Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
Post Reply
User avatar
seabeelt
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 1614
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:22 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spider - 1971 BS1
Location: Tiverton, RI

Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Post by seabeelt »

Anyone ever use the copper ally brake lines? Vicks has then for a few bucks cheaper than the regular steel package, both are sold out. I know you can buy lengths of the tubing. Does anyone remember the size (mm)? and what type of fittings are on the end (flared ???) I seem to remember reading a post somewher that there was some sort of a special tool required to make the ends and that it was somewhat expensive........
Many Thanks.....

Since I started the post I have found a couple of youtube videos that might be helpful.
The first is the making of a bubble flare (which is what I think we have) using inexpensive tools...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVbHk0kkX8k

The second is a video explaining the different types of fittings/flares and their uses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcUGBdY1 ... re=related

And then last is a standard double flare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fmF9mm3 ... re=related

Further research on the Forum gives us the 10mm x 1.25 fittings.

The only remaining piece of information is the actual size of the line or can we use an SAE size line with the metric fitting :roll:


OK last piece of the information is that the tubing is 3/16" or 4.75 mm


All of the stuff we need is available here: http://store.fedhillusa.com/britishgirl ... tings.aspx

They have the 10 mm x 1.25 fittings as well.
Michael and Deborah Williamson
1971 Spider -Tropie’ - w screaming IDFs
1971 Spider - Vesper -scrapped
1979 Spider - Seraphina - our son's car now sold
1972 Spider - Tortellini- our son's current
Divers

Re: Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Post by Divers »

Did my whole car with this stuff. Easy to work with.

Robert
baltobernie
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 3466
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Post by baltobernie »

5/16" for supply and vent, 1/4" for return, 3/16" for brakes. One 25' coil will do all the brakes.
The 3/16" stuff really bends easily, the 5/16, not so much.
I do not recommend Fed Hill for the fittings. The "business end" is the correct metric pitch, but the nut is SAE.

Image
User avatar
seabeelt
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 1614
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:22 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spider - 1971 BS1
Location: Tiverton, RI

Re: Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Post by seabeelt »

Where did you get the correct fittings or did you live with the SAE nut size?
Michael and Deborah Williamson
1971 Spider -Tropie’ - w screaming IDFs
1971 Spider - Vesper -scrapped
1979 Spider - Seraphina - our son's car now sold
1972 Spider - Tortellini- our son's current
baltobernie
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 3466
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Post by baltobernie »

I used the ones from Fed Hill, since returning them would have been bothersome. I just borrowed a sweet Snap On wrench from a buddy. These may have been a fluke. You could contact Fed Hill with your concerns, or just get them somewhere else; they're not that rare.
User avatar
tartan18
Posts: 505
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:58 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Lebanon, Oregon

Re: Copper Alloy Brake Lines

Post by tartan18 »

When I replaced my hard brake lines I got SAE to metric brass adapter fittings from NAPA. The counterman told me that his book showed the adapters as being specifically for Fiats. As I recall the adapters were about $8.00 each.
Jim MacKenzie
1975 Fiat Spider
Finest Italian Automotive Technology
Post Reply