the cover he is talking about is the plastic you have to take off to look down the throats of the carbs.
i think the hose takes excess fuel in the intake manifold and returns it upstream of the carbs to be sucked back in the engine


i think?

Correct phat.
That year air intake cover should be aluminum.
On the engines we had, where the cover was missing, we made sure there was a hose (a couple of inches longer than from the nipple to the front of the carbs) attached so as to either remember what it was or to keep creatures out. All of them always vented fuel.
Here is one off a 50 horse.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...johnson012.jpg

Found it! It was on my lower carb metal cover.

Thanks.