Please bare with me as my restoration of my 79 Spider is my first attempt at a project of this type but I'm determined to turn my not so pretty Spider into a real looker, my question is:

In the process of repairing, weld repairs, to my floor pans I plan on replacing the fuel line running from the tank to the engine compartment. I plan on using plastic coated copper tubing, left over from my oil fired furnace repair, in place of the original line. While i'm at it I plan on removing the return fuel line as it is currently capped off in the engine compartment. Anyony with any suggestions would be helpful.

I'm not sure... I think there is a difference between copper lines and cunifer lines. The cunifer lines have some other metals like nickel and iron and should be OK. Is the diameter of the copper tube the same as the original fuel lines. Will the diameter of the copper lines stay the same over time and in various temperatures? I'm not sure. Will the plastic coated copper lines react differently over time with pump gas when copared to the intended use of an oil fired furnace.

I don't think I'd use plastic coated copper for a fuel line. However, I could be completely wrong or right for all the wrong reasons.

This might help

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/arc ... 18791.html

TX82FIAT wrote:I'm not sure... I think there is a difference between copper lines and cunifer lines. The cunifer lines have some other metals like nickel and iron and should be OK. Is the diameter of the copper tube the same as the original fuel lines. Will the diameter of the copper lines stay the same over time and in various temperatures? I'm not sure. Will the plastic coated copper lines react differently over time with pump gas when copared to the intended use of an oil fired furnace.

I don't think I'd use plastic coated copper for a fuel line. However, I could be completely wrong or right for all the wrong reasons.

I agree except. If there were no impurities in the gas--no question--it would not corrode. Gas however is a mix of organics and impurities. Water is one culpret. When it mixes with the tiny amounts of acid in gas, it can corrode copper

Thanks everyone, all great comments, think I'll buy some steel tubing, can't go wrong that way.

Anyone have any ideas about the capped off fuel line in the engine compartment?

BTW I'll post the condition of the fuel lines that are on the spider once I remove them as they must of been replaced at some time because they are copper, no visual problems other than some blueish oxidation on the tubes exterior.

don't forget to check underneath

Wfolland wrote:
Anyone have any ideas about the capped off fuel line in the engine compartment?

there should not be a capped off fuel line. my guess is it is the vapor line or an old fuel line that someone has already replaced

Both my 1952 MG TD's had copper fuel lines from the factory. They are as solid today as when the cars were built. I take them off, use brake cleaner and clean/blow them out, and use a pad of steel wool and a barrel of elbow grease - they're shiny - and that can't be bad.

The copper runs from the fuel tank to the firewall mounted electric fuel pump. Braided steel flex tubing connects the fuel pump to the carburetors. Work-hardening is not a problem.

Certainly should stand up to modern ethanol fuel better than the old rubber stuff.
Bob;