Yesterday I went to take a drive in my 1980 1275, and got about a 1/4 mile and the engine quit. After about 10 minutes of trouble shooting on the side of the road my fiance chimes in with "did you know the fuel gauge said empty?" But I just filled it up on my last trip?!? So I look into the tank and it is bare dry. So I walk home and get a gas can and add a gallon of gas. I immediately notice a big leak under the back of the car. I drove it home before I lost the rest of that gas. It is leaking under where the tank is, above the rear frame. The boot is dry, so the leak must be just past where the rubber line goes through the floor.

It shouldn't be a big deal to fix, but I thought I'd see if anyone had any suggestions from past experience.

 

My guess would be a cracked fuel line. It is an easy fix though. You might replace all of it while you are under there.

 

Yep, pull the tank tho just to make sure it doesn't have a problem, it's pretty easy to get out - then replace all the rubber fuel line - after all, it's all the same age. If it's bad in one place, it could go bad somewhere else just as easily.

These are old cars, you have to figure on replacing some of these consumables from time to time, before it "consumes" your car!

 

If I remember correctly theres a rubber section of fuel line that goes through the boot floor. May have worn a cut into the hose.

 

There is definitely a section of rubber hose going from the tank to the hard line that runs up to the engine compartment.
I would highly suggest upgrading to a braided fuel line
http://www.7ent.com/detail.cfm?pageid=2207

 

That stuff looks nice, but if you don't have the rubber gromet in place where it passes thru the sheetmetal, it can cut a hole even in the braided/armored hose too.............just do it right and don't shortcut it, you'll be fine.......

 

mine pumped a load out of the top crimped edge of the fuel pump and ....well, new fuel pump is on order.