I'm just curious what you CW's think about replacing the plastic lines with steel on a restoration ?Granted they are not original, I am assuming NONE of you would actually run the 35+ year old lines and would at the very least replace them with new plastic lines. That then begs the question, If you are replacing the lines, from a CW standpoint are steel lines still grounds for a beating ? Think about the safety of the car too

I have mixed opinions on the stainless replacements. Are they a better choice? Probably, because they'll have a longer potential life. Are they an unoriginal piece? Yeppir! Do they show, so's a CW judge would spot them? Yeppir, but it would yake a "competent" judge, and they are few.

I'm willing to take a chance on my 39 year old plastic lines because they have never weeped, cracked or failed. Should I ever become suspect of them, I'll replace with same. I enjoy the feel of originality.

It has worked for nearly 40 years. If I have to replace with plastic, and they only last another 40 years.....I'll be 104 years old and leaking more than they. Oh yeah, I'll be here. Just to keep you youngsters in line.
Pat

Pat you can't slap depends on a crusty old FI system to contain the leaks The tunnel lines you'd likely get away with, being at least in this region the PCA no longer judges undercarriage. Wait for that fact, they had people complain about cleaning their engines this year. So to appease the few that complained, at the last event engine bays weren't judged either. Shoe horn a V8 in it Scotty, they'll never know
I'd consider the tunnel lines in metal if doing a pump relocation (which isn't correct either), but would want the engine bay lines to remain in plastic. Last I checked (8 years ago?), the center plastic were available $$$ without the brass fittings, but the engine bay lines were not. I did find suiteable high pressure black plastic lines for the engine bay for my 75 at the local Euro autoparts store. Be cuirous to see if anyone has NOS lines anymore.

You should expect to be dinged for using the stainless replacements. Both my 914's have oriiginal tunnel fuel lines and the 914-4 has OEM replacement (of 1980's vintage).

I've never see a plastic line in the tunnel leak from age alone, Usually the result of some other repair which resulted in their damage.

BTW I have a set of Chris's SS lines to put into my 914-6, the next time I have a chance. If I ever run the Concour cicuit again, I'd expect to be dinged....

Tod,

Ah, but see, it isn't original. Sure, I could bend the rules, but it still wouldn't be original.

Case in point. I had a 70 911E with hydropneumatic struts. They were a really stupid Porsche mistake. Porsche declare that they were a mistake & advised customers to replace with conventional struts (they wouldn't pay a dime/discount to help the problem though). I did it anyway, when they collapsed, on my nickel (grand!).

But, in this case, thre has never been a significant threat of failure on the plastic lines post pump. Usual failures are on the connectors, which are easily replaced on a five year plan (mine).

Now, let's think about this for a minute. These are pretty thick walled plastic/derivate lines. If they are not manhandled & put under sideways stress, they should last forever. I've never experienced a leak or weep from any of them.

Admittedly, there are better materials available today. But they won't keep your 914 original, and aren't necessary except in extreme cases. Buddy of mine recentntly went through a OTAL restoration, by a high-end shop. They (on his wishes) replaced the tunnel lines with stainless (which I can detect in a nano second), but left the after pump lines as original. Hmm!

Point here is simply this - if it isn't original material, it isn't original. May be a better product, but it isn't what came on the car. Hell, there are numerous better products for 914's than came on the car, and they are mostly pretty special, but it doesn't make your 914 original. Not that it's bad, but it makes a 914 "improved".

I, personally, like to keep my 914 as original as possible. I have finally even decided to go with original proper biased tires, for which I will overpay for something I really don't want.

But I'm an originality person.

I respect all other venues of 914's (except electric & Suby).

You do your thing.....I'll do mine. But mine will be better for the collector!
Pat

ps Tod: You're correct about the Depends! But if is isn't "leaking" you can always stay with boxers.

Bit the bullet on the tires. Good for you. Your car is certianly a Parade level 914. Mine falls more into the catagory of a zone level entrant/contendor. I've seen lines in the engine bay and firewall become brittle due to heat and age. I plan on keeping mine plastic as well (with the pump in the original spot and deal with the occassional vapor lock).

A couple of notes on the original plastic fuel lines.

They are made of Nylon 6 material, I have a factory original sample with markings on it. Nylon 6 tubing is available from McMaster Carr and I acquired some for just this purpose and previously made some replacements for the two short pieces above the tin in the engine bay. They are formable with a heat gun and take a set to the right configuration, but it takes time and effort to get right. I used a thick copper wire as a form, bent to the right shape. Nylon 6 is a nice milky white color when new, unlike the brown they age into. I have read that the Nylon 6 ages and embrittles not from heat so much, and its actually resistant to high heat which is why the material was specified to begin with, but embrittles from ambient moisture absorption.

It would not be unreasonably difficult to make these.

If they are brittle, it's usually right where they exit the rear firewall. I have had them crumble in my hands back there while the portion inside the tunnel was still pliable and in good shape ...

I have 2 factory new replacement pressure lines (unformed, just straight tubing) for the 76-76 and they are made of Nylon 11. I also have a NOS set of engine compartment lines (formed) and they are made of Nylon 11. McMaster used to have metric Nylon 11 but no longer. Is Nylon 6 a replacement? I tried Google but couldn't determine an answer.

Good point. I recall that the 75-76 cars have fuel lines of a different material than the 70-74 cars. Early cars have the Nylon 6 lines which are a milky white color, which I am told embrittle, and darken in color with moisture obsorption over time. The later cars have black nylon tubing...glad to know its Nylon 11.