Mating the sbc in our 40' chevy p/u to the '69 mustang radiator has been a chore to say the least but we are close...I think all that is needed now is to come up with some radiator hoses. Anyone have any tips or tricks on how they do this? I think it is going to take cutting up some pre-made ones and grafting them together, what is the best way to do this? Any other thoughts or ideas? thanks-
Flexible hoses are available at any auto parts store and would certainly be easier to replace down the road.
I usually buy some flexible heat riser tubing that's close to the right size, bend it up to a shape that will work, measure the sizes required and head to the parts store to look through their hose inventory until I find something that will work. Amazingly, I always come up with something that works like it was made for it.
Here is what I did with mine...I found some Gates thermal compression connectors that I will be using to join the aluminum tube to the radiator and engine outlets.
I had the weirdest lower radiator hose using a 350 in a Model A when i bought it. It was cut from the center of some standard hose, no markings, and I literally spent hours staring at racks of radiator hoses in auto parts stores trying to find the match. I tried using stainless braid covered rubber but i couldn't make the bend and twist combination in the short space available. I finally sprang for the Coolflex hose. Expensive, but it went together in 10 minutes. Based on my time, this was a much cheaper way to go. (I didn't use the fancy ends,just the rubber connectors and clamps. It doesn't look too fancy that way.)
a few years ago i did a tech on joining radiator hoses, i'd post a link but i now see the pictures are gone. basically i join them with a piece of tubing that i formed a bead on each end so the hoses don't slip off. i made a tool to do this. i have since found them at O'Reilly already made.....part #MPR101 gets you one each of 1-1/4 , 1-1/2 and 1-3/4" OD splices. and only$3.49 for the pack
I just went through this same thing about a month ago. I found that some simple items made the search much easier and more exact. I started out with a wire coat hanger, a roll of electrical tape and a piece of vacuum cleaner hose. We first formed the wire hanger to all the twists and turns needed. Then we secured the hanger to the vacuum cleaner hose. It still took a while doing the twists and turns needed. we then taped the entire length of hanger to the vacuum cleaner hose .........I mean completely !. Took this finished hose shape to the auto parts store to find an exact match in 1 1/2 inch radiator hose. Found the hose, cut to match and install on the car as shown on the attached picture. THINGS TO REMEMBER : When using the wife's vacuum cleaner hose to facilitate a radiator hose mockup, DO NOT CUT HOSE TO LENGTH !! DO NOT ADMIT THAT YOU TOOK THE HOSE; Blame missing hose on dog Other than that, piece of cake
I found some heat shrink tubing to put over the joined sections at NAPA. I don't remember what they were called, though. I'll find out. Edit. The link above is what I used. I put short sections of exhaust pipe in as slugs.
Yep, that's the stuff...one word of caution though, when heated and shrunk these bands become very rigid. As in the photo I posted, I am using short lengths of regular hose to bridge the gaps and then using the bands to clamp them in place. When complete there will be approximately 1 inch of hose exposed between the clamps/bands. Others have given some good tips of mocking up a hose...what I used was a plastic tube that was made for putting in golf bags. It was the exact diameter of the cooling outlets, thin enough to cut with scissors, and stiff enough to hold its shape without added wire. A little masking tape was all that was needed to join the pieces together. The guy who bent the tubing and TIG'd it up for me was very appreciative of the model I gave him. I guess that if I had the talent to do the job myself it wouldn't have been a big deal but when you rely on others it's always good to make the model look as close as possible to the final part.
I spent a few hours getting proper fitted hoses from the parts house for my old 49 Chevy. I sold it later and saw it on ebay with a flexible hose replacing my fitted hose that was only a couple years old. my $50.00 K&N air filter was also gone, replaced by a paper one in a shiney chinese air cleaner. I'm guessing someone along the way brought my car that needed nothing to a "mechanic" to make sure everything was safe.
I just use flex hoses. You know the universal ones that look like an acordian. But I drive beaters I suppose there is a cleaner way. I have made up lines from copper tubing for fellas before. then just uses a rubber coupler on the ends. The actually works better if you need to make a tight turn.
I went to napa and borowed the"big book of rad hoses''over night.It's not really called that but it has hundreds of hoses divided into sizes,then total lenths and then a picture of the bends.Took a long time to find two that would work but they worked out good.You might have to know the guy behind the counter to get the book but if you are building a rod you likely allready know him!
Everything has pretty much been covered, easiest is to use flexible hose (But da-yam its ugly!), next would be to find something that will work from a catalog, then the harder but often cleanest looking is using rubber couplers and Aluminium tube lengths and bends (Any tube will work, just watch for electrolysis, try and match material ie. If its a br***/copper radiator use br*** or copper tubing, Aluminium obviously use Aluminium). One thing to watch for is that every hose and fitting is the same size! You may find the perfect hose but if you have different spout sizes from motor to radiator its not much fun. Cheers, hope all works out for you, Doc.
Bend a dry cleaner coat hanger to the angle necessary. Bend the ends over to the length needed and go to the store and pick ot one that's close or a bit long. Get the ends the size you need. Make sure you have a spring in the bottom hose so it doesnt **** closed! I ended up getting a 80 something Dodge van 6 top hose for a bottom hose on my GMC truck with a 48 Chevy truck radiator and SBC.
Ive used preheater hose to get the line then a few minutes at napa to find the right bends! only a few minutes!!
I have found that the tube from the center of christmas wrapping paper is a good diameter to base radiator tubing on, so I just cut angles and rotate the sections to create the bends I need. Once taped together and sizes measured for each end I go down to the auto parts store to see what fits correctly.
I have seen beautiful cars ruined by flexible radiator hose. I mean high dollar cars. Even super nice cars at Barret Jackson. Nothing screams cheap and poor craftsmanship more than a ribbed hose. I guess one might get you home in an emergency but I sure wouldn't let anyone see it that way. My local parts store has let me spend hours searching parts books and checking out the hose racks.
I actually really like the look of the old style ribbed hose. It would not make the bends I needed. I can see how it would be out of place on some cars though.
on my model A w/mustang rad the lower hose was too close ....a flex hose worked but i had to bend it towards feul pump and return around to the rad it touched the frame and the feul pump. i went and got some 1 1/2 " copper 90*street elbows and 1 90* normal elbow....the inside is 1 1/2 but the outside of the flare is exactly 1 3/4 ....made a tighter bend than anything i've ever seen.
sorry man...i just sold the entire TCI frame and drive train.... w/ corvette rear non the less ...lol... kept the roadster body......going trad! or slightly less 80s street rod here is another tip tho, they sell a copper 180* u bend for "P" traps with a 1/2 " pipe thread bung for a clean out....1 less joint to fail and a perfect place for a temp.sensor
I just came up with the same idea. I have a steering gear box within 3" of the outlet of the radiator and then have to bend 90 to the engine and then 90 up to the inlet of the Hemi engine. I spend hours looking at all the hoses in most every supply house and gave up! I measured the copper 90s at Home Depot and they come real close to fitting inside diameter of the hose. One negative is that they are about $10 each. I don't like the copper look so I will be home powder coating them black as I have 3 90s to make my hose work. It simplified alot of things. Im just not sure how well the hose will stay on without any type of bead on the copper 90s.
if your motor is not solid mounted i could see a problem. something has to flex as the motor moves when hitting the go pedal. might rip the hose couplings or the next weakest link.
My lower hose was the biggest problem, but went pretty well. I went to the auto parts store and picked a hose that I thought might work. I got lucky, all I had to do was cut it in half and twist the location to hit my SBC waterpump and my early Ford radiator. It crosses under the balancer, but hangs high and tight. I used an aluminum coupler and shrink clamp from speedway to fit the hose back together. I also kept the # from the hose if I ever need it. Top was easier, I found one with a bend in it I thought would work and trimmed it to work. I did have to use a swivel thermostat housing.
Wrap a single strand of 12 ga. copper wire (I just pull the ground out s****s of Romex three wire) and simply solder it onto the copper 90's or 45's you need. That's how I built the 1 1/2" copper lines that go to the rear mounted radiator the '36 Fordillac that's my avitar. Brian
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