Anyone use these before the ones that are flexable like corragated stainless steel not the braided covered rubber hoses. I made a rad support and have an alum rad in my 54 chevy car with sbc and and the bottom hose needs a couple of wierd bends to connect it up. It's 1 3/4 on both ends. I did a search and didn't find any info on here about these hoses.
I've used them on my flattie. They come with different size adapters, 1-3/4 being one of them. How much you can bend them depends on the length. How ling a piece do you need?
I used a set in wayyyy back in early 90's. they work fine. Definitely street rod material. I would now make a template of what you need and go to a good parts house with racks of hoses and find the right combination of bends to make it work. Sometimes you find the combination in the middle of a complicated hose somewhere. Those hoses to me don't belong in a traditonal looking engine compartment.
I'm just going to put my opinion out there. I think polished copper pipe and rubber elbows and connectors looks way more bad ass
I use them on my 350 Model A. I had this really tight,double turn and twist connection on my lower hose that was obviously originally cut out of something larger. I tried the braid-covered rubber from Speedway-no dice. Then spent HOURS staring at hoses hanging from the ceiling of every NAPA and other parts store I could drive to. Finally picked up a Cool-Flex hose at the York NSRA show-rather nervously considering the price-and it took me all of 5 minutes to get a perfect match and fit. Worth the money for sure. I opted to use just the rubber connectors and clamps, not the fancy chrome covers since my rod is a bit more traditional. Looks fine to me.
Not keen on those adapters... Helped a friend do an initial fire up of a 350 in a 54 chevy truck with those hoses. After the cam break-in I leaned over with the timing light to final set it when it blew the hose off! Over 200* from the break in and I screamed like a little girl. Nailed my whole right arm and hand. I'm sure he didn't have the clamp as tight as it could have been but I believe that the wide rubber band adapter deal contributed too because it effectively eliminated the barb cast into the water pump inlet...
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