All right, got Betsie out on the asphalt again. Man, driving that old clunker makes me smile every time.
Even waxed her too, so the parts that ain't rusty are shiny!
I got a miniature tube cutter and cut the bad part of the line out. Used some 3/8th transmission hose and double clamped each side with fuel injector clamps. I specifically got the transmission cooler hose (they had it at Napa) as fuel line is not rated for high temperatures.
The injector clamps are solid clamps with an actual screw, not the flimsy worm-screw kind.
I also got some sheet aluminum and cut out a kind of support bracket. I didn't like how much the unsupported line was shaking.
End result is not pretty:
But I just put 60 miles on her, and not a drop was lost! I used some of the same cooler hose and slit it length wise so I could fit it over the driver's side tube, right where the bracket is.
I wasn't able to put that metal spacer thing back in, because with that on I had issues getting the bracket to screw back in. Other than that, all went well.
Topped off the transmission and she is shifting as always (clunky) and drives fine.
I'll go hunt for the actual replacement line, but.... I don't know, this seems to work quite well actually. Might just keep it like this for a while.
It still amazes me that all I have to do after her winter hibernation is turn the key. And she runs fine.