Hey guys,

So as I'm getting through my engine and engine bay detailing, I wanted to ask what you guys do with your steel fuel lines. Do you leave them as bare metal or paint them so they don't rust? I was thinking of cleaning them up nicely and them clear coating them.

Let me know..thanks!
John

 

I have a bead blast cabinet
that I did mine with. Turned
out real nice. Clear coat? Hmmm.
Worth a shot I guess.

 

OK so bead blast them but then you still have bare metal. What's preventing them from rusting in next to no time?

 

Sorry John, guess I should have
finished.
I used Ospho after blasting and then used
Rustyoleum flat black sprayon, touch up with
a cue-tip after install, worked well.

If you go with a clearcoat, I would be interested
in seeing the results for sure. I like the natural as well.
Is it a galvanized or zinc or what?

 

Thanks! I'm going for the natural look and for the record, I'm talking about the fuel line from the pump to the carb AND the lines on the frame to/from the tank.

 

Laquer thinner to remove paint and tar.

Evaporust to remove only rust, and leave factory plating/ finish intact. You may want to use 000 steel wool lightly on the hard to remove spots.
http://www.evaporust.com/

Treat clean bare metal with Boeshield to prevent future rust.
http://boeshield.com/

Hope this helps

 

Wow, good to know. Thanks! Do you have to keep reapplying that every few months?

 

Depends on the application, enviroment, ect.

Boeshield protecting a fuel line should last a year or more.

 

I cleaned and painted mine with Eastwood's silver cad - came out nicely...

 

Thanks Rob. So you used that on the fuel lines as well as tranny cooler lines? Do you have any pics of the finished product handy? I was going through your engine detailing post (which is awesome by the way!) and didn't see them pointed out. Of course that post is 15 pages and I may have skimmed right by some. I thought I saw you (or somebody else maybe) mention somewhere that you liked a Wal Mart Aluminum paint better than the Eastwood Silver Cad. I think painting the lines vs. leaving them bare in any way is going to be best. I just want it to look as correct as possible and still be protected from the elements.

 

John,
IMO, leave the fuel line ( carb to pump ) natural finish. If you do decide to paint be sure to use high heat products. Not sure if you can get stainless line for your car. Maybe inquire at ILT (in line tube)

 

Thanks Allan. Like I said, I want to keep an original appearance but I don't want anything to corrode either. What do you recommend for the tank lines on the frame and the tranny lines?

 

Funny you should say that. My tank is a brand new Spectra GM34R still waiting to go in and it's coated with a waxy oily film. I'm going to leave it on even though the tank is made from more corrosion resistant material. I like the natural look.


The vent lines that go to the vent cannister I cleaned up and painted with silver wheel caliper paint. They look really good (pics attached) They won't be seen by anyone except if it's up on a hoist.

Before:


Stripped to metal:


After painting:


The brake lines I ordered from ILT and am really happy with them. They are OEM quality, not stainless steel. So if they get a bit of discoloration, that's ok because that's what would happen in regular service anyway. With the limited mileage and good storage the car gets I seriously doubt there will be any issue. I am also replacing my carb to fuel pump line with a new one from ILT because the original one was for a 2bbl and I have 4bbl now. I'm not coating it or painting it either.

Brake lines came bent for packing. There's a How To explanation on ILT's site about straightening them. These are the standard OEM look alikes that actually fit right. Quality looks really good too. Rear lines are already on the car.

 

Thanks Allan!

 

The Eastwood paint is much more durable and dries fast. The Walmart aluminum LOOKS more like cad plate, but is not as durable and it can damage easier. If left bare they will rust.
Here is one picture...


and another... I did the tranny lines, too.

 

EASTWOOD DIAMMOND HIGH-TEMP SEMI-GLOSS/STAIN CLEAR for bare metal (it is a rattle can). Two light coats with fifteen minutes between each coat, then two regular coats 1/2 hour apart. Did this for several customers cars and I did my award winning F-85 five yrs. ago and still looks just as good as the day I did them. I used In-line Tube stainless for the brake and the fuel frame rail lines from tank, so no need to do those.

BTW:also did fuel tank, driveshaft, and my W-31 alum. intake.

Lady72nRob71: NICE engine bay. Good color on the engine paint too!

 

Thanks! That is two brushed-on coats of POR15 Olds Gold, except for the valve covers, which were sprayed.