International Vintage Volkswagen Forums

I am reassembling a '67 Beetle from a body off restoration and encountered an unusual problem. The brake fluid reservoir is mounted behind the spare tire and has rubber blue hose and metal lines that lead to the master cylinder. The blue replacement rubber hose connects fine to the master cylinder nipples and to the metal line that runs under the steering arms. But the other end has a rubber hose connection between the metal line that has run under the steering arms and to the metal lines coming out of the brake fluid reservoir. But my problem is that the metal lines coming out of the brake fluid reservoir are quite a bit smaller and the hose fits too loosely to prevent brake fluid leaking without using a clamp.

The original hoses were very old and hard, but had no clamps. I've talked to a lot of people with much more experience than I on VWs and they say they have never encountered such a thing. The metal lines should all be the same size so as to attach to the blue brake line hose. But the old hose was tight. Maybe there was a special hose there? Or maybe they used some sort of rubber sleeve at one end?

I could just put clamps on it, but I really want it to go back original. Has anyone ever encounter such a thing? Is there a special hose to be used here or am I missing something?

I would appreciate any feedback on this. Thanks! 🙂

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I think you might be right!
On a '60 with the metal fluid pot, the original pipe pushes straight into a hole in a rubber bung, which is pushed into the top of the master cylinder. The other end uses a piece of flexible pipe to join it to the pot but, it's a smaller diameter then the usual flexible brake pipe which is available.

Does you '67 have the plastic fluid resevour?
I guess that may have a smaller outlet too!

I've been told that you have to use special brake pipe and it's not easy to find (in the UK) in the right diameter! :?

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Yes, it is a plastic reservoir. The metal tubes that come out of the reservoir are smaller in diameter than the metal tubes that are bent to take the brake fluid under the steering arms and to the master cylinder. My blue brake line hose fits snuggly everywhere except on those two smaller tubes that come out of the reservoir.

It had a very old hose at that connection and it appeared to be faded blue. That hose had no clamps, but was very tight. I hate to put clamps here since VW didn't need them when they assembled the car. I just don't have the right parts somehow. I was thinking that there must have been a rubber sleeve of some kind there that was lost when I cut the old hose off and the reason I never saw it.

I discussed this with several local life long VW people and they tell me they have never seen a problem like this before on another VW Just my luck! 😞

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We have the Blue Brake Hose in stock at KK, feel free to give us a call!

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Is it the small diameter stuff for the early metal pot? :shock:

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Not sure.... id 6.8mm

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this is all correct there are two sizes of blue hose and my 67 has the same problem, you must use one size the smaller one to connect from the reservoir to the steel curly pipe that goes under the steering rods and then the larger diameter pipe that goes from the end of the curly steel tube to the brake master cylinder.
you can cheat by using about half a metre of the larger diameter blue hose and running it all the way from the master cylinder to the reservoir just have to securely clamp the hose at the reservoir.
No one will ever see it only u will know.
Simon