The Great Pumpkin - '71 Duster

mpgmike said
NAPA sells fuel and brake line coils in 25' and I think 50' lengths. You first have to straighten it, then bend it. I've gone through a couple of those coils over the years. Oh, and they have coated and non-coated. Here in the northeast salt belt, I always get the coated. There's a reason why I'm having to replace them and it's rust.

Yes, I know about the coils but like you said, it has to be straightened which can be a lot of work. I actually have a dedicated tubing straightener-outer tool but even with that thing it still never comes out perfectly straight especially longer lengths. I've done coils upon coils of tubing over the years whether it be fuel or brake lines and if it makes sense, I'll always opt for straight lengths if they're available.

The front lines are all coated, the rears are not. This car won't see foul weather (no wipers) and espcially not road salt. It also lives in a climate controlled garage so I'm not too worried about it rusting out.

I have direct experience with rusted out brake lines though. One day my wife took our old 2001 Cherokee to the train station to go to work and when she left that morning, it had brakes. When she got home that evening, it didn't. The front-to-rear line basically fell out of the car and there was a huge puddle of fluid underneath it. She got lucky it didn't happen while she was driving. That was in 2012 so the lines lasted a little over 11 years.