I’m building a ‘32 Ford roadster per the early 1960’s look. I have a 283 with tri-power connected to a Muncie. what would be the correct hose clamp style for that era? Thank you.
Years ago I worked at an American Motors dealership. They (among others) used so many of those damn clamps I bought the tool to cut them off so I wouldn't have to try and undo them. I don't use the tool very often anymore but for awhile it was one of the busiest tools I owned.
Speaking in terms of Corvettes of that era. Upper and lower rad hoses were secured with tower clamps. If you want to get crazy, Wittek tower clamps were dated by quarter and year. Example 3/63 = 3rd quarter of 1963. Heater hoses were Corbin or screw type. Screw type clamps were used to secure the hose to the fitting on the water pump and intake manifold.
The same Ideal stainless Stainless made in the USA hose clamps that you can still buy today. Usually off one of these display racks that sat on the counter or hung behind it. I'd sometimes reuse those spring clamps on Mopars because I had (still have it) the plyers to work with them. Those Tower clamps were just as big of a pain in the ass then as they are now and I usually cut them off. Unless you are anal about a restoration it is either Ideal or the Sure tite that Jim showed.
The wire types or the stupid tower things were out of date before WW2. It’s a hot rod, a clamp that does up properly will make it faster, you might as well use one.
The old clamps don't have the hex, they have a sleeve around the slot head. here are a few different brands I've collected lately... In no particular order... Gates IDEAL CORP HY GEAR B'KLYN, NY WITTEK MFG. CO CHI. U.S.A. MURRAY CORP GOLD SEAL TOWSON 4 MD Aero Seal BREEZE CORPS INC NEWARK N.J. U.S.A. and one generic, no name on it Note that the addresses do not include zip codes, which came along in 1964. (correct for a period hot rod, not for a restoration).
I hated dealing with the wire spring type but they were OEM in the 50s/60s. And they were the original constant tension design. But, you have a narrow range of sizes to choose from. But they do look 'period correct' to my eyes, and I still have the pliers.
btw, the patent is for this https://www.breezehoseclamps.com/breeze/aero-seal/ although the design of the collar on the slot head has changed over the decades.
Restoration Supply Company, Info@RestorationStuff.com, 1-800-306-7008, has a selection of hose clamps.
Squirrel set off my interest on these a few years ago from a post..........I found 3 or 4 different sizes still in the boxes. Now I have a few clamps........
I like the tower clamps, back the screw off and tap it down and they loosen right up. Even 30 year old ones at the junkyard come right off in my experience. The worm screw type ones look like shit with the tail portion sticking out and will sometimes strip out before they are tight enough. For 60s stuff I like the wire type with the screw and nut. I had a chart somewhere with all the different types and their actual names...
There is one answer if you are doing a numbers-matching restoration. There are a lot of answers if you're doing a "snapshot in time", old style, build because they used everything and anything. It's simple enough to ignore the new inventions and make a 'pick of the litter' of the old stuff, not too crusty, not too shiny, but just right that matches the overall detail of your engine. See, it depends on if your engine has 12 coats of paint and is detailed like SEMA display. Or is it rode hard like a weekend warrior at the strip in 1957? I prefer to hide the knuckles on the underside of hoses but a lot of guys like 'em in your face. So just do it your way.
Agreed. My 62 Bel Air used to have tower clamps. Used to. The only way to get some of them apart was to cut them off. I'll never put them on anything I own again.
I’ve always wondered about SS hose clamps and why, oh why, did “they” use just steel for the screw? Effing screw always rusts up.
I get the whole period correct thing but date coded clamps on hot rods? Soon the corvette guys are going to start laughing at us. When I had a stint put a few years back I didn’t ask the doc to use a date correct chunk of copper, I opted for the latest titanium mesh. I’m only traditional on the outside.
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