Pre made brake lines

[HemiSilva]

is there anyone who makes pre-bent brake lines for a 1965 Polara?

[HemiSilva]

Well I kinda answered my own question, here is what I found if it helps anyone else out.

http://www.buybrakes.com/store/DD1014

It's for a 65 Monaco so I'm guess since it's pretty much the same car it should fit no problem.

[Morrigan_Aria]

Check your local area for a filter service place. We have one here in Tacoma called Williams Filter Service that usually is used by commercial companies and can make all sorts of lines for you. Racers use them too.

The local one here bent me up a mild steel fuel line for my 67 Belvedere. I asked for SS but he must have forgot. I took in my original, and they did a pretty decent job of replicating it. I was going to complain, but then I saw the bill. A couple bends were a bit on the shy side, but I managed to fit it all in. The total damage? $27.50, that's material AND labor. Sure beats ordering online and paying $35 shipping! If I really want to go SS, I will later if and when I install a BB. These places can pretty much make any connection/line for you to include brake, fuel, tranny, etc in metal or rubber.

So if you have an original for a pattern, and can search your local area and are not dead-set on reproduction-quality, try that. It saved me a bundle and my car cares not a bit that it wasn't from a big name supplier. Plus, buying local from a small business is always good! My darn cars are helping me do my part to stimulate the local economy!

[HemiSilva]

Morrigan, Thanks for the reply and tip. I did eventually decide to give it a shot myself and bought a tubing bender from Home Depot the some brake line from Napa and with the original as a guide I went to town (so to speak), it turned out ok though not professional but I can live with it. It was not as hard as I had thought it would be either.

[Morrigan_Aria]

I thought about doing that too, having bent electrical conduit before. But I had enough to do anyway as I replaced everything from filler neck to carb...so I didn't mind waiting a few days for my fuel line.

But keep a place like this in mind when you need those rubber components too. They pretty much stock all kinds of rubber pieces to include regular belts and hoses with a big selection.

You won't be out of place standing in line with a rusty or mud-caked specimen in hand, while in uniform. LOL.

[HemiSilva]

LOL, thanks I will keep a place like that in mind and I'm like you, I like to shop local when I can to help out the local economy, that and not waiting for parts to get shipped! I'm waiting for something to come in from Texas acres that I bought a week ago but haven't been sent any shipping info, kinda leave a bad taste in your mouth for wanting to do business with them again... I sent an e-mail to them this afternoon, I'm hoping to at least get a tracking number and if they didn't ship yet I'll be none too happy!

[Morrigan_Aria]

I hate that. You spend a bunch of money and they can't even you an email with your shipping info? A$$es.

Year One always screws up my order, but at least they send me my shipping info.

I read your website about your Charger. It's one thing to see a car like that in person and decide to jump in that water anyway; entirely another to be deliberately deceived. I admire your restraint, you haven't driven out there and dealt with this personally.

[HemiSilva]

Yep, and I still have not heard from them, although it is only 0800 in Texas and 1000 where I am so I'll give em a little more time. I do think that I'll be doing a bit more looking around before I used these guys again though.

Yeah that Charger deal was and is a raw deal. In my younger days I certainly would have given it some serious consideration to giving them a visit. I just can't wait to be able to start working on it, hopefully by next summer I will, first I've got to get outta here and get to Texas where the unit I work for is moving to.

[Morrigan_Aria]

Don't feel bad; my 67 Belvedere has sat for the last six years! I haven't had either to deal with it:

a) time,
b) $$,
c) facilities
d) motivation
e) all of the above

So now that I'm back in the drivers seat of another Mopar, I felt really guilty and started work on her a couple weeks back. I make her out to sound rotted into the ground, but when folks see her, they tell me I'm a jerk and she's really not bad at all. Got a paint/body guy lined up (it's good to have beer-drinking buddies!), and I'm pretty much doing the rest myself.

Those jerks gave you a total raw deal. Wish I knew someone out that neck of the woods.

[HemiSilva]

Yeah I am/was in the same boat with my Charger, didn't have the money or facilities to work on her. Now things have changed (for the better thank God), and when I move out to Texas it should be even better so I can go rescue my Charger in Arizona and start the long process. I plan to do 100% of the work on her, since I am an Army Civilian I can use the on post facilities (at any military installation), so there's bound to be a paint booth at one of the bases around San Antonio. The rest of the work will be done at home.

[Morrigan_Aria]

Ahhh...I can't wait to be a DAC too.

I'm going to pitch in alot of the effort on body and paint work...I've shot metallics before..and I know I'll do alot of the sanding. I buy the beer, pay for the paint, and pitch in effort and it won't cost me but a few bucks.

[HemiSilva]

So then you're active duty? Those days are long gone, but not forgotten, for me. People were trying to tell me to just get rid of the Charger, that it would never be worth the money I would have to put into it - I'd agree with them if it wasn't a true R/T and if I wasn't going to do pretty much all, if not ALL, the work myself. I know that the "Pros" could do a better job then me but it's not going to be a show car, it's not going to be a concours resto, it's going to be a resto mod and no it wont be perfect but I'll bet that most restos of any type are not. I'm learning a lot with doing my Polara so I will have a much better understanding and confidence to complete the Charger... Hopefully sooner rather then later!

[Morrigan_Aria]

Originally Posted by HemiSilva

So then you're active duty? Those days are long gone, but not forgotten, for me. People were trying to tell me to just get rid of the Charger, that it would never be worth the money I would have to put into it - I'd agree with them if it wasn't a true R/T and if I wasn't going to do pretty much all, if not ALL, the work myself. I know that the "Pros" could do a better job then me but it's not going to be a show car, it's not going to be a concours resto, it's going to be a resto mod and no it wont be perfect but I'll bet that most restos of any type are not. I'm learning a lot with doing my Polara so I will have a much better understanding and confidence to complete the Charger... Hopefully sooner rather then later!

Yeah, still wearing the suit, for a few more months anyway.

It all comes down to what you want. I've tracked down my old 66 Coronet 500 383/console auto, and the owner doesn't know it quite yet, but I AM buying that car back. It's not all that rare, it's not in great shape, it's not a hemi. I don't care! It's my old car and I want it back. She's a bit unusual with the black and white interior so I'll keep that. She just might break the bank, but again, I don't care. It's my car and I'll do what I want with it, and what I want to do it buy it and fix it.

I get this same argument from people on occasion about my 53 sled project. They want me to restore it. I tell them it's my car and I'm chopping her, but if they want to put their money where their mouth is, I know of three more of the same model and make for sale in the area. Restore that! Oh, they were driving and RX7 anyway, so even my son laughed at them.

And I don't want a concours car or a trailer queen either. A friend owns a 68 Hemi Superbee and he drives it all the time. That car gets enjoyed. I thought cars were meant to br driven? Silly me.

Anyway, you'll do fine with your baby. I do kinda miss my 68 Charger now.

[HemiSilva]

Cool, so are you on Jump status at Ft Lewis? I did my time in the 82nd...

Yeah my first car was a 68 Charger R/T (that I bought off my Mom), I sure wish I could get that back but then that aint gonna happen since the guy I sold it to sold it to a couple of brothers who proceeded to total it! I should have never gotten rid of that car - something about young and dumb comes to mind.....

Good to hear your friend actually enjoys his Bee, what a waist to not drive a car!!

[Morrigan_Aria]

No, I'm not on jump status, I never thought jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft sounded like fun.

Ahhhhh I DO love the 68 Chargers, so very very much.

[HemiSilva]

Ah come on now, it's better then marching it was a serious kick in the ass too, there's nothing like exiting an aircraft while in fright - I mean flight

[Morrigan_Aria]

No thanks! My back didn't like all the running with the scouts and snipers I did. It gave up. I know it hurts to fall off my horses, so cannot even imagine landing a jump badly. I happen to like my knees!

[HemiSilva]

It's not the knees, mine are just fine but my back! I have two bulging discs in my lower back and since I've never hurt my back other then on a jump when I had a bad landing - long story but suffice it to say I did everything right and mother nature was against me so I don't blame anyone and I made many more jumps after... Alls good