How hard (or easy) is it to run your own 5/16" brake line for the rear of a '67 coupe. I know there are prebent kits out there but they just seem too damn expensive and I figured "Hey it can't be THAT hard?" Am I being too cocky or what?

 

5/16" seams way to big for brake line. That is more along the lines of gas line. My advice either way is the more you do it the easier it gets. Sooooooo, I recommend buying a bender and a double flanging tool and then a really long piece of tubing and cut it in to smaller pieces, and start flanging ends and making bends. Take a piece of coat hanger and bend it in to a shape and then match the coat hanger with a piece of tubing (that is how I fit lines) and it is a good technique to practice as well. If after some practice you are comfortable with how to work the stuff than go to it. It is really not that hard as long as you pay attention to details, go slow, and practice first.

 

get a cheap bender from harbor freight,,,, Bend it as you go,,, it is a piece of cake,,, might want to start with some extra tubing until you get the hang of it... mistakes can usually be adjusted away,,,

and,,, IMO 5/16 is too big for brake lines.....

 

I have already begun on the front brakes, because I have just swapped out my stock drums for aftermarket discs. The old brake lines were rusted on, so I just cut them off and decided to run a new line. I got it all bent and stuff, then I wondered if they absolutely needed to be flared and so I got a flaring tool. I tried using it but I could not for the life of me get it to flare/bend the line. I decided "ah what the hell" and moved on, but now I am seriously doubting that was a smart idea at all and now I would like to go back and fix that. It shouldn't be hard at all, but I need to know if I can fix my flaring problems or do I have a flaring impediment!


This is the flaring tool I used:




And here is what I have done so far:

 

for brake lines you need a double flare tool. It is just like what you have only it has extra little discs that when pressed on the end of the tubing bulges the end of the tubing out before you flare it. This insures that the ends don't split and is a must for brake line.