Does any one know who makes a brake and fuel line kit for a 57 Country Sedan Wagon. I have tried Classic, Inline and Right Stuff which are the major line suppliers that I am aware of with no luck. Also looked at Obsolete, Concours , Jerrys and Dearborn .
Right stuff offers kits for several 57 models but not the wagons. If I can't find a kit for my model then perhaps there is another model that is close . I don't mind extending the main lines just want things to look correct in the engine compartment.
Pete
Your wagon is built on the shorter wheelbase platform...same as the Customs. I got my brake line kit from inline years ago. If you are running stock brakes, I can't imagine ordering a Custom brake line kit would be a problem..don't know positively, but what could be different? If you've changed to discs, you're probably on your own. The new Nicopp brakes line tubing is easy to work with. A little on the expensive side comparing to other brake line material, but well worth it. Cheap flaring tool does the job easily.
The fuel line is a different matter though, as your tank is different from the Custom sedans. I'll probably be finding out before too long if the NiCopp is available in fuel line size as my new engine will require a return line as well.
I was not familiar with this stuff, but here is a source in two sizes and they note it is also for fuel lines.
http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS-Performance-Products/JEGS-NiCopp-Nickel-Copper-Brake-Lines/2111534/10002/-1
Rich
Original non power drum brakes all around. I'll have to check the inline catalog for the custom line kit. I've got the tools to make my own but want the original appearing stuff if I can get it.
The original fuel line is caked in undercoat. If the inner fenders were any indication I will most likely find a pristine fuel line under the tar.
This is who I bought tubing and fittings from.
http://store.fedhillusa.com/
Jegs is a bit cheaper on the fuel lines, and I in fact had found a cheaper source on EBAY. I wasn't sure of their quality, so I went with Jegs. As it turned out, the Jegs line was packaged/same brand the same as the ebay seller.
With the Nicopp tubing, a 25 dollar flaring tool will do the job great. Bends easily with fingers and inexpensive bending tools, so you can form it as you go.
If some of the wagon owner members can verify the brake lines are the same as the Custom however, Inline should be able to supply the kit.
I thought the wagon chassis was the same as the Ranchero which has a different rear crossmember and if I remember correctly slightly different brake tubing for the rear brakes? From memory only, which is not the best. I agree about the copper nickel brake tubing - very easy to work with and very durable.
Thanks for all the good info guys. I think what I will do is order the brake line kit from Inline and make up new fuel line using 5/16 Cunifer tube from Fedhill as 62 galxe suggested. It looks to be the same product as the NiCopp, a little pricey but it should be easier to work with than regular 5/16 tube.
I think I will also run the fuel line down the inside of the rail instead of trying to go down the outside and over the top. There is plenty of room on the inside and no issue with exhaust clearance so why not.
An update on a source for these lines. Both CARQUEST and Advanced Auto Parts stock precut lengths. 40" x 3/16" was $10.49 at Advanced. This has the standard US threaded connectors on it.
Rich
Quote from: petew on 2013-10-21 11:05
I think I will also run the fuel line down the inside of the rail instead of trying to go down the outside and over the top. There is plenty of room on the inside and no issue with exhaust clearance so why not.
Not sure I would do that. The factory guys who make a butt load of money to design and engineer these cars run/ran both the fuel and brake lines down the outside of the frame rails. Not quite sure why but given they still do it today there has to be a darn good reason. Safety is the first thing that comes to mind, drive train failures, exhaust system failures and fuel line failures in close proxsimity to hot exhaust systems....just a thought.
I've done some research on these lines and they are all certified for brake use. In fact, they are mostly used in the luxury cars. I am not intending to replace all the lines, just to split the system front/rear. I looked at how I will have to route the new lines and it won't be too hard to do.
The original line runs down to a splitter block with one line going to the rear and another to the front. I will run the rear half of the new master cylinder to the first splitter block and plug the port that takes fluid to the front brakes. Then run the front half of the new master cylinder to the block that was fed by main splitter block. It all looks pretty simple. I want to use the copper nickel lines because they are supposed to be very easy to bend, and these new lines will require lots of bends.
Rich
Here's my thread with lots of pics from my brake adventures. Don't hesitate or think twice on the copper nickel line. I used it for all the hard line in my system and used stainless braided in the rest and it functions beautifully. And that copper nickel line is hands down the best stuff I have ever put my hands on for brake lines. I didn't do anything with my fuel lines, but I imagine it would work just as good and bend just as easy.
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=4378.0
I did look at your nice set of pictures. There is one issue that I am working now. I can't use the original fittings from the master cylinder to reinstall the brake light pressure switch. Do you have your switch on the proportioning valve? It's hard to see in the picture. Monday I'm going to see if I can find a tee or something else that will work for me. I was thinking a tee with a male out and female down in the 3/16" brake pipe fitting size and a 1/8" NPT opposite of the male out would work, but I would not be able to control where the female fitting would end up pointing when the male fitting was tight in the master cylinder.
Any suggestions?
Rich
I'm guessing your reusing your original master cylinder?? I couldn't guess how to get a tee to land in the right spot in that instance, that'd be tricky. My brake light switch is in the prop valve yes. But as I made note of in another thread, the switch is hydraulically activated, and the 4 wheel discs I installed stop so well, it wasn't building enough fluid pressure to trip the switch and kick on the brake lights. I ended up having to wire in a mechanical switch directly onto the brake pedal arm under the dash to kick on the brake lights. I used a switch from my 68 Mustang, worked ok, needed some fine tuning but nothing major, and it worked quite well. See the link below for the prop valve I used. Pricey, but it covered all the bases and worked very well, switch issues aside.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g3910/overview/
No, I'm not reusing the old master cylinder. This is what I bought.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221290160453?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
I'm going shopping today for a tee. Although I would like the new brake line to go down from the bottom of the tee, I think I can put the hydraulic switch on the side of the tee and use the end opposite of the male end for the new connection for the brake pipe. It won't matter what the orientation is of the pressure switch.
Hopefully, I can find something that will work. If not, then I will install a mechanical switch for the brake lights.
Rich
It should be easy enough to make something work for you. If nothing else, plumb the tee inline off the master. Another connection point, but then you can orient things how you want. Just a thought, nice master and booster setup by the way, looks like a good package for the cash.
My car came this way with just a simple T for the brake light switch, switch is orientated down. I'll replace the lines someday in the future but it's been working fine like this for years.
Thanks for the suggestion guys, that is exactly what I have done.
Rich
My brake switch solution. This is on my uni. Bought banjo to flare and drilled and tapped the big one.
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e186/62galxe/IMG_0637.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/62galxe/media/IMG_0637.jpg.html)
That looks very similar to how the original switch is connected on the '57. However, I don't have that type of connection on the master cylinder. Inserting a tee in the line with a connection for the switch should work fine.
I have the new master cylinder and boost unit. It came without any instructions. However, I did get two sets of brackets and a bunch of parts that I managed to figure out. The bracket that I will use lifts the whole unit 1.5" above the centerline of the old unit. The bracket will fit the old bolt layout and I have a push rod that appears to be the correct length to go to the original point of connection on the existing brake peddle. The only thing that concerns me right now is the method of connecting the rod to the raised master cylinder. I'll provide photos in the near future. Imagine if you will, a lever 3" long with a fixed pivot at the bottom, a connection for the original brake rod 1.5" up and a connection to the master cylinder another 1.5" up. This makes everything line up, but it also doubles the peddle effort to the master cylinder before you get the boost. Hopefully, the boost overcomes this added effort with extra to actually give the effect of power brakes.
Rich
Mine had the offset brackets, it came with the rods to connect it, but it needed to be modified to the proper length.
Here are the pictures of my new power boost unit. The last picture is the extra parts in the kit that I did not use. I've got a pretty busy week coming up and likely won't get started on it until next week.
In the second and third pictures down, you can see the lower pivot point, the mid lever connection for the push rod and the top connection where it connects to the new master cylinder.
Rich
master cylinder banjo fittings.
http://www.purechoicemotorsports.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/Category_ID=128/home_id=-1/mode=cat/cat128.htm
Thanks for posting that link to Pure Choice....looks like a good source for products to solve many of the problems I've got coming up plumbing just about everything on the 4.6 dohc install.
I got the power boost unit mounted this morning. It only took about an hour to do it. I have the brackets installed and the brake rod connected. All looks fine. I've got about 1/2" clearance between the boost unit and the exhaust manifold. Close, but it should be fine. I still have to do the plumbing, but if I don't have any problems removing the old fittings, it should be a breeze.
Rich
Getting closer to needing those brake and fuel lines. After two weeks of scraping 56 year old undercoating and sandblasting I was finally able to paint the undercarriage today. Amazing what a little black paint will do.
HUH? A factory dual exhaust car. Don't see many of those.
Quote from: gasman826 on 2013-11-06 18:48
HUH? A factory dual exhaust car. Don't see many of those.
Gary:I'm lost..who's are you talking about?
Petew man that's a solid car...good job. Great experience sandblasting the underside of a car when your face is a couple feet away. I went thru 22 face shields when I did mine...LOL..never again.
Previous picture shows the underside with right and left muffler heat shields still in place.
I believe that all of the V8 wagons were dual exhaust ...Unless that changed for 1957.
I learned my lesson with sandblasting on one of my previous restorations. Found a guy with a portable rig that came to my house for very reasonable money. I sat on the deck about 200 feet away and sipped coffee while he worked ! Figured I owed it to myself for the agony or chipping out the undercoating.
The wagon I had (6 banger originally) had both sides and the Edsel does as well even though it is single exhaust.
Same with my oem 6 cyl...heat shields on both sides. That's why I couldn't figure out how Gary knew it was a dual exhaust.
My car is a factory "D" code car so I would guess that it exited the factory with dual exhaust.