Looking for a source for flexible heater hose, that holds its shape when it is bent. I found a picture of hose with an embedded wire core that allowed it to take 90 degree bends, and hold that shape. The facebook account seems abandoned, so no way of asking the OP. Google brings up everything but what i'm looking for. Seen anything like that? It's for my 64 Riviera, i'm wanting to run the hoses tight against the fender and firewall. I think it would be better than cutting in 90 degree angles.
I was looking at those, i'd need to get 4 and join them together to get the shapes i'm looking for. I'm saving the idea as a last resort. I found that Gates has a hose with a metal wire core, but it's mostly to prevent collapsing from bends.
Back in the late 60's we used to get heater hose that looked like rubberised cloth that had a metal core, we used it for BBC bypass hose ( pump to manifold,) , came from Napa ...balkamp ??
I don't know of anything that you can bend like that and expect it to hold shape. I think both of the dailies out in the driveway have formed metal hoses for heater/cooling system lines though.
A few options are to make stainless or aluminum lines with rubber ends, look in the illustrated catalogs to find one that works (even if you only use a smaller section) or cut and splice.
Gates makes a sleeve that goes over the hose. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Gates-28517-Unicoil-Hose-Spring-1-3-8-OD-Hose,9305.html They make different sizes. CN
3/8 steel brake line works good for heater hose. Mount it solid to the motor, and a piece of hose to attach it to the heater core. You will have to make up a few fittings, but it tucks in real tight and nearly disappears in the engine compartment. Yes, the heater still works fantastic.
Have seen cooling hoses made with rigid aluminum tubing as mentioned here. Looks very clean. The hose connectors were made with the silicon tubing some of which can be used without hose clamps. Not very traditional but functional and clean looking.
Most heater hose is 5/8 ID, how about sliding a piece of 1/2" aluminum or copper tube inside the length of hose you need and then bending it to fit. Probably won't effect the flow much if at all and gives you what you want.
The Jalopy Journal
