Technical Flex radiator hoses

Those flex radiator hoses that look like a giant French fry, are they something that would have been acceptable on a kustom or hot rod back in the day? I know they are functional but aesthetically would they have been a good choice?

 

Yes!

 

flex hoses are for wimps and girly men.

 

Personally I don't care for the look of ribbed hoses and don't use them. Every time I see a ribbed flex hose I think the owner couldn't find the right hose and is using the ribbed hose as a last resort. Your car, your choice.

Gary

 

Thanks Fink I think I love you.

 

Don't really know when they first entered the market. But I really dislike the looks of them. Construction is cheap too.
Spent many hours in a corner of a car part store looking for just the right configuration of hose that I could cut up and use on a vehicle.

 

I would use one in a pinch but really don't think they look light in a hot rod or a custom,I'm not knocking this car but honestly believe it would look better with a normal hose. HRP

 

The answer to your question weather you like them or not it yes they were used and acceptable on old hot rods and customs.
Gary

 

Back in the day, there wasn't a large selection of hoses available. Nobody made a hose to put a small block Chevy in a 34 Ford.

 

Yup.... Hate flex hoses. Back in the day when there were gas stations that worked on cars they would have an assortment of hoses to fit popular cars, the rest got flex hoses to get them back down the road. As mention, a little digging thru hoses can usually produce a hose that can fit most situations. On a 41 Chevy I built for a customer that got an LS motor I used a Mercury Villager upper hose on the top hose... Looked like it was made for it!

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changed out the flex hoses to regular on a car I had several years ago. I ended up selling it, then later saw it on ebay, they must have taken it to a mechanic to get checked out because the almost new hoses were removed and flex hoses put on. they also replaced the $50.00 K&N air filter with a paper one.

 

Over the years I've spent a lot of time going through racks of radiator hoses to find something I could use other then a ribbed hose.

Gary

 

Personally I've never cared for them, but I've seen them on some nicely built cars where they had to be purposely chosen

 

the original question was were they acceptable back in the day

 

Are trying to say something Scotty t? I am running one


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I thought they were ribbed for extra pleasure

 

I've used them and yes I would say they are acceptable but, I don't like'em and I think they tend to push on radiator necks and can bust them loose over time. Plus formed hoses look so much better.

 

Can you really picture an 18 year old in 1955 asking the parts store dude if they can go in the back and sort through all the hoses for the "right" one to fit his homemade concoction? Of course flex hoses were the norm.

 

The answer to the OP I believe is Yes, they are something that would've been used back in the day. Whether someone likes them today or not is a different question.

I have to say, that of all the things that might bug me about a car, flex radiator hoses is not one of them.

 

Once more. Traditionally. I think you are talking about post WWII through the '60s. Correct me if I am wrong. Ribbed radiator hoses were pretty much all you could get at parts houses unless you went to the Dealer and try getting one of those guys to let you behind the counter without a magnum at your temple. (That's a joke). So yes almost all of us used them. They are traditional.

Gary

 

I think that's probably why they don't bother me, it's just something that seemed normal to me and I didn't give them a second thought.

 

I've run 'em all my life. I imagine they would not win you may points on a show car but I have seen them on about one of everything as long as I can remember.

 

Did I tell you lately beaner I never liked you much.

 

Really don't have a dog in this fight but my $ .02. I really don't like them but sometimes you have to. I had a parts counter guy let me go scrounge around in the stock room until I found something I could use. It required cutting but came out good. Not everyone has that availability I know.

 

I used to put the "correct" molded hose on my stuff, but a few years ago, I rediscovered the joy of flex hoses. I use them now because it makes it look "right" under the hood of an old hot rod, Used to be all gas stations had the full collection, so they had one that would fit any car that needed a hose.

 

I like flex hoses better myself. Both styles have their place. every car wasn't the same back in the day...kinda the beauty of it!

 

Best picture of Mariarity ever taken. Nice LARS weekend. The Holy Grail. Think he might have had a woodie.

Gary

 

So.....at one point in time they were pretty much a necessity, and now they just feel right on some "old school" builds. The pics posted were what I mentioned earlier, well built cars with purposely chosen crinkle hoses. I get it now, thanks