lunarweasel

Got a quote from a very reliable and honest, but always a little more expensive mechanic for some work.

I want to install the CSRP KH kit on my 65. I will rebuild / reshoe the rear drums, new wheel cylinders too. I will install the master cylinder.

The mechanic would tweak (as I understand prebent lines need) the new front brake lines, install the proportioning valve, bleed everything, and then front to rear go through every inch of the install I just did to make sure it is done right (re: safe). I have never worked with brakes before, so the last step is important to me.

He is a very honest guy, and when I asked for a "decent" estimate, he said," I'd rather give you the worse case scenario so you can plan for the max amount." He said plan for $450-$500 to have everything perfect.

High / low?

---

PS - I know some of you will say just learn how to do the lines yourself but still get the guy to check everything when you are done. That is a viable option I am considering too, but I have limited time with my car (as it is stored 500 miles away) and want to just get it over with when I am up there.

Thanks in advance.

rmodel65

order a prebent lines kit and the front disc conversion and do it yourself for 450 you can upgrade to disc in the rear too nearly

JamesW

Assuming his shop rate is $50/hour, he's telling you it could take him up to a full day to complete the plumbing and inspection, and fix stuff. To do the plumbing and a thorough inspection shouldn't take a whole day. maybe 4-6 hours.

Ask him what it would cost to do the whole install....

lunarweasel

Will do.

Do you guys know any good online resources to learn how to use brake line bending tools? From what I understand, it can be a little tricky. The prebent lines are supposedly just "close" and not perfect, so I want to do research ahead of time on how to tweak them.

I will be going to dual bowl, manual. That wasn't a factory setup in 65, so I don't know if a prebent line exists. Im gonna go grab a CJ catalog and see what I see.

chewy1234

Who makes pre-bent line kits for a 65 V8?

JamesW

Buy a bender, a dozensticks of 3/16" tubing and practice. It's not hard. You'll learn how to determine the setback pretty easy. Then when you get ready, you install the M/C, and mock up the lines using coat hangar wire. Then you follow that pattern.

Here's the truck I'm doing.
http://www.midnightdsigns.com/AJ/Tru...9_08%20018.jpg

lunarweasel

I can't wait to do this project. The "wow, I actually did that and it WORKS" feeling is one of my favorite parts about working on old cars. This will be a big one of those.

Thanks James.

65rangoon

i have 4 wheels drums on my '65. having said this i just went through over christmas/thanksgiving time and put all new brakes on.

dual bowl master cylinder
wheel cylinders (4)
brake shoes (all around)
spring kits
replaced ALL hard lines on the entire car for brake system
replaced all 3 brake hoses.

That being said, its easy and the ONLY tweak i had to do with the prebent lines was i went from a single bowl MC to a dual bowl. That meant that the rear brake line got plumbed right to a connecting line between it and the MC instead of to the distribution block.

Everything else fit 100% A-OK with no issues at all. I thought i was going to have some issues getting the main line from the MC to the rear brake hose in but it actually went rather simple. had to redo it because i had it on the wrong side of the exhaust the first time and thats it.

The brake line kit for the entire car only ran me $100 from www.cjponyparts.com. Id also assume you could most likely get away with buying the kit for disc fronts and drum rears?


edit:

im not sure if i got lucky or where you are getting the deal of prebent lines only being close part but i actually placed the new lines up to the old lines i pulled out and they were damn near identical. Only some VERY minor differences but they were nothing that changed how it went onto the car. if anything didnt line up it it was where you connect it to the bodywhich doesnt even require bending

lunarweasel

65 rangoon,

That was an extremely helpful post. Thanks for your time.

cprstreetmachines

FYI, I charge 7-8 hours 8 hours is 600 bucks at 75 and hour to do a disc brake swap for the front, using new hard lines I bend them cut them and install fittings to make sure it looks new and correct, bleed all brakes.

Honestly if he is not a shop, then he is charging way to much!

There are lots of people that think they should get paid shop rate as side work when they don't have a shop and it really doesn't sit right with me.