Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

[Rick C.]

I'm trying to install the two front brake line clips that are missing on my 60. The AIM indicates the clips as #173171, and appears to show them snapping into the front suspension cross member. I'm not finding anyplace to snap them into. I'm assuming it's supposed to someplace with a slight gap between two components. I haven't located this topic in the tech discussions, so perhaps I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks, Rick

[Mike M.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

if a previous owner replaced the 60 vette crossmember with one from a 49-54 chevy pass car, the pair of holes the clips insert into may be missing. they are about 6" from the inner front frame rail and about an inch above the lower ledge of the crossmember.mike

[Rick C.]

Ouch... that's something I hadn't expected to hear.

Rats... any other identifiers that would indicate a swap out? I rebuilt the suspension a few years ago and didn't have any issue using the proper 60 components. But I'm assuming they were common across Chevy's. I've owned the car since 1975 and never suspected that.

Deep sigh... all in all I guess not a big deal since it's not numbers matching, but sure hate to hear that.

Thanks for the quick response Mike.

Rick

[Mike M.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

if the crossmember came out of a 49-52 chevy pass car, there will be provisions for mounting the front of the 6 banger. 53-4 pass cars had side mounts. other than the lack of and excess holes, the pass car and c-1 vette front crossmembers are identical. mike

[Gary C.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

Rick, pass car front crossmembers will have these large holes that Mike referred to. Gary....

[Rick C.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

Thanks Mike. I can rectify the missing brake line clip holes. I'll locate a correct suspension and measure the locations. I also inspected my vertical "steering knuckle" supports between the upper and lower a frames. The casting numbers on these supports and are left 3733449 and right 3733450. From other postings I at least confirmed that I rebuilt with the corvette rather than passenger car components. Also, my ride height appears correct so I guess I'm ok.

Thank you again.

Rick

[Rick C.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

Well... I don't have those large holes in my cross member. Guess I'm ok other than not having the holes for the brake line clips. Thanks for the picture, it helped greatly.

Rick

[Mike M.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

gary and rick: gary's photo shows a 49 to 52 chevy pass car member with the mounts for the 6 banger up front. when chevy moved the motor mounts from the front to the sides in pass car model year 1953, i believe the pair of holes weren't seen on the 53-54 crossmember. hence, rick's member may be a 53-54, not that it matters much. i used a nos 49-52 front crossmember when i restored the 57 black FI powerglide vette i'll have at charolette for its Duntov judging. since i had the old rusty original alongside the nos pass car member, it wasn't a big deal to fill in the pass car holes and drill the nos member for the corvette specific holes( 3rd member and the front vertical bumper braces as well as the holes for the brake line clips). mike

[Gary C.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

Rick, defer to Mike's knowledge on using a passenger car front cross member as Corvette replacement. The photo is from the '58 P&A. P&A note says; "drill four 13/32" holes for steering idler and third arm and six 11/32" holes for front bumper using old member as template". Gary....

[Richard M.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

Rick, had the 59 crossmember sitting here so I took out a few rulers......
Left (DS) side.... center of hole is apx 1 3/4" from the bottom, and apx 3 3/8" from the mount vertical at the same height as the hole. Right side almost identical. The holes are 1/4" diameter.

Rich

[Rick C.]

Re: Front Brake Line Clips 1960 how are they assembled?

wow! You guys are amazing. Thank you very very much!