I started out thinking I was going with steel braided hoses, but after hearing and seeing the problems with it I decided to give S/S tubing a shot, WHAT A BITCH THAT WAS !!,
but the end result looks pretty dam clean. I went with 3/8 fuel lines and drilled and tapped the heads for oil returns (3/8) to welded bungs in the pan. And 1/2 for all the water lines, The one thing I kept wondering about, (and all the olds do it) is the water passages at the rear of the "manifold to head" are blocked off, so how does the water in the rear of the block stay as cool as the front, if the circulation is focussed towards the front of the motor?. I know it works, my other manifold was the same way, but it sure seems logical that if the back had less circulation, it would run hotter than the front half of the motor.
Anyway, here is what it turned out lookin like And no I didnt forget to install the crank, this is a spare block,  my shortblock is getting a nodular crank balanced and linebored anh should be finished this week

That does look really clean, what's your guestimate on how much that cost you to do?

I live next to an old petroleum refinery, a ton of elbow grease, alot of pillaging, and I gave the old man watching the place 100 bucks to call off his dog. Did I mention a ton of elbow grease  , Actually I spent more on tubing benders and ferrels than I did on the tubing itself, not to mention a 1/2 pipe tap, now that its all mocked up I have tore it back down and am polishing everything up. I cant remember the last time my hands have been that tore up, and I work with them day in and day out. But it sure was cool when I finished it up and checked it out for the first time