Once again - to the best and brightest:
During my fuel tank drop (which also included the rear end..more on that later) I noticed the condition of the hard fuel lines - very crusty looking. I did a search online for similar images...they all seem to look the same. Does anyone know if these lines are available (I couldn't find any) or can be made by fairly competent DIYer? I'm guessing they are steel?

Carb-Dave (now EFI-Dave)

Rimmer Brothers were the last stockists of PKC381 - but sold out a couple of years ago. TRF had PKC387 back last century. I think it is now going to be a fabrication job from steel. There are some sharp angles so try and remove your old pipes by cutting a straight piece so that it is easier to copy if at all possible.

If you're going to that much trouble, consider aluminium, "Hardline" fuel tubing.
https://www.summitracing.com/int/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&keyword=fuel%20hardline&cm_mmc=ppc-google-_-search-_-general-terms-_-keyword&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItZqGxs6u4AIVK7XtCh3oCgO_EAMYASAAEgJex_D_BwE (Other suppliers etc etc)

Bad Obession Motorsport fitted some recnetly to Project Binky: See: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHvBHWBzzB7NyU5tIiEZHBg

John

The aluminum fuel line is nice to work with. So is that nicop or whatever they call it new fangled brake lines. I buy that stuff by the 50 foot rolls from Summit.

I redid mine with aluminum line from Summit. If you undo the coupling in the right rear wheel well it is possible to remove the old line without cutting it. For me, it made it easier to copy.

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Brent

John - thanks for the suggestion. I will consider it. What ID would I need? 0.375 inch?

Carb-Dave (now EFI-Dave)

Brent - that would be the goal. I'm assuming the aluminum tubing is fairly easy to work with using hand tools and simple forms for bending?

Carb-Dave (now EFI-Dave)

I just used a hand tubing bender. The aluminum line is easy to work with. I can take some photos later today if it would be helpful. The project car that has the new fuel line is in storage, as I had to make room for a TR8 that I am trying to bring up to speed for spring, so I need to unwrap it to get some pics.

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Brent

Yiu can watch the Bad Obession Boys fitting hardline to Project Binky here:

'Course, you have to be a fabrication divvie, like Nock Blackhurst, to get it that right first time!

JOhn

John:

Oh, Puh-LEASE!

You know those guys had to do three takes to get it right, and all they did was post the last one.

If somehow they really did get it right the first time, it was because they had a fully equipped machine shop with a $55 thousand CNC tubing bender.

The dweebs on the speed channel do the same thing; Tear down a junk yard Chevy 454 CI big block they bought for $75, rebuild it to NASCAR specs for less than $300, and start it up on the first twist of the key. They put it on the dyno and it makes 750 fully streetable horsepower with no adjustments, and it gets 35 MPG on the highway.

Yeah right. They never show you the box full of expensive parts they had to throw away because they didn't work, nor do they mention the $5000 in dyno time it took to get it running well.

Lying bastards.

And if they aren't lying, then I am even angrier BECAUSE I NEVER GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!!!!

My doctor told me to take up a hobby because it would reduce my anger and stress. I don't think it is working.

Vance

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1980 Platinum Metallic TR8, frame off restoration, complete.
1980 Vermilion TR7 Sprint replica, in progress.

3/8" is the proper size. Easiest way to bend tubing is with those springs that slide over the pipe and then you can bend by hand. I have never ever used one of those fancy bending tools before. Maybe if I had one, I'd use it. Unless you are trying to make a really tight bend, you don't even need the springs. I can think of 4 race cars I've built with all new fuel and brake lines this way.

Thanks Todd - ordered some tubing today. For the money its worth experimenting with. I can borrow a handheld bending tool. I think it looks easier than it is for lining up the bends. I had a similar experience building a mini-Baja car frame for an SAE sponsored competition many years ago and was amazed at how much scrap steel tubing we generated (book nerds using a bending mandrel and other equipment for the first time...machine shop support staff at the university had 2-3 months of solid laughter during the whole process..)

Carb-Dave (now EFI-Dave)