1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

[Russ S.]

I searched the archives but could not find an answer on where to get the 1968 BB steel oil line from the engine to the pressure guage. The 69 uses the black plastic like the SB's. While I have the dash apart I would like to install the proper original steel line. If there is no available kit, does anyone know the proper tube size or if a 67 line would work.

thanks

[Terry B.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Russ,

Have you considered this? Do you have an old line to measure and check the fittings?

https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-35...sure-line.aspx

Terry

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Terry,

Thanks. I can measure the copper line my mechanic installed on the car but I know it is not correct. I would think it needs the same OD as the black plastic lines used in 69+. I really need to see what a true 68 BB should look like first. The judging guide indicates that there should be a bracket on the engine and a single steel line. This as me perplexed. Are there fittings at the bracket like 69 where the steel changes to plastic, if so how can there be a single line from the engine to the gauge. If it is a singel steel line how does the 68 bracket work? The 69 bracket style was not on my low mile car (one owner) but the original line may have been replaced because it had a black plastic line when we started the restoration.

[John C.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to Gage

Russ,

I'm of the opinion that the JG is wrong for 1968 BB cars. 68 BB cars used a black plastic line from the gage all the way to the fitting in the block. No steel bracket or lines.

Below are a couple threads that went over the subject.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...044#post583044

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...tting&uid=1959

No definitive answer found in the links, but finding left alone cars is hard. What you had before you started the restoration was probably correct.

John

[Terry B.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Russ,

My '68 is in hibernation but I will try to get out and take a picture or two before the Bengals game today. I don't remember a bracket but that doesn't mean anything.

Terry

[Terry B.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Russ,

Here is a picture from the link John referred you to abov

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to Gage

I have the same thoughts. I bought my car from the original owner with 35k miles on it and it had black plastic line with white letters. no bracket. It did have the 45 degree fitting in the engine block.

thanks

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

This similar to mine but the line was black plastic.

[Terry B.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Russ,

Do you know your build date. If not, what is your vin #. Your's is a '68 BB correct?

Terry

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

May 13, 1968 yes it is a 427/390.

I speculate that all corvettes used the black plastic as the complete line but the BB's had heat problems near the header so in 69 they did the metal line to a bracket then plastic into the interior because it is so much easier to intall in the dash. That leaves me to wonder if some 68's got steel lines until to replace plastic until the bracket correction was available. If I use plastic it is lost points and possible heat problems, but I really do not believe a steel line was in my car had off the assembly.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Terry,

Do you agree with the picture? My fittings looked like this (now they are gone and I need to find new ones) but I had a c-shaped bracket bolted to the head near the exhaust where the oil line was threaded. What does your BB look like.

Russ

[Terry B.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Russ,

The picture in post #6 above is my '68 BB. Is that the picture you are referring to?

Terry

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

That answers that question. I'll work on finding those fittings and a steel line for mine.

[John C.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

Russ

I'm positive what you had on your car was correct when you got it, plastic oil line and all. The c clip was used on my car.

John

[Russ S.]

Re: 1968 BB oil line from engine to guage

I think mine had a c-clip with a rubber bushing, but my "restorer" seems to have lost it. that may force me to go with steel