C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

[Brent W.]

Would anyone have a oil tee fitting as per the attachment or know where or from whom I can find one.
Thank you.

[John F.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

I would try a plumbing or gas supply or a place that makes hydraulic hoses.

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Brent,

They can be ordered from most plumbing supply houses.

You'll need the "correct" small oil line and fittings available from NCRS member Paul Mazut

http://www.paulmazutcorvette.com/services_parts/engine/

Gary
....

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Also try John DeGregory, Jerry Bramlett, Lyle Davidson or any of the other FI guys.

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

i'm not familiar with the configuration of the t-fitting in the photo. its not like any of my fuelies.mike

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Mike,
I agree, not the typical setup for Rochester FI.
It looks more like a plumbing supply/hardware store setup then a Rochester FI setup.

[Tom P.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Ya, but Brent's is a special 1 of 1, just like the special 1 of 1 FI unit on my engine.

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Tom,

Great RP tag.

Bruce B

[John D.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

"T" fitting info as I know it. None of the repro FI Distributor oil line kits have the correct "T" fitting. Now I don't know what Paul Mazut is selling though.
The only way to get a correct one is to find an original. The service replacements are all fatter.
How do you easily spot a fatter "T" fitting than the real deal you ask.
Just try a 1/2" open wrench on the "T" fitting. If the wrench fits then you have the real deal original fitting.
Brent, For the time being if you want a "T" fitting that is much more close to the original as yours go to NAPA as they have one or can order one that has a similiar configuration but it is a tad fatter.
I like the other fittings on your oil line kit. . Just switch out the "T" with NAPA 3750 x 2.
Your copper oil line fitting to your T appears to be the correct small one.
Can't tell if your steel line to the FI distributor oil line is correct.
You already know the copper line has to go.
Just went back and studied your fittings closer this time on my 32" TV screen monitor. They are all pretty nice. Just get another "T" from NAPA.
My 63 FI car has an original distributor oil line kit on it. Someday it's coming off though and a nice repro kit going on as no matter what kind of crap I put on the threads, etc I still have some minor oil leaks there. John

[Tom P.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

John,
Since you mentioned FI oil line kits and oil leaks, I just went out and looked at the oil line and connections on the 56. It's all dry as a bone. As I know you know, I buy ALLLLLLLLLLL my FI parts from you (well, maybe there are one or two rare exceptions when I have to buy from an unmentionable source). As cold as it is, I didn't want to mess with going out in the shop and pulling off the shielding to access the T so that I could test fit a 1/2in wrench on the T, but it definitely looks like is is larger than 1/2in.

[Brent W.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Thank you for all the replies. The fitting in the attachment is not from my car. It is a '57 fuelie that I saw at the NCRS nationals in Novi this year. I have attached more pictures. The first 2 are from an old Vett Vues article by Ken Kayser. The third is from Ken's FI book. The owner of the car at Novi found his fitting in an old mom & pop hardware store, I should have asked the name of the store.

All you guys know more & have more experience than me, so I am curious why you think this is not correct? I assume some of you must have seen an original & I would be curious as to what those looked like - any pictures?

One vendor I contacted gave me the following info. "The oil line fittings you inquired about, were a assembly unit that was provided by A.C.Delco for production assembly purposes only. These were never sold over the counter by the dealers. The same fittings were also used on the remote oil filter unit on some early six cylinder motors that were factory installed."

I will also try to answer in order:
John Ftacek, Gary Chesnut - I have tried plumbing, gas supply places and also makers of hydraulic hoses. I even Googled and looked thru actual manufacturer's catalogs - no luck but I now need more powerful eyeglasses.

Mike McCagh - Mike, you say you are not familiar with the configuration of the t-fitting in the photo. What do you think is correct - any pictures?

Bruce Bursten - Bruce, you say it is not the typical setup for Rochester FI and that it looks more like a plumbing supply/hardware store setup then a Rochester FI setup. Again, what do you think is correct - any pictures?

John DeGregory - All the repos I have seen being sold by suppliers (and I have one currently installed on my '57 with a steel non-copper line) look as if the main body was machined from solid brass billet. I doubt that was the case originally. It would make more sense to be cast as the ones in the pictures are. I will try NAPA, thank you for that suggestion. By the way I still have your FI rebuild kit I purchased at Carlisle-2010 still in the package which I hopefully will get to one day.

[Bill M.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

[quote=John DeGregory (2855);588564Just try a 1/2" open wrench on the "T" fitting. If the wrench fits then you have the real deal original fitting.
John[/quote]

This T is off my '59. Not sure if the other fittings are original. The car has been apart for a long time.

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Thank you for all the replies. The fitting in the attachment is not from my car. It is a '57 fuelie that I saw at the NCRS nationals in Novi this year. I have attached more pictures. The first 2 are from an old Vett Vues article by Ken Kayser. The third is from Ken's FI book. The owner of the car at Novi found his fitting in an old mom & pop hardware store, I should have asked the name of the store.

All you guys know more & have more experience than me, so I am curious why you think this is not correct? I assume some of you must have seen an original & I would be curious as to what those looked like - any pictures?

One vendor I contacted gave me the following info. "The oil line fittings you inquired about, were a assembly unit that was provided by A.C.Delco for production assembly purposes only. These were never sold over the counter by the dealers. The same fittings were also used on the remote oil filter unit on some early six cylinder motors that were factory installed."

I will also try to answer in order:
John Ftacek, Gary Chesnut - I have tried plumbing, gas supply places and also makers of hydraulic hoses. I even Googled and looked thru actual manufacturer's catalogs - no luck but I now need more powerful eyeglasses.

Mike McCagh - Mike, you say you are not familiar with the configuration of the t-fitting in the photo. What do you think is correct - any pictures?

Bruce Bursten - Bruce, you say it is not the typical setup for Rochester FI and that it looks more like a plumbing supply/hardware store setup then a Rochester FI setup. Again, what do you think is correct - any pictures?

John DeGregory - All the repos I have seen being sold by suppliers (and I have one currently installed on my '57 with a steel non-copper line) look as if the main body was machined from solid brass billet. I doubt that was the case originally. It would make more sense to be cast as the ones in the pictures are. I will try NAPA, thank you for that suggestion. By the way I still have your FI rebuild kit I purchased at Carlisle-2010 still in the package which I hopefully will get to one day.

Bill M's picture is that of an original t fitting. you'll notice the piece was machined on all 6 sides aftger it was cast. your picture showws a t fitting with machining done only qt the female threaded portions.mike

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

Brent,

Attached are a few pictures of the fittings on my early 57 FI. Obviously not original but I believe the machined configuration is correct as in the picture Bill M posted.

But the pictures you posted make a good case for the cast fitting.

So, in my mind the jury is still out.

Bruce B

[Brent W.]

Re: C1 1957 Oil Tee Fitting

I have attached a picture of the actual fitting on my car. This is a repo but looks similar to those in the pictures Bill and Bruce sent. My tee is even sitting on a male to male nipple as per Bill's. The main difference is mine is 9/16" wide and not 1/2" as Bill's is and as John says they should be. So maybe I'll get it machined down to 1/2". If I do that do you guys think that will do? FYI the oil line nipple going to the oil pressure gauge is 5/16".

Bill could you send some more pictures of your fitting without the wrench so I can see it better?

John, what do you think of the oil line to the FI distributor other than the surface corrosion?

Does anyone have any ideas on the Chevy orange distributor retainer plate. Should it be black or orange?

Again, thank you for all the help.