Transmission Cooler Line Install on 1966 Deville

[66 Eldorado Fan]

Hello - new to the Forum here! I'd like to pose a question to the group. Long story short, I am installing a new radiator and condenser in my 1966 Eldorado convertible, and needed to change the trans cooler lines while I am at it. Got the old lines out by cutting them, any tips on how to install the new lines? This looks impossible!

Thanks in advance for any help!

[fishnjim]

You'll probably regret cutting them out.   
The factory ones are bent correctly, and I don't know of any suppliers.   
Even if you find some, I had this issue on the fuel line, it came balled up in a box to ship and was hopelessly mangled, couldn't be installed from below, no rack. 

I had to section on the '58, because you can't access the trans connections from under the car.   I had to drop the trans to unbolt lines to remove trans.   So going back isn't easier.      [Actually, they're still not completely in, but my issues, not cars.  I made new lines and one wasn't right and wouldn't fit, have knee issues and can't roll around on floor right now}   

[cadillacmike68]

Inline tube (name??) makes a set for 1969-70, but not for earlier years. I bought a set for my 1968. They were close - some bending needed to get them to fit - a bit too long.

It might be a start the wheelbase was the same and the frame type the same. If they are too long you can cut along a straight section and shorten.

[bcroe]

Reusing originals is fine, and I am not above splicing onto the
rear part at the radiator, to avoid replacing the whole thing. 
If good replacements are not available, making them is not
so bad with the right tools.  I have one flare wrench with
90 degree bends near each end to get into some spaces. 
Bruce Roe

[TJ Hopland]

I don't know that car specifically but have seen a lot of setups where the only way the lines could be installed is with the engine and trans bolted together outside of the car.   Makes for a tricky install not catching the ends sticking out on anything.

'Crowfoot' flare wrenches are also pretty easy to find these days and I would consider a must have for the mid level tinkerer.   

If I have had to cut them for some reason I usually carefully pick a spot were I could slide a new nut on the old line and re splice it or just replace a fairly easy to replicate section.   If you have to use hose to make the repair make sure you use the proper transmission/hydraulic hose.  Fuel line turns to goo fairly quickly.  They also make a compression type coupling that really works well if its in a straight section.

I remember doing and engine swap one time in an 83 Chev dump truck I had.  Original engine was a diesel.  When I bought it someone had done a pretty poor job of putting in a pretty tired small block.  I had just crashed and 84 Pontiac that had a good small block in it.  Figured I would grab the trans lines out of the Pontiac and see if they could maybe be modified or combined with what was left of the previous hack job on the truck.  Turns out they were a direct fit.   Heavy 1 ton 4x4 truck with a THM400 in it vs a midsize car with a THM250.   Whodda thunk?    Too bad I learned the hard way a lot of other things were not the same like the bolt circle on the flexplate and a few other things that caused the engine to go in and out more than one time.  Wish the internet was more of a thing back then.

[Chuck Swanson]

Readily available last 10 years:

https://www.inlinetube.com/pages/product-list?year=8916966225473320475&make=3735070329799088786&model=5457996286564957516&submodel=null&ymm=1966|CADILLAC|DEVILLE#?f=3380624611533822326|

Hard to install without a lift (don't think you can without), and even then you will have to re-bend with a bender, or carefully.  Mine don't look the best now in my driver '65, but they work.  Next set I installed with engine/trans not in car and was very easy

Have ordered a complete line set from them, brakes, fuel, etc..and just had to carefully unbend two of the lines.  Came in a huge box.  Prefer pickup at meets they attend.  Chuck

[Michael Petti]

When I needed new transmission cooler lines on a 60 CDV 390 I got brand new ones made by my local  NAPA store.  They were exact copies of the originals with new couplings and bent properly. They fit perfectly. Piece the old ones together and get them copied. Another option is to duplicate the potion that goes into the radiator with a flared end on it, put another flare coupling on the end of the old line and couple them together.

[cadillacmike68]

Readily available last 10 years:

https://www.inlinetube.com/pages/product-list?year=8916966225473320475&make=3735070329799088786&model=5457996286564957516&submodel=null&ymm=1966|CADILLAC|DEVILLE#?f=3380624611533822326|

Hard to install without a lift (don't think you can without), and even then you will have to re-bend with a bender, or carefully.  Mine don't look the best now in my driver '65, but they work.  Next set I installed with engine/trans not in car and was very easy

Have ordered a complete line set from them, brakes, fuel, etc..and just had to carefully unbend two of the lines.  Came in a huge box.  Prefer pickup at meets they attend.  Chuck

Interesting. They make them for 1965-66 and 1969-70 but not for 1967-68...

[Chuck Swanson]

Maybe because no one has sent them in yet.  They should make them if you send the old ones.  I did for the line that goes to kickdown, now anyone can buy Chuck

[cadillacmike68]

Well, I can't send in my old ones any more (long gone) and these 69 ones are a tad too long (but we got them to fit). Other than the length, they lined up very well. and were easily installed with the transmission in and engine out.

I bought the stainless steel ones so they should last forever.