys, Autozone, NAPA-Republic, Bap Geon,
and
Standard Autoparts and none of them stocked or could even find anything
similar in their catalogs.  I can also tell you that their are hydraulic

lines on a 1969 Euro GTV and 1979 Euro GTV that are longer than the
stock 6'
length you usually find at the autoparts store.  Eastwood also sells a
25'
roll of tubing - I'll be keeping one of those on hand in the future.

Ben Higgins
Galveston, Texas

*********

First, questions to Ben: Everyone on the Digest and Everyone I talked to
before I undertook making virtually all of a client's race car / Duetto
brake lines...

(May I digress a moment? Break means to break something in half. Brake
means there's a deer in the road and you better damn quick put on the
brakes!)

...was told only a fool would try to make the next to impossible ISO
bubble flare.

Ergo, I used the same system as Richard Welty suggests in both #'s 862
and 863. And yes, I special ordered the 37 degree flaring tool as Alan
Ward advised and did use Earl's (sorry) piddly-ass aluminum adapters.
Piddly-ass in that if you tighten too much, they crack, don't tighten
enough, they leaknot to mention one's engine bay (primarily the brake
MC) looks like fittings for a WWII submarinenot to mention the Highly
Unesthetic gross red (or were they ghastly blue?) anodized adapters.

Three rolls of teflon tape later, finally stopped the leaks.

Ben, you made perfect ISO bubble flares (or are they double?) with
Eastwood's tool / tools? No problemo?

Now Young Master Joe Elliot, it's your turn: So you just saunter into an
AutoZone and ask for a particular Alfa brake line, the guy salutes,
disappears to the back room and brings out this brand-spanking-new brake
line which you run home (or to the dorms) and attach to your GTV6?

Okay, let's get real: You buy a pre-built 'metric' line. Either it MUST
be the Exact same length after bending or you have some major problems.
Also, it MUST have fittings on either end which are the exact diameter,
pitch, and type of Alfa / metric female fittings. They do come attached
with 'Alfa' fittings? If the fittings aren't attached, seems to me
you're screwed. Should you have to cut the line because it's too long,
you're now totally screwed.

Pray tell, what am I missing here?

I view making exact reproductions of Alfa brake lines (that look
correct, don't leak, and fit) akin to recasting cylinder blocks.

Enlighten me!

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA

Okay, just carefully measured four loose brake lines from a '79 Spider.
Was a bit surprised, they all came close to what might possibly be
'standard' sizes: 47 3/4" with male / male fittings; 62" with male /
female fittings; 16" with male / female fittings; 30 1/2" with male /
female fittings.

I could purchase any of these at AutoZone or perhaps PepBoys? Don't
suppose you could sell them to me in stainless line with black zinc
plated ends / fittings? Okay, not original but sure beats god-awful (not
to mention, garish) blue or red.
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