I had the issue of metric line and SAE union on a steel line once.  I
carefully ground down the line a little bit until it fit perfectly
inside the union then tightened and crimped as normal.  It worked fine.
Since then, I have sourced some metric compression fittings.  The German
plastic tubing and ends are still available from my supplier.  What is
the size of the hole in the banjo ends?  I can make the line out of
steel braided German hose with the appropriate ends held by crimp
sleeves.  I have the crimping tools here.  As I said, I could make an
assembly that will likely outlive your van.  I haven't bent the German
polyamide tubing, as I don't have any special tools to heat and bend and
secure the ends without major distortion.  I once took an intake hose,
tee and check valve from a Golf and shortened it for use on my Vanagon
for my cruise control vacuum reservoir (also from a Golf).  I don't
think you can buy this material from McMaster-Carr.  Sometimes, I can
get the materials in a week, but items that aren't in stock can take 3
weeks from Germany. Back-ordered stuff can take an indefinite amount of
time, waiting for it to be produced.

Mike

On 2/10/2013 2:41 AM, Dick Wong wrote:

  How tolerant are those brass compression fittings on metric size
lines? I saw an 86 Vanagon at a local wrecking yard last month, that had
a plastic clutch line. The line had been cut but there was enough line
left to make up a "new" section for my purposes. How easy it this
material to heat up and form/bend?
Yes, it is plastic.  Yes, a 90d union might do it.  That's agood idea,
but I'm leery of the heat aging of the line at the slave.  It's dark
brown, not nice and creamy colored like the rest of the line. Since I
was thinking of possibly getting a whole new line from McMaster, I cut
the line to measure the I.D. (9mm O.D., 4.9mm I.D.) I cut it at a
straight section so I can always splice it back together with a
compression union. Another thought is to trim the line right before the
hole, reshape the line with heat and rotate the slave 180d so the port
points forward instead of rearward.  That might make up the difference
in length.  But I'll still have the old line.Thanks for offering to do a
metal line, but this line must also flex.  There is no other hose to the
chassis connection. Don't know how good that will be for the long
term.-Dick-