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Because of the aftermarket rad, I need 1-3/4" on both ends of the lower hose.
Seeing as many of the engines swaps I've checked out have spliced hoses, I'm asking if there's a go to supplier for the beaded nipples used between lengths of straight and or molded hose ends?
Anyone?
Last edited by skinny z; Sep 22, 2023 at 09:23 AM.
I wasn't thinking about an adaptor so much as a hose splice "kit" of sorts.
That said, that piece you posted a link to would at the very least clean up the look of the splice I now. The hose pictured above is actually two OEM lower hoses for a V8 F-body. It works well enough but it's an awkward looking thing. That ICT Billet piece would clean it up considerably with the splice at the rad rather than a third of the way along.
Thanks. If it can find it locally I just may go for it.
EDIT. Shipped from ITC to up here in Alberta works out to $45 CDN. Very much worth considering.
Last edited by skinny z; Sep 25, 2023 at 09:22 AM.
I saw that one but I'd be needing a 1-1/2" to 1-3/4" adaptor. That way I could use an OEM hose with a short length of 1-3/4" straight hose at the rad and adapt to the 1-1/2" hose end.
I saw that one but I'd be needing a 1-1/2" to 1-3/4" adaptor. That way I could use an OEM hose with a short length of 1-3/4" straight hose at the rad and adapt to the 1-1/2" hose end.
There was a guy on crownvic.net that wanted to eliminate his oil cooler , so he got a piece of 1.5" aluminum, 18" long, and he rolled a bead onto the ends with some special pliers he had.
I don't see why you couldn't do something similar.
Hell, back in the '90s, my brother swapped a V8 into his formerly 6-cylinder F150, and the water inlet/ outlet was swapped.
So he cut some galvanized pipe to size, threaded it for some elbows, and used some short pieces of the old hose to connect the pipe to the radiator and engine.
You really had to see it to believe it, and it really worked. He drove it that way for years.
I had access to a bead roller at one time and we often made custom pipes for this very purpose. That was back in the infancy of LS swaps and there was nothing out there. Come to think of it, the splice in the hose pictured is just that. A length of aluminum tube that's been bead rolled .Those days are over though as I left that shop ten years ago.
For my heap, I want something tight. I thought I had a line on a one piece molded hose but it was too short. That short adaptor (ITC Billet) would sort of be out of sight right at the rad outlet so that's the best I'd come across so far.
I had a similar deal with the top hose (1-1/2" x 1-1/2' hose ends rather than 1-1/2" x 1-1/4") but a Buick 455 from the late 60's had an exact fit. The same couldn't be said for the lower hose though.
Last edited by skinny z; Sep 26, 2023 at 06:23 PM.
I saw that one but I'd be needing a 1-1/2" to 1-3/4" adaptor. That way I could use an OEM hose with a short length of 1-3/4" straight hose at the rad and adapt to the 1-1/2" hose end.
Hmm, im not sure what you're looking for then? Do you have a pic?
Ideally, I'd like a one piece molded hose like I found for the top.
But if a splice is needed, the ITC part you posted will do the job. ( by the way, I wasn't knocking your suggestion, it's just that it was the table already). Not a lot different than what I have now though ( hose pictured above).
The splice is what I'm trying to eliminate.
Last edited by skinny z; Sep 27, 2023 at 04:59 PM.
I'm not sure but I am thinking maybe some heavier duty trucks like the HD Chevy / Fords etc.. might have what you're looking for. .
You could try go to a parts store and tell them what you're looking for, and they might let you walk in back to look at the hoses they have on hand...
I did that when looking for my TB coolant bypass. They let me look at the hoses they had on hand and I got to see / measure and choose one that seemed to match my needs the most.
You could try go to a parts store and tell them what you're looking for, and they might let you walk in back to look at the hoses they have on hand...
I did that when looking for my TB coolant bypass. They let me look at the hoses they had on hand and I got to see / measure and choose one that seemed to match my needs the most.
This.
1) Go to parts store, and buy a 1.5" aluminum heat-riser tube.
2) Stretch/ bend it to fit the area that you need
3) take it to the back room of the parts store, and find the hose that matches best. I've done this a few times.
1) Go to parts store, and buy a 1.5" aluminum heat-riser tube.
2) Stretch/ bend it to fit the area that you need
3) take it to the back room of the parts store, and find the hose that matches best. I've done this a few times.
I've done that more than once. Even a metal coat hanger mock-up can get you close sometimes. But I went one better this time and took the hose pictured in the 1st post (and below):
Still no luck.
Seeing as the top hose is from a 60's muscle car , it's not likely these are going to be hanging around. I don't even recall how I came across a proper fitting top hose it's been so long.
The suggestion of a HD truck application (also 60's era) isn't going to be stock item either.
The hose above does the job. It's just ratty looking.
From the look of the picture, it's routed properly, it looks like the aftermarket exhaust is closer than factory was. The existing clamp on the lower frame rail may be your best bet, just wrap the cable with something heat resistant so that clamp grabs it tightly rather than allowing it to travel back and forth.