<VV> good news bad news

[Arthur Landis]

The good news is that my rebuilt engine runs like a top.  Thanks to Paul Fox and his great work.  Good job Paul!  The car ran great and I was enjoying the drive back home, stopping every hundred miles to check on things.  Now the bad news.  After only 300 miles on the new engine, she developed a gas leak at the right primary carb where the fuel line connects.  I put a wrench on it to tighten it up but the leak got worse.  Gas was filling the engine compartment and ruining the freshly painted sheet metal.  I shut it off and removed the small line connecting to the carb for inspection.  Seeing nothing wrong there I tried it again to no avail.  I shut her down and figured some Teflon tape and permatex would patch it right up temporarily enough to go the remaining 200 miles.  This was about 6pm and none of the gas stations nearby had anything.  I had to walk an hour to Wal-Mart and an hour back so it was after 8 when I got back to the car.  After letting the permatex set up for an hour, I got the leak to slow up quite a bit but she was still dripping.  I thought I would try to get going and just take it easy but the tail lights went out before I ever got on the hiway.  I discovered the fuse was blown so I just swapped the radio fuse for the tail light fuse.  It blew immediately when I turned on the lights.  I tracked the short down to the right tail light.  I didn't want to even attempt hiway driving at night with no tail lights and a gas leak in the engine compartment so I figured I would get a motel room for the night and leave in the morning.  No vacancies at 4 motels so I just sat in the car and waited for the sun.  This morning I headed out and made it home around 10.  

Any thoughts on why the sudden leak?  Any suggestions about the short in the tail light?  I just ordered a new fuel line, carb nut and gasket as well as a tail light socket but I'd appreciate any advise.