oil pressure line on 65 327/300 copper?

[fredd65]

redoing my guage cluster and going to replace the oil pressure line...the one now is plastic, is this correct or should it be copper?...are the copper ones a pain not to kink installing?...i see corvette central has itin copper, as good as any?...thanks

 

[allcoupedup]

Fredd,
There have been many arguments about this over on the NCRS techncial discussion boards. I'd definately relpace that plastic line with a mental line BUT (here's where the disagreement starts) some repos are straight-up copper and others are copper plated steel. The consensus is that the copper lines will eventually fail.

Therefore I recommend using a copper plated steel line and the only vendor I believe that supplies these is Paragon. If you're careful, you should have no problem installing it. I just use a dowel as an aid for any bends. That being said, I have a 100% copper line on my car - I'm not worried about it failing in the near-term but 20 years of vibrations/rocking can cause failure.

Now.... the question of correctness is a different issue.

Regards,
brian

 

[Hib Halverson]

Copper was OE back then. The problem with copper oil gauge lines which are aged, is that the copper hardens a bit. If NCRS accuracy is necessary, I'd put new copper tubing in place.

Copper-plated steel is ok, too but be careful when you bend steel tube. I don't believe it can be bent as easily or as tight at can copper.

As for the vibration issue, copper is probably better than steel as it's not so brittle.

 

[Packrat]

Copper Plated Steel Oil Line

I checked 3 of mine 1965 Corvettes today and all are copper plated steel. I have owned them since the late 1960,s and would not think that they would have all been changed. In fact, I don't know where you could have bought copper plated steel line as a replacement back then if you had wanted too. Two cars are late vin #,s (June & July of 65) and one is early (Nov 64).
Page Campbell

 

[JohnZ]

The consensus from the NCRS Board is that midyear small-blocks all had copper-plated steel lines, based on recent member observations of known-original cars with magnets; Paragon has them.

 

[66427-450]

just for ther record, the original on my BB car was "steel" colored, no plating.

 

[Rowdy1]

Correct or ???

I like copper, not plastic, not steel. Depends on what you are looking for, a driver or NCRS.

 

[Packrat]

Copper Plated Steel Oil Line

Yes you are correct about the big blocks using unplated steel lines. I was referring to the endangered small block species with the copper plated steel oil pressure line. As John Z. stated, unless you check it with a magnet, it looks like a copper only line.
Thanks,
Page Campbell