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Last Reviewed: March 17, 2024
Bodyshop Index

Steps 1-20 describe how we installed a new fuel pump and lines. And steps 20-36 will show you some of the tools and techniques we use for flaring and routing hydraulic lines for the clutch and brakes.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 1 1. Our first project is to make saddle brackets to mount a fuel pump. We found a piece of tubing the size of the pump housing and cut out the same size curve in a block of wood. Then we squeezed a piece of 18 gauge metal between the two to form the saddle.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 2 2. As you can see, it does a nice job. The next step was to bend the outside lips to form the saddle shown below.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 3 3. We welded the saddles to a piece of 14 gauge metal and rounded the corners. And we attached four studs to the plate for the fuel pump hold down brackets.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 4 4. In this picture the whole assembly has been mounted on the custom suspension system we built previously which is directly under the fuel tank.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 5 5. Next we cut a section out of the torque box so we could install a U-shade channel up against the floor to make the fuel line flush with the floor. This looks good and will protect the line from being squashed by a floor jack.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 6 6. We made the U-shaped channel wide enough to hold both the brake and fuel lines.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 7 7. It pays to have the right tool for the job and that is particularly true when bending tubing. Here is our set of benders, along with sample bends, which we use to make templates.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 8 8. For example, in this picture the straight tubing needs to be bent to go inside the existing line so we simply held up the appropriate template bend and transferred the mark for the bender.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 9 9. We could not find double clamps for two different sizes of tubing so we made our own by cutting up two clamps and welding them together.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 10 10. It pays to take the time to make the proper clamps and assure that everything is neat and straight, as shown.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 11 11. Here you can see where the lines come out of the U-shaped channel we made and head up through the fender apron. The fuel vent line goes straight up but we added a couple of minor bends to the supply line to make room for the hoses and fittings.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 12 12. We wrapped a piece of 18 gauge steel around this piece of tubing to shape the sides of a base plate for the lines to pass through the fender apron.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 13 13. And then we tacked the base plate on the top side of the fender apron.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 14 14. Here is another method for figuring out bends. We simply used a piece of brass rod to test the layout and set the proper angle to avoid wasting tubing.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 15 15. Here you can see that we ran the fuel pump output and bent lines through a bracket we made and attached to the frame. Notice that we used a stainless steel flex hose between the frame and pump to allow for minor vibrations..
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 16 16. Here you can see that we also used a flex line on the input side, before connecting it to the fuel tank.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 17 17. And here is a view of the top of the tank showing the vent line.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 18 18. We used ´thru frame´ fittings (made by Godmans) to pass the lines through the frame.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 19 19. We made a splash shield to protect the lines from tire dirt under the fenders.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 20 20. Here is a view of the hydraulic clutch reservoir, hidden up under the fender but still accessible for service.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 21 21. And here is a view from the engine compartment showing the master brake cylinder (1), the hydraulic clutch cylinder (2), and the fuel lines coming out of the pad (3) we discussed in steps #12 and #13.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 22 22. Hydraulic lines are all about flaring tubing to handle the high pressure. You will want a tool that comes with a variety of heads and can make double flares.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 23 23. This picture shows the double flare head we will need.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 24 24. And here is a sample of the double flare it produces.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 25 25. For stainless steel brake lines we need a special flair tool with a roller tip to assure that the flared surface does not get scratched.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 26 26. Here is an sample of that flare.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 27 27. And here is the stainless steel tube with the a ferrule ready for installation.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 28 28. We use this Eastwood flare set (#11535).
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 29 29. The tool is slim enough to go right up against the body panels in tight situations and it makes every type of flare you might need.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 30 30. Here is a double flare we made with this tool.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 31 31. And here is a metric bubble flare we made.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 32 32. And here is a push connection flare we made for a vacuum hoses.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 33 33. We use these copper gaskets between the fittings and flares on stainless steel brake lines so that we do not have to tighten the wrench as hard to get a good seal.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 34 34. Here you can see how the copper gasket conforms to the fitting to make a good seal.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 35 35. This picture shows you how we typically run various types of lines. Notice that they are all firmly attached to the body to prevent chaffing and in this case we will cover them with a trim panel to make them invisible.
Tips for installing fuel lines and brake lines on antique, vintage, old, used or classic cars or trucks - step 36 36. And up inside the engine compartment, the bulkhead fittings were placed for the best hose route and appearance possible.

Jeff Lilly Restorations
11125 F.M.1560 N
San Antonio, Texas
210-695-5151 - www.jefflilly.com