Ok, here it goes....

Attempting to start my 81:

cranks....check
sparks....check
fuel......no go

I puled the feed line off the carb and turned the car to "on" I can hear the fuel pump running but n fuel

Soooooo....

I blow the hard lines out....check
replaced fuel filter....check

placed one end of a length of fuel line into a Tanquray Sterling Vodka filled with gasoline (I am not one to waste vodka) and connected the other end to the "in" side of the fuel filter and turned the key to "on" ....tada FUEL to the carb!

I know for a fact I have put at least 2-3 gallons in her but my gas gauge reads Empty still.....

should I top off the tank, or is there something I should do before i fill her up....

she has been in storage for 12 years..

 

is it the gas from 12 years ago??? or new??

 

lol....gas aged 12 years....isn't that called varnish?

New gas

 

How's the fuel filter?

 

fine....like I said. I can pump gas from a bottle...through the filter, through the pump, through the hardlines, to the carb.

Just not from the tank.

 

Have you tried carb cleaners there could be build up in the carb.. I'm out of ideas I'm so tired..

 

looks like it is past your bedtime

it pumps fine if the pickup is in a vodka bottle and not in the tank, to me that narrows it down to the tank or the cut/check spider thing.....or a heavy drinking issue

 

need to get tank cleaned or replaced..

 

Gonzz is right, you've isolated the problem nicely to the tank or the rubber hoses leading from the tank to the filter. The hoses seem like a good bet, as it would be easier for the 12yo varnish to have clogged those hoses. Even if the hoses turn out to be the problem, you would benefit in the long run from having the tank cleaned out properly. Otherwise, you will likely still have continuing flow problems when gooey sediment from the tank makes it's way down to the filter.

 

A GSL i bought last year, that had sat for awhile, would idle just fine. As soon as you gave it any gas pedal, it starved out and died. New fuel filter and pump. I dropped out the gas tank when I restored the underbody and when I pulled out the fuel pickup, the filter was collapsed, torn and full of rust. On further examination, the pickup tube was almost entirely clogged. There was just enough of an opening for idle, but that was all. Took it over to the bead blast cabinet and all was fine. While the tank was out I sand blasted it and sprayed it with truck bed liner. Looks great, did that to the entire underbody.