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Posted

I'm building a 32 Ford with a 283 dual quad engine.  At present I'm confused as to what size fuel line from the fuel pump to the carburetors.  Should I use aluminum?  What other pertinent information should I know to make the detailing spot on?  Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks, Stephen Bailey 

Posted

If your building a ‘32 Ford with a 283, it’s obviously a custom, which means there’s really no “correct” set up.

The advantage of building a custom is that you don’t have to follow any play book.

You can do it however you want.

 

 

Steve

Posted (edited)

6AN or 8AN aluminum hard line would be correct, depending on carb size and engine output primarily. That equates to 3/8" OD or 1/2" OD.

In 1/25 scale, the actual diameter of scale-correct 3/8" line would be .015", actual diameter of scale-correct 1/2" line would be .020".

EDIT: Here's a hardware, fastener, and plumbing reference thread:

 

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
  • Thanks 2
Posted

I would suggest finding a chunk of 12 gauge STRANDED wire and use one of the strands from that. You will have to color it silver but it will bend any direction you want and stay there.

Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, Bills72sj said:

I would suggest finding a chunk of 12 gauge STRANDED wire and use one of the strands from that. You will have to color it silver but it will bend any direction you want and stay there.

12 AWG stranded might work, but there are likely different types (more or less flexible) of wire which have higher or lower number of strands, so each strand's gauge (diameter can vary).    Looking at https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/wire/wire-gauge-chart.html  solid 24 AWG wire (the conductor) is 0.0201" diameter, and 26 AWG is 0.0159" diameter.  Copper wire can also be purchased pre-tinned, so the surface will already have silver color finish.

Also, bus wire is bare soft copper (uninsulated) wire, usually tin plated. That would work well.

Or, a bare copper wire can be tin plated using electroless tin plating kit.  I used such kit to produce a satin silver finish on some copper and brass rods.

Edited by peteski
Posted (edited)

It's really not necessary to overthink and reinvent the wheel to get professional looking results.

If you have a cheap digital caliper, you can measure the OD of any old wire you have (refer to the scale-accurate dimensions I posted above) and use what's the right size. Color it with silver sharpie, silver Rub n Buff, paint etc.

OR...you can go to a hardware store and probably find something that will look right. I have multiple rolls of cheap, plated and tinned "tie wire" in my materials box.

OR...you can go to a craft store and almost certainly find something that will look right (and while you're there, look at all the options for scale-correct plug wires that don't look like garden hose on a model engine).

Even paperclips can be formed into great looking fuel line if they're the right OD.

Or "music wire", like old guitar or piano strings.

Some are harder to bend than others, but they make these magic finger-strength-multiplier tools called "needle nose pliers" that solve that problem, and they even sell a version with special tips in craft stores made especially to do nice clean radiused bends on wire.

 

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
CLARITY and ACCURACY
  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
16 hours ago, bluestringer said:

I get the aluminum craft wire from hobby lobby. Comes in different gauge sizes and colors. And it bends easily.

This ^^^^

 

 

Hobby Lobby has whats called beading wire. Avail in a few different sizes and colors I believe 

Edited by gtx6970
  • Like 2

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