Hey fellas,
I'm eliminating my rear fuel tank...so I'm planning on eliminating the selector valve which is common for air intrusion, and running new supply and return lines along the frame up to the engine.
I'm thinking I'll use large diameter brake line along the frame, over the crossmember, and up to the fuel pump. I'll use rubber hose for the connections to the fuel sending unit and to the mechanical fuel pump. That's what I did on my first IDI, only I did a cruddy job because it was 10 pm when I started on the truck after a long day of work, and I needed the truck running at 6 am....well you get the idea of how nice the lines were! LOL
I'm not going with an electric fuel pump. I like not requiring electricity to run my truck. (A manual shutdown method is on toward the bottom of my list of things to do) I can pop-start the truck with my standard transmission if the batteries are cooked. Sorry, I guess I'm old school and just plain LOVE reliability of mechanical things...I know I love my '65 with a points ignition and manual choke!
I don't like the idea of running rubber line the entire length. Imagine 10 years from now when I'm trying to track down air intrusion...looking over the entire length of rubber for cracks...I'd rather replace a couple small sections of rubber than the entire stinking line.
For good seals in the metal lines, I'll use brake fitting unions with teflon tape. For the metal to rubber connections I'll put a small flare on the metal line and slide the rubber over it with small hose clamps.
Plus, for clamping/mounting the lines to the frame, I'll feel better with a connection of a clamp on the metal line. I'll use some oversize, maybe 3/8" fuel hose and cut 4" sections. Slit it down the middle, slide it over the metal line, and then clamp down on the rubber hose to insulate the metal line from vibrations which can eat through the metal over the years.

Anyone have opinions?

 

What kind of a flare were you thinking on the metal to rubber connections? If you increase the diameter at the end, like normal flares, it will be a pain to slide the rubber on. I traced a few rusted out spots on the metal section on my truck shortly after I bought it. I can't remember if I spliced in new metal line for all of it, or rubber in sections, but I don't think you really have to worry about it coming off. With a mechanical pump, the supply line is under vacuum, so its not going to pop off under pressure. The return line is low pressure, and also shouldn't pop off. I'd just slide the rubber on 3/4"-1" and use a clamp. If you're worried, use two clamps.

Also, I'd worry a little about water seeping into your mounting spots and rusting the lines out. Were you going to paint the line before installation? or use stainless steel. Otherwise it WILL rust out again, I know how much crap they put on the roads up here!

 

Check your local junk yard and see if there are any 95's and up there. They have stainless lines on them....Or the one I stripped down did....You can get a compression fitting that will go on the line that can have a pipe thread that you can put a barb fitting on that. I would use Parker Push-lok hose or Parker Parflex hose...Don't know what you have around you as far as that stuff goes....I am fortunate enough to have everything a person could think of when it comes to hydraulic shops to electrical wholesale places and numerous parts outlets within 30 miles from me and I know somebody at every store.. That does help ALLOT...

 

Catfish, with the pressures our fuel systems run there's no need for compression or barb fittings at the ends of the steel lines - I'd just put a light flare on the line end an then slide the rubber over it and put a good (fuel-injection style) clamp on it and all is good. Also most parts stores now carry the "Poly-Armor" type of lines where the steel has this thin plastic coating (green in color) on it that actually holds up against rust pretty good even in the salt belt.