I want to remove and clean old fuel in the glass fuel bowl - If I loosen the bail nut and swing it away should the bowl come off?
I did loosen the bail nut and swing it away but the bowl did not easily come off, I did not want to force it so I thought I'd ask experts here.

 

Everything is probably stuck to the gasket, may need some gentle persuasion.

 

If I'm not mistaken the fuel bowl you're referring to is a sediment bowl I believe, correct? Yes, if you loosen the bail nut & swing the arm away from the bowl, the sediment bowl should fall into your hand. As Eric suggested, it needs some persuasion from a rubber hammer lightly tapping around the sides of the bowl, or a large pair of channel locks with a towel wrapped around the sediment bowl should work. Perhaps the last case scenario would be a very small screwdriver gently rocking the sediment bowl between the glass and the metal surrounding lip might work.

 

Thanks Eric and Norm - I will try to "persuade" it off and let you guys know how I make out.

 

Depending on the exact type of glass bowl you have (whether it's the OEM glass bowl or a replacement glass bowl) - it might even be an entire replacement sediment fuel bowl assembly someone else may have replaced, sediment glass fuel bowls and the gaskets are pretty much easily procured. Many auto manufacturers used basically the same glass fuel bowl during that era. The absolute worse case scenario is you end up purchasing a new sediment fuel bowl assembly and plumbing it into your current fuel lines. Good luck with the removal.