Hi Guys, Haven't posted on this site in quite a while. I have a friend who is building a 1932 Ford Tudor hiboy with a 348 c.i. Chevy motor. He is looking for a molded bottom radiator hose to purchase. He has a Walker radiator. I have about the same setup in my '32 Tudor and I have a molded radiator hose, but I can't find the part number for the hose! Although I have a SBC in my Tudor, I am thinking they are very close to the same. I purchased my hose at NAPA several years ago and have lost the paperwork. As you know, there is a sharp bend in this short hose. I have tried using the stainless flexhose kit...but the bottom hose just doesn't work. Any of you guys have a part number for a hose we can try? It can be a NAPA or Gates number or ?? Thanks & Stay Safe! Pat
Try a lower hose for a 57 chevy with a 283. Very short with tight bends . I have used them on several early Fords with SBC's
When I owned a NAPA store we had a "picture book" from NAPA Belts & Hoses that showed all the dimensions and bends. Gates was NAPA's supplier at that time and they were likely the source of the info that was reprinted in NAPA's catalog. I don't know if NAPA online has this on their site but you could check there or on the Gates site. Your parts guy would be very appreciative if you gave him something more to work with than a vague description. Do him a favor and take some measurements and draw a picture. If there's 16 people at the counter and the phone is ringing off the wall just leave him the info and your phone number and ask him to call when he has a chance. Find an old guy and he might go to the back room and dig out an old catalog if they haven't been thrown away. But, you need to go to a real parts store. You know what I'm talking about. The one that doesn't have lobby full of Chinese accessories and slick displays. It'll smell like oil and hot metal from the machine work in the back. The chain store clerks won't have a clue what to do because they were flipping burgers at Macdonalds last week.
^^^^^^ Just two examples as to why a person just needs to take the time to fit a hose to suit the requirements of the car in front of them at the time, just too many possible variables like engine location/firewall mods, radiator, etc. My roadster has the front crossmember/ radiator moved ahead one inch over stock, meaning both a one inch longer hood and wheelbase. The shape of the lower hose on my car was achieved by bending a wire to the shape that (I thought) was needed and going to NAPA and talking the counter kid into letting me go in the back to match something up. Ultimately it took a few trips and two hose purchases with the first hose going in the garbage can due to cutting the wrong end, did end up finding a better hose candidate to modify, still required cutting some off both ends. Sorry but the part number is not readable.