What is more traditional. Rubber fuel line or a hard line. I’m deciding wether to use copper line all bent nicely and polished. Or should I use the see through red rubber line. What would you guys have used in the 50s and 60s Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Red "see through" rubber fuel line? That sounds like a really bad idea, that was probably a bad idea back then too. Modern gas is more corrosive too. Somethin', anyway.
There was another long thread on this fairly recently. That 'cool' red stuff gets brittle and cracks pretty quick and gets discolored and ugly even quicker, especially if you're not running a hood and its exposed to UV. Go with hard lines, and black rubber fuel line where you need to account for vibration, like where the hard line connects to fuel pump. I think NHRA rules say no more than 12" of rubber line total, and that's for a good reason. Fire = bad. Tygon is green/yellow, translucent, and is chemically resistant (though there are a few different versions that have different properties), so it might fit your bill. I use it for all my small engine fuel lines, though I wouldn't put it on my car. I don't ever seem to build anything where fancy fuel lines would look like they belonged, anyway.
that’s the motor. It will have a weiand intake and 2 deuces pretty soon. I think the motor turned out pretty nice and I don’t really want just plain black rubber line on it. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I don’t really care what I use. I just want to use what would be more traditional Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
As always, it depends on what your definition of traditional is. For what its worth, I'm planning on bending up a length of NiCopp from the pump to the carb on my SBC. I like the copper look and its super easy to bend and flare and make for a nice clean install. Going to stick with a (traditional) steel line down the frame to the tank.
Since copper isn't really a good fuel line we used a copper tube with a stainless steel fuel line shoved inside the copper on my wife's flathead. It looks cool, is strong as hell and is very old school.
Yep, I thought most all knew this stuff by now. Copper will get brittle and eventually crack. Some form circles in the tube to act as dampers to let the tube move a little. Not sure I'd trust this either, but to each his/her own. The steel inside of the copper as noted above is a novel idea. Should work well, just a little larger diameter than normal. You can buy "modern" synthetic rubber "made for" today's fuel., again it is thicker and more expensive, but should stand up well. I'd still replace even that every couple of years. Mike
There is a lot to be read about using straight copper for a fuel line, but the nickel/copper lines are a different animal, and its fine for fuel line. Though, it is rather soft, so I wouldn't run it into harms way (down the frame) unless it was tucked way up, or behind a gravel shield of some kind.
Run hard lines to the fuel block bolted to the intake, hard line to the fuel pump. Rubber from the fuel pump to the firewall where it meets hardline and goes to the tank
Safety first. Unless it is strictly a show car, forget traditional. Hate to see your build go up in flames with today's fuel. I'd use NiCopp for hard lines and Gates Barricade hose for the soft lines.
Funny you should mention this. I ran the red lines for the same reason. Until I had quite a few guys in their 80’s come up to me pleading to not use them. They expressed their experience on losing cars and watch others who lost their cars with the red lines. I understand now they have a new material for the red lines but haven’t heard any feedback on it. Don’t take these chances. Be safe. Not sorry.
From my memory, traditional fuel line would be steel line with black rubber connector hoses where there was vibration.By the 60's we used the worm clamps on the rubber. You don't want to draw attention to the fuel line. Use chrome sparingly where you want eyes to see detail. Phil
Bones Balogh built SBC APRIL-Oct 1960 Hello, As far as traditional goes, it will depend on how far back… “traditional” is listed. In the early days of Lions Dragstrip, the black rubber certified hoses were used, then some racers used the red versions. So, 1960…rubber hoses. Only a few used the metal fixed lines with some flexibility added. But, the street cars with multiple carbs used the black and some used the red ones. The shiny metal lines and clear ones were for show cars and not daily drivers or at least not in the Gas Coupe and Sedan Class cars with carbs. 1960 Lions Dragstrip Pits We built our 292 SBC 671 motor with 6 Strombergs and the black lines were evident. The SBC looked very similar to Bones Balogh’s SBC and the rubber hoses stood out. How can one not notice 6 lines going to 6 carbs on top of the 671? But, if one does not have the funds for a two port Hilborn Injector, then you built something with what you could afford and make it function well. Besides, people noticed the 6 carbs on top, but the sound of the motor and the newest Isky Gilmer Drive Belt 671 set up was more fun to listen and see in motion. In the pits with the hood up, any time the motor started, it drew a crowd. This was for a street legal car in the Gas Coupe and Sedan Classes. It was not The Sidewinder or Dragmaster race cars. Jnaki Those were the fun days. Many years later, (64-69) if that is your traditional era, then there were all kinds of hose set ups as the technology improved at a rapid rate. So, the question always goes back to when does your version of “traditional” start and finish? One word does not mean every year since the beginning of drag racing or hot rods. There were many variations, it just depends on what year and set up. In our second 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery, our 327SBC, four barrel carburetor came with a clear gas line. It looked nice, but was immediately replaced with a red rubber, gas approved line to go with the red motor compartment and the outside paint scheme.
I did a couple tests on the "new" red fuel line and showed the results. here is the thread: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ref-the-red-see-through-fuel-line-need-to-know.1096823/