That's ridiculous, and totally unnecessary. Flex hoses come in all sorts of diameters and lengths, and they work very well if you can't find a molded hose that approximates the shape you need. Another option would be to get a muffler shop to bend a piece of exhaust tubing to fit, and use short pieces of straight hose at both ends to couple up to the radiator and the engine. Paint or powder coat the outside, and the antifreeze you use will prevent rust on the inside.
Jerry

"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!