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Radiator Hose


Taylormade

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When I first got my car, a 1932 dodge Brothers DL, it had those God awful flexible radiator hoses on it.  I want to go back to an original look and can get the correct 1-1/2 inside diameter hose from Restoration Supply.  I'd love to use the red hose, but I'm sure that would be incorrect for my car, so I'm going with black.  Anyway, there is no problem with the top hose, it's a straight shot with no bends.  The lower hose, however, has a 90 degree bend from the water pump to the lower radiator fitting.  Checking photos I took of my friend Phil Kennedy's more original car, he has a metal tube bent to 90 degrees, with short, straight radiator hose sections at each end.  My 48 Plymouth had a similar set up.  Obviously, this was done this way in the days before molded radiator hoses came into vogue.

 

So, where do I get a metal 90 bend pipe with a 1-1/2 inch outside diameter?  Is this something an exhaust shop could make up for me, or is exhaust pipe material too thin for this application?  Also, does anyone know the correct style hose clamps Dodge used in 32?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

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The Dodge 8 came with red hoses and fan belt. I have installed red hoses and the wire clips. I have a recipe to paint the fan belt. The red hoses show every dirty mark so you must have clean hands to work on or near them!

 

My radiator outlet hose elbow was made out of stainless steel and powder coated. David Alexander arranged it. Try metal fab shops. They are not much thicker than exhaust steel. I'll go out and measure the thickness of the original shortly. 20 years ago I put on a molded bent tube off a Holden Torana (minus 3 or 4 inches off one end) to replace the two short hoses and the elbow - basically a trial and error search through a warehouse's pile of hoses. The trouble with the original system is there are two clamps low down with rotten access and they are hard to tighten - you need a 2" long screwdriver and fingers of steel to reach in there and turn it. This time I used a tiny ratchet spanner with screwdriver bit (a Teng Tool) and it was almost easy.

 

UPDATE: the elbow is made of 0.050" steel, near as I can tell given a bit of rust and paint.

Edited by Spinneyhill (see edit history)
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It might be hard to have a shop bend the tubing correctly. The new pipe benders make a kink in the pipe at the bend as the old radiator tubes are the same diameter all around at the bends. I would say the exhaust tubing should work though. You might check a plumbing supply store as they might have something that's prebent that would work.

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Hi guys

My 1930 DC dodge has a smaller hose than yours approx. 1 1/4" hose. It has a elbow that is a copper plumbing elbow( solder type) that has 2 nice flat surfaces at each end & the curve is drawn out thus no kinks. . The hoses fit neatly on the ends with no puckering when clamps are done up.It was on the car when I got it many years ago. These elbows are still used as I had to purchase some 1" one recently to repair the airway elbows in my player piano, as the zinc ones had disintergrated after 90 years filling the valve boxes with zinc dust & bits(another story & job) I couldn't find any elbows the right size in Aus or US, except for these copper ones.

 

My car had what I presume were the orig clamps on it when I got it. They were wire clamps with 2 wires around the hose & a loop at each end which the clamping bolt went through(Galvanised wire I think). Could probally find one & take some photos if you think they are the orig ones

 

kevinbc

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Thanks for all the advice.  I found this site and it looks like they have just what I need in both steel and stainless.  Now I just have to figure out the correct tube radius and I'll be all set.

 

http://www.sharpeproducts.com/store/bent-90-pipe-tube-elbows-with-two-tangents

If you want me to measure my 1931 DB pipes, I will certainly do that for you.

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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I doubt if red is correct for your '31 also. But the red hose and belts do not last very long. I have bought them, and they seem weak plus what was said about greasy fingerprints. 

My 1931s came with black hoses as far as I have been able to tell.

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Please forgive my heathen response, but I have had good luck going to the parts store and finding what I need in pre-bent tube.  Just find a longer piece with the same ID that has what you need hiding in it and cut off the ends. Not correct, but has gotten me (or friends on tours) back on the road on the same day that the metal elbow gave up. When doing it I told myself it was just until a new elbow could be found or made but I don't think I ever went back for the correct fix. This wrong way has two less places to leak and uses modern style hoses that seal up to the radiator and block a lot better than the correct replacement hoses. A hard deal to take off once it is on the car.

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Hope this will help. Note that the metal pipe is not circular on mine, but slightly elliptical.

 

Also, I'm guessing a little on the length of the pipe hidden within the hoses, but I think I'm very close.

 

Sorry but I can't tell the thickness of the tube wall without taking it apart. Next flush, maybe! :)

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Thanks guys for the photos and diagrams! It looks like the 31 water pump has a smaller outlet (1-1/4) than the 32 (1-1/2). Different size, too, hence the different parts numbers. I can certainly come up with a replacement with this information. Thanks again.

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  • 4 months later...

Old Topic but.

I need a lower radiator pipe / tube for my 30 Chrysler CJ and have been doing some leg work.

Sharpe Products has a 300.00, set up fee, plus the cost of making the tube. NOPE !

I purchased, from an electrical supply store, a long radius 1 1/4 EMT, 90 degree elbow and it is close to what I need. 7.00. I could make it work with some heating, bending and cutting to size.

The Filling Station, which has a lot of old Chevrolet parts has the lower hard pipe, 1 1/4,  for 24.50. I just ordered one. Says it is a special bend, which it is. Its not a 90 degree. Picture looks identical. Long on one end and short on the other.

I'll let you know if it works in a few days when I receive it.

This part has been beating me up. Muffler shops claim they can't make the long radius 90. Go figure.

In the picture I'm measuring the center line radius.

 

FYI

Bill H

IMG_1830.jpg

Edited by Bill Harmatuk (see edit history)
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