Fuel lines - body on?

[ChrisMiami]

Can you replace the fuel lines from tank to engine bay with the body on the frame? I've always assumed one would need to lift the body but...maybe not?

Thanks,
Chris

[rbryce1]

The 1967 Corvette went to a 2 piece front to rear brake line, but I don't believe there is a fuel line that will work with the body on the car. Seems they would have gotten smarter after all those years.

I know there are some fuel lines, like my 1965, that partially go through the frame back over the rear axles. Not all do though, as I don't remember having to do that on my 1968.

If you are not worried about NCRS, it would seem to me that you could cut the fuel line, put a small flare on the ends and join the two pieces together with fuel line hose and double clamps. Just do it in a location where there will be no chance of chaffing the fuel line on anything. This assumes you have the fuel pump on the engine and not in the gas tank. With the fuel pump on the engine, this setup would not be any different than the fuel hose that goes from the fuel tank to the fuel line in the rear of the car. Fuel pumps in the gas tank are usually with fuel injection and develop far more fuel line pressure than carburetor setups.

Once you get your old fuel line out, straighten it back to the original shape as best as possible, cut it and see if you can get it back in before trying it on the new fuel line. If it works, go for it. If not, lift the body.

[ChrisMiami]

Oh nice! Well, I'm eventually going to lift the body, but I was just trying to complete my last year's goal of 'up and running' first.

I'm getting all new parts for the rear (just going for the old tin can approach, though a fuel cell may be in my future someday), but I'm not entirely keen on routing a secondary fuel line below the body. Maybe they thought that making it so freakin' inaccessible was a way to keep it safe from accidental damage.

So, I guess I'll need to find a 15-foot pipe cleaner somewhere... Any ideas on fuel line cleaning tactics?

Thanks,
Chris

[rbryce1]

One more thought. Not sure when they went to the removable transmission cross member, but I think that is the issue, getting the new fuel line over the rear axle and between the transmission cross member and the body. Check and see if you can remove the transmission cross member on your year Corvette and if so, maybe you can replace the fuel line in one piece that way.

Also, why do you need to clean it? are you afraid of rust inside the fuel line or what?

[ChrisMiami]

Oh yes, I'm afraid of not only rust but gooey gas gunk and possibly river mud and ants. It has an auto transmission so the crossmember is supposed to be removable. Times like this I sure wish I had a lift.

[MaineVette]

On my 71 it would not have been possible to replace the fuel lines with new pre-bent pieces with the body on - some actually go through the middle crossmember. You may be able to cut and splice some lines though as previously mentioned in this post.

There's a bunch of photos on my site showing the brake and fuel lines run with the body off. They should help you visualize how the lines are routed.

http://www.corvette-restoration.com/res ... lation.htm

As for cleaning the fuel lines I'd try blowing them clean with some compressed air. Just make sure you get the fuel out of them first.

[ChrisMiami]

I'm supposed to get under there this weekend and pull the tank. It's for the first time, so wish me luck. I'm still trying to figure out HTF you're supposed to put jack stands at the jacking point if you have a jack there already...

And as for cleaning, someday I'll have compressed air to work with. For now I'll do what I can with carb cleaner and my lungs...

Man those pics brought back memories! The good ole days, eh? Don'tcha miss them times?

Chris

[ChrisMiami]

Well, it didn't happen.

I had previously started some interior disassembly, and decided to finish taking off the door cards before I tackled the fuel tank, just to finish what I'd started.

During this adventure, I discovered the pull handles have steel inside the plastic, so if you strip the phillips head screw that attaches it, you can't just use a razor blade to cut them off. Pulling the card out far enough to see where my hacksaw blade needed to go made this 'crickling' sound - but I did not give up and just break the card off. Once it was off, though, I found the thing has rotted edges and although I thought I could just re-leather and reuse it, doing so will require a substantial reforming of the forward and bottom edges. I also found a gaping rust hole in the bottom of the door (big enough for a softball and a golf ball side-by-side). That's a lotta fixing to have to do!

I took a break and sat in the passenger side with my dog and we are both now still recovering from mold inhalation.

I'm at the point where I'm considering just accepting that I got ripped off by a vendor with no morals and not throwing any more money and time at this rotted thing. I'm going to shop around to see if I can find a running, driving 69 for less than $10k. The car I have is a basket case that Bubba just left sitting in a field for years (and then I did the same). I don't know whether or not I can continue in good conscience and I may just part it out.

So, long story short, I didn't bother with the gas tank.

Chris

[MaineVette]

It's definitely disappointing when you come across all these issues. Been there, done that. The unfortunate reality is that, when working on a car that's 30+ years old, you're going to encounter a lot of stuff that just isn't right unless you've got a car that's really clean (big $) or has been completely gone through (still big $).

I've run into A LOT of issues on my car and often thought that the guy I bought it from ripped me off. In hindsight I probably paid too much for it given when I've found but that's just water under the bridge at this point. I suppose the main difference with mine is that I bought the car specifically as a project car.

I've started taking the approach of just tackling each challenge one at a time - I focus on the problem at hand, fix it, and then move on. Focusing on all of the problems that remain and still need to be resolved is just too overwhelming and is enough to make anyone give up.

In any case, good luck with whatever you decide to do. Let us know what you decide!

[ChrisMiami]

Well Tim, I gotta say thanks again.

You reminded me that when I bought my Corvette I was also considering doing one of these Daytona Coupes, which is by definition a "build your own car" project and includes (typically) the tear-down of a donor Mustang. I chose the Vette instead because I could get into it cheaper and still have all the same fun, only with a production vehicle that I drooled over as a kid!

After a few years, I guess I lost track of that original inspiration and like you said, I started thinking about the magnitude of the task and how much time it'd take. I guess I lost some of my sense of humor about it too.

But it looks like I just might be dumb enough to finish what I started. I gotta get better at focusing and make sure I do at least one physical thing every day to move forward. Winter in Miami is The Right Time (tm) to work on stuff and I have a bet with myself to see how far I can get before my birthday.

Oh, AND I found this product from Eastwood made to clean fuel lines in place. I still won't be able to drive anywhere (recently found a surprise red puddle under the transmission - thanks, rats and bugs!), but a little engine noise goes a long way to getting the heart in the right spot, doesn't it?

I'll get back to this fuel tank mini-project and update here with pics/video when it happens. When.

So, thanks for the much-needed pep-talk. It was just what I needed to hear!

Chris