Story & Photos: Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Emergency brakes in most modern cars are generally relegated to duty as just parking brakes, because modern braking systems are so efficient.  On older hot rods and classic cars, the roles are often reversed, because early braking systems leave much to be desired. The automotive aftermarket… Continue reading Emergency/Parking Brakes for Hot Rods

Story & Photos: Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Emergency brakes in most modern cars are generally relegated to duty as just parking brakes, because modern braking systems are so efficient.  On older hot rods and classic cars, the roles are often reversed, because early braking systems leave much to be desired. The automotive aftermarket… Continue reading Emergency/Parking Brakes for Hot Rods

Story & Photos By Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Many articles have been written about installing a new or modifying an existing braking system.  But they usually just show a diagram of where the lines need to be routed and which valves and hoses are need to make the system function.  However, when it… Continue reading Selecting Brake Fittings

How To Accurately Bend LinesStory & Photos By Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Copper, aluminum and mild steel tubing is relatively easy to bend which allows for correcting some mistakes when you bend it in the wrong place. Stainless steel tubing is not so forgiving; when it is bent that is it. So you… Continue reading Bending Brake Lines by Jim Clark

F 100 Brakes for Early Fords by Jim Clark      Early Fords prior to the 1940 models were equipped with mechanically actuated brakes. These were very inefficient even on these underpowered stockers that ran on 2-lane pre-interstate highways at turtle-like speeds. Early hot rodders were quick to adapt the hydraulic systems from the Fords of… Continue reading F-100 Brakes for Early Fords by Jim Clark

We had this diagram in our archives from a project long ago but thought that it still provides some useful information about Stainless Steel Brake Lines. This diagram shows the layout running the brake lines.

Cutting, Bending and Flaring Tubing Article and Photos by Jim Clark Cutting, bending and flaring tubing is a skill that should be mastered by anyone building or modifying a hot rod. There are three types of tubing used in automotive applications: rigid, semi-rigid and flexible. Rigid tubing includes JIC steel, stainless steel, titanium, heavy-walled steel, hard… Continue reading Flaring, Cutting and Bending Brake Lines by Jim Clark