TheSamba.com :: View topic - How To: Metal fuel line replacement w/pics

Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:57 pm

gotcha, I assume so the tube isnt just sliding in and out and all over the place every time the cable is pulled correct?

Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:01 am

Correct! You want ONLY the clutch cable to move there.

Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:08 am

alrighty thanks! I'll have to figure something out then, maybe just measure where the tube goes through a chunk of metal at both ends and put a stopper or something around the tube... i'll post pics when I figure something out haha

Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:14 am

I should have added: the "Bowden" tube between the conduit and the flange on the transaxle is the only place that there is supposed to be any "give" when the clutch cable is moved.

Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:13 pm

I just replaced the metal fuel line on my 57 Ghia pan today and have a few tips that might prove useful to others. I cut the fuel line flush with the transmission horn at the back of the pan and pulled the old fuel line out through the front of the pan. Next I threaded the end of my new fuel line and made a bullet shaped insert that I screwed into the end of the fuel line.

This is the insert I made from some scrap round aluminum

This is the end of the fuel line I tapped with a 12-24 tap

screwing the insert onto the end of the fuel line

With the old fuel line out I used a long screw driver to slightly enlarge the front bracket for the fuel line inside the tunnel. Next I put a little grease on the end of the new fuel line and using a paint stick I put a little bit of grease at the front of the center bracket directly under the opening for the emergency brake. For some unknown reason a previous owner put about 2 cups of grease under the e-brake in the tunnel. I had to dig most of it out with a paint stick, but what remained really helped install the new fuel line. Finally I pushed the new fuel line through the front bracket, the middle bracket and the rear bracket under the inspection plate.

This is the view through the hole for the e-brake. You can see the new fuel line going through the center bracket

It helps to have a second person pushing the fuel line while you direct the line through the middle and rear brackets. It also helps to leave the end of the new fuel line coiled so you can easily rotate the line while you push it to the back of the pan. The hardest part was getting the line to exit out the back of the frame horn. I used a loop of bailing wire to pull the end of the fuel line up and a screw driver to help guide it up through the hole.

The bailing wire helped to pull the fuel line through the hole in the frame horn.

If you are doing this alone it helps to bend the bailing wire to keep the fuel line up.

The insert worked great at keeping gunk out of the end of the fuel line and guided the fuel line easily through the original brackets. Now all I have to do is cut the end of the fuel line to length.

Wed Jan 27, 2016 10:25 am

EA812 wrote: BTW glutamodo, I got the 1/4" Summit racing stainless steel fuel Line because of one of your posts a wile back about this subject. tks for the link too I never even thought of Summit.

Thanks much for the info...Summit has a warehouse in Sparks, NEV. I order in the AM and get it the NEXT DAY! So, thanks to you, my stainless line is coming. Original line was leaking gas in the tunnel...Big bummer, as the cool bug is a daily driver.
Wife is Chief of transportation at a large trucking firm (Central CA) so her raked VW is a 'trademark'. 8)

Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:07 am

MikeinAtwater wrote: EA812 wrote: BTW glutamodo, I got the 1/4" Summit racing stainless steel fuel Line because of one of your posts a wile back about this subject. tks for the link too I never even thought of Summit.

Thanks much for the info...Summit has a warehouse in Sparks, NEV. I order in the AM and get it the NEXT DAY! So, thanks to you, my stainless line is coming. Original line was leaking gas in the tunnel...Big bummer, as the cool bug is a daily driver.
Wife is Chief of transportation at a large trucking firm (Central CA) so her raked VW is a 'trademark'. 8)

Yeah, that was a big help when I found that post! I was looking into the original stuff and a price quote was like $300.00.

I did this myself like six years ago and also have a 66 now with original fuel line. The idea of it blowing out is always in the back of my mind. From the looks of what I could see in the tunnel it all looks great in there but there is always the possibility of it getting eaten from the inside I guess.

Fri Mar 25, 2016 3:41 pm

Just finished replacing the front to back fuel line using the Bentley book method as a guide . Two hours INCLUDING the trip to AutoZone . I bought two pieces of their "bendable " 1/4 inch fuel line ; one piece 6 foot and the other 4 foot and a union '....the two pieces worked out great . I was able to run the 6 foot piece from the top of the tunnel by the rear seat crossbar , down and along the passenger side of the tunnel and through a 9/16 hole I drilled through the napoleon hat...the second piece went from the top of the tunnel down a couple of inches and around to another 9/16 hole drilled one inch away from the hole with the brake line ...the four foot piece allowed me to do something a little different . I was able to eliminate the cloth line above the trans and run the hardline through and into a hole I drilled in the firewall . In the future I won't have to fool with the gas line in the tins ; just clamp off the new fuel line and pull the engine .

Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:05 pm

Good write up

Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:29 pm

Bruce wrote: EA812 wrote: .... Turn your light in the rear inspection hole to face down the rear tube and you can look in the tube through the trans mount bolt hole. Once the tube is at the opening in the frame, use a long thin Phillips screw driver or any long round object that you can fit into the fuel line. Reach into the tube with the 1/4 inch square steel piece you got at home depot, and gently lift the fuel line up towards the opening and stick the Phillips screw driver in through the frame opening into the end of the fuel line. This will act as a guide for the line to follow up and out the hole......
This sounds really cumbersome. There's a much easier way.

Once you have the fuel line fed to the rear by the shift rod coupler, insert a full length of welding rod into the hole of the frame horn at the rear where the fuel line exits. Push the welding rod as far as the shift rod coupler. Feed the welding rod inside the fue line. Now as you push the fuel line towards the rear, it will automatically find the exit hole in the frame horn and come out.

Before reading this, I was thinking basically the same thing, but using bailing wire instead of welding rod. I have a large role of it. It can be fed through the old line, and then the new line, and then then what is sticking out the back can be bent over. Then you pull on the end that has the old line, and the new line should follow it through.

Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:47 pm

Hi.
I am new to all this but would nylon fuel Line be a good choice ( better??) Then stainless?

Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:01 am

:D Awesome Job!!!!!

Sat Jul 13, 2024 10:38 am

Here’s what I did- just another option. Cut off outlet pipe at rear as deep as I could get it. Removed the transmission carrier bolt for light access. Fed the fuel line from front to rear. Went through relatively easy. I tapped the end that I fed through using a 6x1 screw- the same used to hold all the engine tin. The head of the screw gave me to something to pull up and out using a coat hanger. Got the screw almost exiting the hole at which point a few various tools helped force it out. Front is simply a matter of figuring the length you need and putting a small bend in the front . Pull the line through until your front bend lines up with the outlet. Secure with stainless steel straps.

Picture shows line with screw pulled up with hanger and pushed through with a small piece of rod.

Sat Jul 26, 2025 1:33 pm

How about smashing the end of the fuel line and grinding a bit of a point?

Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:05 pm

Worth a try. I think this is one of those jobs where there’s a hundred solution- just do what works for you. Good luck

Tue Dec 09, 2025 4:55 pm

I must have the odd ball. The line in the tunnel on my 61 is secured at 4 spots. 1-peddle assembly, 2-under the hand brake, 3-about 10" past the hand brake, 4-shift coupler. There is no way to get to all 4 without cutting access holes in the tunnel.

Wed Dec 10, 2025 4:25 am

My previous '62 I installed a stainless fuel line thru the center and tied the new line to the old and just cut the old one back a foot or so at each end. I now have to change out the fuel line in my current '62 rag top. The previous owner used rubber hose from the tank thru the center to the carb. When I did this job to my other '62 the body was off the frame so it was easy. This one I'm hoping to connect the metal line to the old hose and pull thru. I'm really not looking forward to taking out the fuel tank.

Wed Dec 10, 2025 4:49 am

I think this would be very difficult if not impossible to do without removing the gas tank. You would not have enough room on top of the tunnel to work the line up through the top. Good luck.