Red Fan Belts and Red Radiator Hoses

[34LaSalleClubSedan]

Back in the teens, 20's and 30's some cars came with Red fan belts and Radiator Hoses. Has anyone ever tried to take a modern black fan belt and radiator hoses and dye them Red with any success? Or some other way to change the color from black to red. Thanks, Jim

[1937hd45]

35 minutes ago, 34LaSalleClubSedan said:

Back in the teens, 20's and 30's some cars came with Red fan belts and Radiator Hoses. Has anyone ever tried to take a modern black fan belt and radiator hoses and dye them Red with any success? Or some other way to change the color from black to red. Thanks, Jim

 

 

If it could be done the Model A Ford owners wouldn't be using  92 year old originals on their Top Of The World restorations. Bob 

[zepher]

1 hour ago, 1937hd45 said:

 

 

If it could be done the Model A Ford owners wouldn't be using  92 year old originals on their Top Of The World restorations. Bob 

 

Why has no one reproduced hoses?

There was a member of the Hawk Owner's club that had new coolant hoses made because there were zero OEM ones left.

He made a few runs and even offered red or blue as color options based on what the manufacturer would accommodate.

[Bloo]

If you can use straight hose, Restoration Supply (of California) has red in 1/2" through 2-1/2" sizes. Page 15 of the downloadable catalog. https://restorationstuff.com/

[wayne sheldon]

Being too broke to spend money I do not have to, I have spray can painted red radiator hoses for my cars using scraps of hose collected over decades. Works fine. Looks fine.

I actually got an original nos red fan belt for the '27 Paige my dad bought more than fifty years ago. While it was nice enough to run when I bought it, and it is still hanging in my garage, it has become too stiff to consider using anymore (just a wall-hanger now). I doubt painting a fan belt would look good for very long. I have wondered what I will do about it if I ever can get back to trying to put that car back on the road.

[Bloo]

For a period-look black fan belt, I took a Bando industrial belt, B series in my case, and just dobbed a little flat black over the more modern looking parts of the markings. This is a fabric wrapped belt. Looks pretty good. Fabric wrapped belts are still used for agricultural implements and lawnmowers, too. In implement stores I have seen them that are fairly light in color too, sometimes green, sometimes beige. It isn't an ideal beige, as there is black in the roots of the fabric, but it is as if the fabric is partly bare.

 

I wonder what would happen if you found one of those beige-ish fabric wrapped belts and let it soak in some barn-red RIT dye for a while? Might be worth a try.

 

SEM ColorCoat vinyl dye might be another option, if there is an appropriate color available (it seems to change a lot). Spray it on wet and work it in with a toothbrush. Might work....

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by Bloo (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

EPDM rubber is off- white.  When carbon black is added to the compound, you get the usual black - it reinforces, protects against UV, and makes it cheaper.  If instead you add clay, you get the red version.  Adding paint to rubber is rarely a good idea because of the solvents in the paint.

[34LaSalleClubSedan]

Thanks to everyone for your lead's and advise. 

[JMAV8FORD]

One of the suppliers (now deceased) offered to early V8 Ford owners a coating to turn a black fan belt to a reddish brown which I successfully applied earlier today.  I have previously used this coating and there are no adhesion issues in service.