cue487023

I am replacing the fuel and brake lines as part of my resto. When I lifted the body I found the fuel lines as in the below photo. I assume that they are not meant to look like this:



I assume that they are meant to be more like this (thanks to a picture I found on another thread):

Easy Mike

Stock fuel lines might vary a little between model years, but they were steel. In your first pic, it appears a PO cut them and added non-stock rubber, including the fuel filter.

The assembly instruction manual shows the factory installation.

LeMans Pete

Hi Cue,

That is a very strange place for someone to install a fuel filter. Since you will have to order all new lines, you'll find that they do come pre-bent. Some tweaking is required to get them to fit perfectly, and I found that my old lines were a good template - you will not have that luxury.

I'd also recommend getting the TBW lines and not the stainless steel lines.

SB64

I second that the TBW lines are the way to go. They do nee to be tweaked as was mentioned but take your time and it will all work out. Good Luck
R

PHIL 68

Am I looking at it wrong the driveshaft ujoint doesn't appear to be installed properly Phil

cue487023

Thanks Easy Mike for your reply. I think the previous owner/s have done a few crazy things with this car. I assume that the larger line is the supply line? The fuel filter is installed on the smaller line with the direction of flow pointing back towards the tank.

Is it common practice to install a fuel filter somewhere in the supply line?: I have a small Edelbrock filter on the carby fuel line near the motor. Would this be sufficient?

cue487023

Hi Pete,

Thanks for your reply. I live in Australia so I will be bending my own lines up as freight from the US for replacement lines would be a killer and I couldn't imagine what shape they would be in when they arrived. I couldn't even get a window felt without it being bent (ruined) in transit!

Sorry for my ignorance, but what do you mean by TBW?

SB64

The stock fuel filter looks like this on a 69. You could probably run an inline filter some where after the fuel pump and before the carb.
R

cue487023

Cheers Rvzio. I only wish my car was as correct as that motor! Mine is going to be far from original unfortunately. I have a small in line filter near the carby. Do you think that will be sufficient, or would you suggest a larger in line filter as per the 69 setup?

cue487023

Fortunately the bottom picture isn't of my car, but good spotting on the U-joint. I just pinched the picture from another thread to demonstrate the routing. Maybe he hasn't installed it properly yet which may explain the foam under the tailshaft???

dugsgms74

I wonder if someone in the past replaced the fuel lines for whatever reason and found that replacement with the body on is damn near impossible so cut them in two to make the install easier. The lines in my 68 were replaced at some point in time and the installer cut them and joined the back together with brass ferrule style unions.

terrys6t8roadster

Those 'GF42' fuel filters fail when used with any fuel that has alcohol in it. I used the same Edelbrock fuel filter for years. Works fine. Been following your rebuild rvzio, nice. T

cue487023

Yep, most likely scenario I think. Like a lot of things on this car the previous owner/s seemed to have taken a few short cuts. Not to worry, I am slowly sorting them out 1 by 1.

Cheers!

SB64

Missed your question, busy working out stuff with my project. That motor is far from original but really really nice. I always can appreciate what different ways we do things that are cool. I think the filter in the picture is the way to go.
R

cue487023

Thanks R. Good luck with your project. Look forward to seeing the finished pics!

SB64

Me toooooo!

leadfoot4

My wife had a '79 Corvette at the time we were married, back in 1990. Unfortunately, she had driven the car during a couple of winters, and road salt had gotten to the fuel lines, in the "dogleg area". I had to replace the line, but unfortunately, on the "bubble back" cars, you CANNOT get the lines in or out, without removing the body.

As much as I hated to do it, I had to "bubba" the replacement line, by using rubber line. In my defense, I used the best, thick wall, gas line I could purchase.

7t2vette

TBW = Tinned Bundy Weld; this is the steel line that was (still is?) the standard material for OEM brake lines.

FWIW, I used all SS fuel and brake lines with no issues.

dprinter1

I guess the OP should happy that his doesn't look like mine





Everything metal on this car looked like this.





And now........not.

68/70Vette

Look up close at the gas lines where they do the 90 degree turn at the crossmember. If you look up close with the actual lines, you'll send the bending process has crimped their ability to flow. I have repro stainless steel gas lines, and I'm concerned about the crimping. These lines are 3/8 inch and I'd like to feed a 600 hp 496 engine. With less diameter due to crimping, I'm not sure I'll be able to pump enough gas.

BTW: You can replace the brake lines without removing the body from the frame. You cannot replace the gas lines without removing the body from the frame. To replace the gas lines, you only need to separate the body and frame by a few inches....10 inches? Supporting the body, I dropped the frame a few inches to be able to install my gas lines.