Glennard,
If you are coming into town for the Dream Cruise, let me know...our local MBCA section will have TWO different events in concert with the Dream Cruise, both of which include rare, FREE parking.
What you are speaking of is more for show than anything else, that's why the rodders do it.
In many cases, it is actually a woven or braided cover that slips over the conventional rubber lines (use is not limited to brakes, but to many kinds of hoses)prior to having the ends crimped on. Not only can you get real stainless steel braid, but you can get Kevlar and other materials, including a plastic that looks like stainless steel, and tinned copper, too. I have a high pressure, 1,200 PSI hose that lays on the floor of my car wash; I had this jacketed with a PVC braid.
Being in the car wash industry, I listen to my hose guys; they tell me that greatest benefit is abrasion resistance. Others may make other claims; among these claims are the elimination of "that spongy feel". Well I don't have a spongy feel to my brakes, but that's just me. Maybe I really do, and just don't know it.
I've seen them available in multi-colored anodized ends--that's right, red, blue, yellow, etc.
Generally the SS lines for cars are of very high quality, the braid only being one part; the inner hose can be kevlar reinforced, PTFE (teflon) lined, etc. which would make the hose itself a superior choice with or without any covering.
Anything made of rubber will age as we all know. There's quite a few places that will custom fabricate these hoses for you.
