Brake Lines For '64 Skylark 4-Door Sedan

[Machine Gun 237]

I'm going to rebuild my brake system, front to back. I want to use pre-bent stainless steel lines that several companies offer for sale. My only problem is that I've only been able to find line kits for convertibles and hardtops; no one lists kits for sedans. Does anyone here know if the hardtop lines are the same as the sedans? The Buick parts catalog lists only tubing sold by the foot, so I can't compare part numbers.

I'll make my own lines if necessary, but I'd like to go the prefab route if I can. Can anyone help?

Jim

[g-g-g0 506]

I’d give Inline Tube or other manufacturer a call and see what they offer. If you send them your old ones they will reproduce if I recall.

[lancemb 1,806]

As long as the wheelbase is same, I can't imagine why the 4 door would be any different.

[Machine Gun 237]

I don't know why the sedan would be any different than the hardtop as I presume the frames wold be the same, but everywhere I could find pre-bent lines they listed only convertibles and hardtops. I'll e-mail Inline Tube and see what they have to say. Thanx for the lead.

 

This process started months earlier than I had planned. I was going to do the rebuild in the spring as a preemptive strike, but last Sunday morning I backed the car out of the garage and got sinking feeling. You know, when the brake pedal sinks to the floor. Anyway, as part of my rebuild I was considering a conversion to the later dual circuit master cylinder, but I think I'll stick with the original setup with new parts.

 

Jim

[JohnD1956 6,133]

The major rrason for a difference might be length, if there is a wheelbase difference.  Also may be a difference if there is a different body mount location. 

Both thrse questions may be addressed in the shop manual

[Frank DuVal 1,004]

If you go do-it-yourself,  try Cunifer. Lasts as long as stainless steel and easy to bend and flare.

[lancemb 1,806]

47 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

If you go do-it-yourself,  try Cunifer. Lasts as long as stainless steel and easy to bend and flare.

I'm about to do a car so I'm curious about this.  Do you buy from Cunifer.com?

 

Being a softer metal sounds great for installation, but I'm worried about the slightest vibration causing a rub-through somewhere?

 

Did last car in all stainless.  It was a pain in the butt to flare and bend, but man did it look great when done! 

[ol' yeller 181]

The front brake lines should be the same. Also the ones on the rear axle should be the same as well. The only one that might not be the same is the one that runs from front to back. I'm pretty sure the wheelbase is the same on a 2 door as a 4 door but I don't have access to a FSM to be sure.  If the wheelbase is the same, then you shouldn't have an issue.  The attachment is in the same locations all the way back to the junction block on the rear axle. I highly recommend changing to  a dual reservoir for safety.  It is easy to do and parts are readily available.  If you do that, you will need to get the front lines for a 67 or newer Special/Skylark as they had the dual setup.  

[Barney Eaton 1,403]

2 DR and 4 Dr from 1964 to 67 had 115 in wheel base.....in '68 the 2 dr and 4dr had different wheelbase.

I have a friend with a Ultravan (motorhome with a Corvair engine) he used the copper alloy brake lines and said they were great to work with...he was able to run a single line front to back because it could be hand bent to weave thru and around

components under the vehicle.    He did a flaring demonstration at a club meeting.    Hint....buy a good tube flaring tool kit.

[Machine Gun 237]

Guys, your replies are very helpful and I thank you for taking the time to offer suggestions. Based on what I've read here, I plan to convert to a dual reservoir system and use the copper alloy lines and form them myself. Not sure if it'll be necessary, but I'll probably also replace the original power booster while I'm at it. Will do some research this evening to find a proper booster and master cylinder setup that will be a direct bolt-on replacement for my stock setup. Need also to get the proper distribution fittings.

[Frank DuVal 1,004]

Volvo has been using Cunifer on their cars for over 40 years. So, rub through not an issue if you put the new lines where the old ones ran. Steel rubs through also if not secured properly!

 

I buy the SUR&R brand of Cunifer, available from many sources, like Summit Racing. Summit also carries  stainless steel armor and flare nuts. Makes good looking installation.

[old-tank 3,864]

3 hours ago, Machine Gun said:

Guys, your replies are very helpful and I thank you for taking the time to offer suggestions. Based on what I've read here, I plan to convert to a dual reservoir system and use the copper alloy lines and form them myself. Not sure if it'll be necessary, but I'll probably also replace the original power booster while I'm at it. Will do some research this evening to find a proper booster and master cylinder setup that will be a direct bolt-on replacement for my stock setup. Need also to get the proper distribution fittings.

Share your experience when you do it, please.

[Machine Gun 237]

16 hours ago, old-tank said:

Share your experience when you do it, please.

I certainly will. Be patient though, nothing happens quickly around here. I'm still researching the parts I'll need, and after I finally order them I'll have to find the free time to get the job done. Could be a while.

 

I found a master cylinder-booster assembly that seems to be the proper one based on Summit Racing's application guide (SSBC A28141). I'm a bit skeptical though, since everything else I found with dual reservoirs from multiple sources is designed for disc-drum or disc-disc applications, and there was no dual reservoir MC offered on the Skylark in 1964. I thought perhaps that the parts for a 1967 Skylark would bolt right up to my car, but based on what I can tell from the Buick parts catalog the part numbers for the brake pedal and rod are different, so I'm not so sure. I will contact Summit to confirm the application, hopefully they'll know. I also need a distribution block that's not also a proportioning valve. All the ones I found are a bit pricey, probably because they have the low brake fluid plunger that I won't need. I'm pretty sure that one from a '67 will do the job.

 

[Machine Gun 237]

Here's the promised update from back in November. The car is back on the road. I finished it up yesterday, and it's all good. I bought a new brake booster and dual circuit master cylinder from Summit Racing. Got the distribution block and stainless steel lines from Inline Tube. The block is the same type as used on the '67 models with the factory dual MC.

 

I called Summit before I ordered to ensure that the booster and MC were for a drum brake setup. Everything bolted up nicely. The only thing that didn't fit without some careful bending were the pre-formed lines between the MC and distribution block. Inline Tube said they would bolt right up but they didn't, far from it. The new MC is considerably wider than the stock one, and there's very little room between the MC and the inner fender. It took some doing, but I managed to re-form the lines without kinking them. To be fair to IT they didn't sell me the MC, so perhaps a stock GM MC would have fit better.

 

The only issue I had with the road test was the fact that the engine had a miss that wasn't there back when I parked the car last Fall. I had removed the spark plug wire from the cylinder nearest the brake booster because it was in the way when I was fitting the MC lines to the distribution block. I had forgotten to replace it, and quickly learned that it's important to connect all eight spark plug wires on an eight cylinder engine.

 

Thanx again to all for your suggestions.