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Post-War Other Herald [or Spitfire] fuel pipe

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TomMull

TomMull

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I'm replacing the fuel line on my Herald. I've done the tank to the pump and now working on the line from the pump to the carburetors (it has 2 HS4 SU carbs). I know that there were several routings on the Spits but I think the HS4 set up was basically the same as mine. The pipe goes from the pump along the left side of the engine, behind the distributor and generator and around the front to the forward carburetor.
I think this is correct but it appears that someone added a plastic in line filter and perhaps moved the pipe forward of the thermostat housing. It looks to me like it might be better to run it behind the housing and forward of the rocker cover and put the filter somewhere else.
Anyone know?
Sorry no picture as I've removed the line already.
Tom
 
Your car is, of course, a bit of an anomaly, having been assembled in Belgium...and then surviving another 50 years! The typical Mk3 Spitfire of the period would have had a fuel filter just before the fuel pump, which makes far more sense to me than trying to find a good spot for same anywhere between fuel pump and carbs.

As it happens, I have this photo of your car as it appeared in 1999 in Portland Maine. It appears to show the fuel line indeed running in front of the thermostat housing. That seems right to me. Of course, the photo also shows the ignition coil mounted to the metal engine valence, which does NOT seem right to me in terms of where coils usually were located on Heralds and Spitfires. There are a few other "nonoriginal" details in that photo, such as the "straight" upper radiator hose, but considering that the car was already 30 years old in that photo.... :D

Finally, that photo also happens to show a much younger yours truly, checkbook in pocket (alas, said checkbook was not sufficiently "loaded" then to obtain the car and still likely runs short of such funds :wink-new: )! underhood.jpg
 
Thanks for the reply Andy. I tried to blow up your picture since it looks to me like the pipe might pass behind the stat housing. It loops forward a bit and then back around. The generator tensioning strap on my car does have a clip on it that holds the temp wire and maybe held the pipe too at one time.
A google search showed most coils mounted on the firewall shelf. I'll see if I can find some holes.
I'll get a proper hose too.
Here's a blow up of your picture and also an old one I found of the improvised filter on the Herald (Note the unclipped wire tie that holds the fuel line away from the fan).
Tom
View attachment 58516

View attachment 58518
 
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