Repo RS vacuum lines

[Tinkerr]

I purchased a repo vacuum line kit for 68 RS headlights.  Does anybody know if packaged hoses are precut to exact length or are they to be trimmed as necessary? I think I could tighten some of lengths up a little. I don't have any originals to reference for length. Thanks

[169INDY]

While I don't have length data, I can offer advice: Esp at the canisters and the "T-ee's be a little generous to allow for slight trimming at later dates if the hoses are stressed and spit over time.

[Dave69x33]

About 3 weeks ago, I purchased a replacement RS hose kit from Heartbeat City Camaro out of Detroit for my '69.  I am posting this note during my lunch break at work and don't have the package who see who manufactured the hose kit at the moment. 

All told, the hoses in my kit came with extra length. I test matched them to the lengths of my older hoses to make sure they were long enough, but I made sure that there was some extra slack length before I trimmed them to the usable length. My experience has been that the hoses tend to deteriorate, split, and crack where they get pushed (stretched) over the fittings.  The extra slack allows you to trim an 1/2" - 1" off the hose the reconnect it if needed in the future.

[Charley]

Are the colors any better or can you instantly tell they are repo when the hood opens ?

[Jonesy]

I have never had much luck with repo RS hoses. They all end up splitting where they connect on to something.

I saved all my originals just in case.

[68SSL35/M40/O2]

Purchased a repo kit years ago, hooked everything up. did'nt work. searching and searching. come to find out, the "T's" where not drilled out, just plastic "T's". drilled them out and worked good.

[Tinkerr]

I'm going to install the hoses this weekend, hide a little excess under the dash and at the actuators. Thanks for the input.

[cook_dw]

Something you might try is to use a heat gun on the portion of the hose that goes over the barbs and make the rubber pliable to allow it to stretch and then cool so that it relaxes the rubber so it isn’t under tension.  Just a thought.  Of course try it on a scrap piece first to make sure the rubber will hold up from the heat.

[69Z28-RS]

Are the colors any better or can you instantly tell they are repo when the hood opens ?

Here are my original vacuum hoses laying atop the CHQ package of repro hoses I purchased in 2012 (still unopened).  Other than the 'dirty' originals, the colors look very good and close to the originals.  It appears they've only gone up $7 on their price (less than 10%) in the past 10 yrs which isn't bad in these inflationary times!
http://www.autometaldirect.com/chq-headlamp-vacuum-hose-set-color-coded-69-camaro-rally-sport-p-1882.html

[bowtie68iho]

I don't have either a 68 or 69 AIM in front of me, but I recall that on 68 RS Camaros, one of the smaller RS vacuum hoses from the headlamp switch had an orange stripe , the other one was black (uncolored).  The repro hoses for these two hoses are red and black.  The 69 AIM may show orange for this hose too, like the 68 AIM.  You'll have to check.

I guess you could use a 1/16-inch pinstripe paint roller with orange ink (flexible type ink made for rubber hoses) to color a small black ribbed vacuum hose to be correct.

[Charley]

Have a pic of a yellow stripe hose ?

[169INDY]

Yes. Orig Factory GM Hoses Scrap kept from the 1980's hose kit swap outs:
LOS/VN 68 & 69 R/S Cars.

The yellow is very aged and almost beige (ish)

Note, I cannot be sure or remember where I harvested the white hose, posted as color resolution (sp) reference for the requested "Yellow"

Jim

[Dave69x33]

In the repro RS hose kit I used and mentioned earlier in this discussion thread, the striped hose from the headlight switch had a reddish stripe rather than orange as called out in the 1969 AIM.

Good tip to verify that the plastic tees that come with the kit are clear with no plastic molding flash to block the vacuum pressure.

[169INDY]

I can post a (PIC) of the  smaller diameter preserved factory hose to the underdash switch on a LOS 69.
Red-Orange LoL,,,,

[firstgenaddict]

First photo - original orange on the left and the one I did for the L78 Pacer on the right.
Second photo on the L78 Pacer
I used a Pinstriping brush and created a little V shaped guide to pull the hose through while keeping my hand in a braced position over the guide.