Inline gas shut off

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW: Soft Copper Fuel Lines:

1. As a teenager in the 1950's, I had an almost straight soft copper gas line from my Model A 1930 Coupe settlement bowl to my carburetor, except for the 90 degree bends at both ends.

2. I was advised by my mechanic Dad, (born 1902 who knew T's & A's plus all of the other 1920 & 1930 cars back then), to put a 360 degree loop in this copper line mid-way to keep this soft copper line from flexing, experiencing metal fatigued, and breaking at one end or the other.

3. It was a driver where I drove it every day on unpaved roads and I did not heed his warning.

4. About a year later the copper line fractured at the carburetor connection, leaked gas, and caught fire while in my yard.

5. I extinguished the fire, placed the recommended 360 degree loop and had no problems afterwards.

6. Fortunately I was not out on a highway in traffic when it happened; but this was my first Model A lesson learned from an "experienced" vintage mechanic born in horse and buggy days.

7. It takes only once to learn rare accidents do not happen often .... but after they do, just once .... and we "almost" get burnt .... some of us like my Dad & I, usually re-evaluate our mechanical safety concepts & try to alert others about it.