Brake Lines, Were they always green coated? Options

[dereknlee]

Hi,

I have seen it stated that all the 914 brake lines were green coated. Is this correct or were there years with bright brake lines?

When I clean the grime off my 72 /4's brake lines (or push aside the bumpers where they are clamped to the body) they are bright. The lines through the tunnel look the same. The lines are not stainless. The bends and shapes look factory done. Nothing on this car leads me to believe it was taken care of so well that someone would have replaced all the brake lines - but I can't say for sure that they weren't replaced at some point.

Looking to replace some lines that are particularly crusty and had seized end fittings, wondering if I should replace like with like to keep the car original, or if switching all out for green coated would be more original.


Thanks,

Derek

[ndfrigi]

visit PMB Performance website for their brake lines.

[914Sixer]

Yep, always green

[dereknlee]

Thanks. Hmm....this looks pretty much like what I have, doesn't look very green to me but maybe my expectations just need to be calibrated.

[davep]

On several cars I parted some of the lines appeared to have a plastic coating.

[dereknlee]

On several cars I parted some of the lines appeared to have a plastic coating.

That aligns with someone else's description of the green coating:

"The outside of the lines are green, have a plastic-y feel (the Teflon coating),"

[bbrock]

I have a set of green lines from PMB and yes, the green is a plastic-feeling coating. Here's what their web site says about the green lines:

"...and the factory green coated lines, while more expensive due to the rare nature of the tubing, was the factory choice from the seventies on (all original 914 lines are this green coated line)."

[Eric_Shea]

While Porsche used a standard galvanized coated line for their 911's and 912's, VW used the Cohline "green" coated lines. While I had a gentleman swear that all of the 914-6 lines were galvanized, I've only seen green throughout.

The green coating is a more robust coating and Porsche eventually went to that line for their reproduction lines (S-Caliper and 356 compensating lines and various hard lines that you would purchase today) that they sourced from Cohline so, a lot of people think that's a "Porsche" thing but, as these things go... it's really a VW thing.

For our line kits, we offer the green coated lines but, they're the most expensive as our vendor has to import the line in smaller quantities from Germany.

Hope that helps,

P.S. Love the Willow Green. I have a friend who has one that he'll never finish. He needs to send it to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) @kansas 914

[dereknlee]

Thanks all for the replies - I do appreciate it. I guess all my car's lines must have been replaced at some point - odd.

Oh and Eric - the calipers and brake pressure regulator I bought from you are just beeeautiful!

[aturboman]

Derek I have (2) 70 914-6s one early and one mid year, both had all the original lines on them and they are not green coated. All my other 6s over the years were plated as well so was my 914-4 1970.

Sliding the rubber isolation sleeves back on a brake line never off the car in 50 years tells all.

I also have some NOS lines with the original labels on them and they are also not green coated, don't know when the switch was made but not every 914 came with coated lines originally.

[JFJ914]

I have a 74 and it has a clear plasticky coating that is flaking off. No sign of green color, they are original.

[aturboman]

Here is a 40K mi 914-6 and a 56K mi 1975 914 for comparison at the proportioning valve, both cars had never been apart in this area.

The 914-6 lines have surface corrosion but are plated in a silver finish and clearly the 1975 line is the e-coated green finish. production date was 10/74.

Based on JFJ914's post maybe the changeover was in late 1974?


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[zoomCat]

Another data point, from an unrestored /6 with a compliance date of 06/70.
I'm about to acquire some brake lines so I'm interested.

Is this brake line green?