I am in the process of installing my original radiator in my car. I installed a 8BA flathead, and would like to know how to hook it up to the original radiator. The radiator top hose outlets are for a larger hose than the 8BA. Any ideas? Also I am looking for the filter that installs in my draft tube assy. They show a filter assy in my 49-51 mercury shop manual. are these still available? Do they actually help with the fumes? Thanks Matt
The 8BA uses a much smaller diameter hose or tube than the earlier flatheads and will take some work in connecting to a pre 49 radiator top tank. Perhaps, this was to promote cooling by slowing the coolant going through the rad?
The larger design allowed for the mounting of the thermostat inside the upper radiator hoses. I would just ask to go behind the counter at your local parts store and start looking at what hoses they have.
Most auto parts stores sell exhaust pipe reducers. 1-3/4" to 1-1/2" reducers and some straight hoses and some clamps and you're in business. You don't need any type of filter on the draft tube.
I had this problem with my '47 a couple years ago. I chose to modify the water neck outlets. I got some heavy wall tube (pipe) in the needed diameter, cut off the necks, enlarged the hole in the thermostat housing and welded on the new necks. These are cast iron, as you know, so I preheated then with a torch, used welding rod intended for cast iron, put them in a bucket of sand to cool slowly. Worked great.....very durable, and looked stock. Ray
Your local radiator shop can switch the upper inlets on your top tank to the smaller size for a nominal fee. AND if you haven't done so will pressure test and flow test the radiator so you'll know it won't cause a problem down the road.
on my forty ford with a 51 8RT truck flathead motor and using the orginal radiator, I just used a hose that fit the radiator and lined up with the water outlet and then installed a piece of hose inside the larger opening of the hose at the water outlet and clamped it down and it has worked for me for about seven years now and looks good.
This is just a guess, so don't shoot me. Can't you just swap pre-49 water necks onto the later heads?
The " pre - '49 " (other than '48 trucks) are outlets cast into the head and therefore not 'switchable'.
This is the way that I've seen done the most and it's the easiest. I used this on both my 34 and 41 Fords both with 8BA engines.
Check out Honest Charley's. He sells 8BA water necks with the larger diameter outlets in either aluminum (SKU: 8904953A) or cast iron (SKU: 8904953I) I have a set of the aluminum ones on my flatty. Saves a bunch of time. Hope these help! Here's the website: http://store.honestcharley.com/
Hose inside the hose for me too. 40 ford, swapped out a 59A and put in a German motor with 8BA style heads. Just used the 40 hoses, shortened at the rad end to move them forward and slipped some short bits of hose onto the outlets. The 40 hoses slip over the hoses and clamp on. I think I may have applied some silicone to sort of glue them together and help it all seal.
Carpart Stores now carry reducer, slip in hose pieces. Don't ask the kid on the computer. Ask one of the old guys to pull out the Gates or whoever catalog.
Speedway Motors sells stepped hoses 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" and 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" I used them on my Model A Truck with an 8BA.
thanks nsh57, just ordered the set. got real tired of the hose reducer look real fast, especialy when they started cracking after about 4000 miles. i know there is a hose that has the two different sizes at each end but cant find the part number and no one seems to remember what is is.
Mart, when ever you can get a set of thermostat housings for the german G29T you are in business with pre 49 radiators. These housings have the same diameter as the 59 style outlets.
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