After market fuel system parts for my ol' Buick from now on.

Well I learned some stuff about my 1970, 455 Buick Rivera's fuel system today. I was told and thought it was originally a mechanical fuel pump,
It was not. Both my car and the 69 & 70 Buick Grand Sport or GS as they called it, came with the 455 big block motor which needed more fuel them the mechanical pump could handle. So those cars came with a in tank electric fuel pump, which was a first for them in those years, the motor's were I identical. The problem is no one makes or has parts for these fuel systems anymore, because they were rare in the first place. Someone had replaced the Fuel sending unit in my tank at one time because it was not big enough to cover the opening in the top of the tank, so if you went around a corner or down a steep grade gas could leak out of the tank, not good. I guess it's all after market high performance fuel system stuff for her from now on.

Very interesting education!
Thank You for passing this on!

Ya I was looking for the Original parts but no one has them.
The problem is the fuel sending unit or Pick up/pump that's in there now does not seal the top of the tank right.
So it can leak fuel if it's sloshed around to much in the tank.
I was looking at getting a new pump and all from Classic Buick's.com but after several talk's with the guy over there
he finally told me that he didn't have what I needed. He had tried to get me to buy one of there manual's several time's.
Well there Manuals are a $100 bucks, if I spent the money on that I wouldn't be able to buy the pump.
After I told him I was not sure what pump I needed because it said except the GS or 70 Rivera 455 on his pick up and pumps.
He finally told me the deal and that he didn't have it, and they don't make them anymore.
I may still have to call a junk yard to see if they have the locking ring for the pick up, because the one that's on there does not fit.
It's too small to lock in to the top all the way around, waiting to see if I get a new one with a Pick up tube/sending unit I ordered.
This unit that I ordered does not have a pump on it. I talked to a guy named Ron at Bob's Classic Chevy.
This guy was probably one of the coolest sale's men I have ever talk to.
He was very helpful when I was telling him my problem, Gave me his personal numbers and everything.
Anyway he said if I have any problems and it does not fit he will take it back or exchange it, what ever I need.
You just don't get this kind of service anymore, not at all like dealing with the guy at the Buick place where you
have to try to pry information out of a guy for parts you are looking to buy.
I should have asked Ron if that came with a locking ring but I forgot. If it does not though I will call Desert Valley Auto Parts
down in Arizona and see if they can get me one. They are pretty good with the older stuff like that.
Anyway I am gonna run a 3/8 aluminum fuel line with a Holley external fuel pump & regulator 110 gph or 14 psi,
in line pressure gauge and fuel filter with the new pick up and sending unit. I will set the pressure at about 7 pounds since it's a carburetor.
Then I have to build a heat shield
where the old rubber fuel line got burn't thru in a couple places. Even though this new line will be metal
I don't want that heat on the line or fuel there anymore. It looks to be factory exhaust that passes directly
under the fuel line in several place's. You would think they would have put some kind of shield there to protect
the fuel line from such heat. Oh well it will be taken care of now, anyway.
Kurt

Got the new fuel sender in and it was 4 1/2 inches to short,
So it had to go back. Anyway went to Napa and was telling a older
salesmen there about it. He said he thought the Chevy Monza had the same pump.
So he found a old book in the back and came out and said the Vega & Monza & Buick's
had the same one. So I had him order it. It looks the same with one little difference.
The tube that comes from the old pump is 1/2 inch then it goes into a rubber elbow that on
the pump side is 1/2 inch and reduces down to 3/8 on the other side of the elbow and that goes into
a 3/8 aluminum tube or the pick up tube. The rest of the line is 3/8 clear to the carb. On the new pump it's 3/8 from the pump
clear to the carb. So I have to go and try to find a new elbow that's 3/8 on both ends to go from the pump to the pick up tube.
Kurt

Older guys who know the books (or know that there are books) and care enough to look are a breed that's disappearing for sure. Glad you found your pump, hope that your NAPA guy can fix you up with a 3/8" elbow, too. Shouldn't be a hard part to find, even at a good hardware store.

No he could not Roger.
I asked him for some 3/8 fuel line and told him I was gonna loop it then and he said it had to be submersible.
So I ended up paying $25 buck for 1 foot of submersible fuel line. Gone is the old days when anything could be easy or cheap.
I did make out on 3/8 aluminum fuel line though, got 20 feet for $14.99 from Speedway. All the local places want $50 bucks around here.
Then I went to Home depot and got the metal straps that have the rubber cover to keep the line from chaffing.
Still have to figure out how I am gonna make a heat shield where the exhaust burnt thru the rubber line in a couple places
before on the lady I bought the car from. I am sure it didn't come from the factory like that, she got lucky the whole car didn't burn up.
What ever mechanic she payed to run a new line for her, should have been hung. He could have really gotten someone hurt.
Anyway that's why I only paid a couple hundred for it, it will be done right this time.
Kurt

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-010450/overview/

Something like this might work.

Not sure how it was run originally NTFDAY, but the way it is now is bad from front to rear.
The line leaves the fuel tank and runs directly in to the passenger side rear wheel well.
Now keep in mind it's rubber hose so if there was a tire blow out, it would rip it off the inside of the wheel well.
It goes from there in to a pocket that directly under the body where the kick plates are above.
Just under the pocket is where the exhaust runs almost to the out side edges of the car body..
Keep in mind the frame is a big X under the car and the drive line run's thru the frame and has a factory plate welded
to it under the drive line. Instead of the fuel line following the front part of the frame on the passenger's side to the front
of the motor, they decided to bring it up beside where the exhaust enter's the engine compartment.
Now it's with in a few inches of the exhaust then it turn up and strait on over the center of the valve
cover then back down on the intake manifold.
Now you would have to remove the fuel line and the bracket that holds it, to remove the valve cover. WHY????
It has to be the worst way, I have ever seen a fuel line run. It's bad locations from front to rear.
Then it's inconvenient if you have to replace a valve cover gasket.
Then even worse then that is every where they ran it, it's catching heat.
Personally like most everyone else that know's anything at all about gas and heat.
I am gonna try to keep my fuel line as far away from the heat as I can.
And I sure am not going to run along side the exhaust and then cross back and forth
over the top of it with a rubber fuel line, that's just asking for trouble.
I have some sheet metal I will fix up to fit the pocket after I have run the new aluminum
fuel line. I will follow the front of the frame to the front of the motor where I will cross
over under the A/C compressor. The jump over to the motor from the frame will be with a piece of rubber
fuel line then go back to aluminum fuel line and run that up the motor to the carb.

Kurt

On the 3rd gen F bodies, the guys that got an in tank sender have modded the feed line inside the tank by adding the appropriate length of stainless tube fit with compression fittings with a new sock filter with no issues.
If you are interested I can send you the link

Ya send it havoc, if you would like.
If this don't work out right or goes out on me I may try it.
Thanks Kurt

Carb gas tank pickup - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Hope this helps

Thanks Rob.
Kurt

Never knew they had a in tank fuel pump,I thought the Vega was the first to have one.

Kurt, if all else fails this place may be able to help. They have a huge parts inventory for some of the most rare fuel pumps, water pumps, carbs, etc. anywhere. If they don't have it Mike can build it. He's made parts from scratch for vehicles I've never heard of. If he can't find it or make it, it probably can't be found or made.

Fuel Pump Rebuilding Kits - Then And Now Automotive

Well I got everything ready to go once my knee heals a little more.
Where I' will be able to get up off the ground.
But I have to re install the tank and new fuel line so I'll have to be able to crawl
around on the ground a little before I can finish this thing.
Got the new pump and sock on the ol' pick up tube. I also shot a short video of
the way they had run the fuel line over the exhaust manifold.
The first photo is of the pick up tube ready to go back in the tank and the second
is a video of the way the ol fuel line was run on top.
Kurt

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtvara/14171272734/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtva...n/photostream/