289 street car fuel lines
 

Could someone specifiy whether the fuel lines from the tank to the fuel pump on a MK2 289 street car are 5/16" OD or 3/8" OD. A normal 289HP Mustang had 5/16" while the R models received 3/8" but I don't know if AC applied the same specifications. I classify the street cars as being fitted with a single 715 Holley carb and not Webers. Thanks so much. Regards

Dual quads were also an option which may have required the larger lines.
I dont know for sure the correct size though. Nick?
Larry

Hey Larry, Dual quads were like the big blocks and needed 3/8" lines. The 260 cars I know of with a single 4 barrel have 5/16" lines so I am assuming the 289 ones are the same. Have to make a fitting for the bottom of an original tank and don't want to make that piece twice. Will see if Nick reads this. Thanks, AJ

I think they were done to K code or HiPo specs so I would guess 3/8". I have pinged one of our real experts here while I check some notes.

Nick, K code cars were 5/16" so that is why I would think a MK2 289 would be the same. AJ

I think you're right, I remember having one in my hand that got tangled with a header.

5/16
A fabricated hose ran between the fuel tank outlet and engine bay. I was made by Smiths. It was a rubber hose protected by a stainless steel braided cover. Each end consisted of a plated steel tube nipple. Brass collars were compression crimped over the hose OD to capture the steel tube ends. A the fuel tank end a set of brass fitting pieces (male adapter, ferrule, and nut) connected to the fuel strainer assembly in the tank. The other end was lashed (same lashing cord as used on heater hoses) to the main frame near the fuel pump. A section of rubber hose connected the Smiths made line to the fuel pump; two clamps on the Smiths connection end and one clamp at the fuel pump. (Educated guesses before you ask, why two clamps at the Smiths' line end? No one put a MS/SAE type bead on the end of the steel tube nipple at the end of the Smiths hose in the engine bay. Without a bead on the tube the hose is fairly easy to pull off. My guess is that at some point Cobras only used one clamp and somebody had line separation. The quick fix was double up on clamps. Labor wise it takes several minutes to take an existing tube put a bead on its end. That would be easy on a work bench but difficult with the line lashed to a car's frame. It only takes seconds to add another clamp. If one of the factories had asked Smiths to put a bead on one end, the hoses would have become directional; i.e. they would have had to be always run with the bead to the front. It could have been a cost issue (added labor time to make a bead on one end), an installation issue (extra labor time to make sure the bead was up front during installation), both, or something else. In event that is the way unrestored Cobras examined have been found.

PS Fuel Delivery: I have seen a large percentage of original hoses that were badly damaged in the form of being mashed in places. I am guessing that this damage occurred by people using jacks and jack stands. The line runs where it can easily be damaged that way. The rubber liner in these hoses is thin walled and fairly soft. If the stainless steel cover is mashed flat it barely recovers when the load is removed. One to several of these mashed places along a hose cuts fuel flow a lot.

I've said it before... Dan to the resecue!
Larry

Dan, Thanks so much. Real big help. Regards, AJ

Your welcome.

That was just off the top of his head, wait till he starts referring to his notes ;-)
Thanks Dan

So - it's a braided flexible fuel line, 5/16", from tank to engine bay - should a '64/5 street 289 still use the Autolite mechanical fuel pump, or did they go electric?

blue sky
I'm no expert, but I believe that the 260 and 289-powered street Cobras did not have a 715 Holley. They used a standard Autolite carb that came on the engines from Ford. Not that it matters for the fuel line, but I assume you're trying to replicate an original car, so the carb is pretty important to the "look". What came on the Mustangs generally has little or no relationship to what came on the Cobras.

The early Cobras had the Autolite "Cracker Box" 4100 series carb as did the Early Hipo Fairlanes. Later ones had a regular side hung float Holley. The coveted Hi Rise and 715 cfm (#3259) Holley wit Lemans Bowls was an over the counter option.

...and the fuel pump?

Carter X, with canister, mechanical pump.

Street and race Cobras (yes race coupes too including AC Cars A98), as well as King Cobras....period pictures and cars still intact all use the stock Fairlane 260/289 fuel pump on the engine.....even when the racers had electric pumps at the tank.

Early 260 powered 4V cars had Holley made Ford application carburetors that appear to be Thunderbird issue models. Don't know which one as all the several models looked the same on the outside. Soon a later model Holley made Ford application "square bowl" carburetor was used and was optional for 289 powered cars with the low rise aluminum 4V intake all the way into CSX24XX cars. Here's the last known version of low rise 4V (like most things Cobra there were several versions of intake and carburetor).


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r187/rr64/COBRA.jpg


Only a small number of cars are documented with low rise aluminum intakes and Holley/Ford carburetors.


Most Cobras with 289 power and 4V induction got the same HP289 model Autolite 4100s are HP289 Fairlanes received. Three different models were used on Fairlanes between 1963 and 1965 model years so Cobras changed with them. Only two late Cobras finished in 1965 received the high rise intake and carburetor for GT350s, plus one Stage 1 competition car, plus one works racer for s brief period....four total.

Thanks guys