I decided to install an aluminum radiator in my 54 pickup w/235. Got a really nice one from Auto City Classic this week and as they said, it's a direct factory bolt in radiator but with a couple of exceptions. Good thing the side mounting flanges have 2 sets of bolt holes / upper & lower.
With where the lower outlet is mounted to the bottom of the aluminum radiator, it sits directly in front of the timing gear cover, clearing it by an 1 1/2. So I had to use the top holes to drop the radiator low enough to to clear the timing gear cover in order to get the hose on.
Problem is, I can't get the lower hose on. The lower outlet is 1 3/4 " but as we know. the lower hose for the 235 is 1 1/2 to 1 5/8". So, my question is, does anyone know of a similar hose that is 1 3/4", maybe from a V8?
I used a 1 3/4" x 21" flex hose I bought on Amazon on mine. I think it was about $22 delivered. The pump outlet is 1 3/4 and so is the aluminum radiator lower outlet. Installed easily. Actually I got the radiator on Amazon also...think it was $170 delivered. It was supposed to be a direct bolt-in, but it wasn't exactly that. I had to jimmy around with it a bit, but it seems ok.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
I used a 1 3/4" x 21" flex hose I bought on Amazon on mine. I think it was about $22 delivered. The pump outlet is 1 3/4 and so is the aluminum radiator lower outlet. Installed easily. Actually I got the radiator on Amazon also...think it was $170 delivered. It was supposed to be a direct bolt-in, but it wasn't exactly that. I had to jimmy around with it a bit, but it seems ok.
Just go to your local auto parts store and look at the hoses. I had a similar problem with my aluminum radiator outlet, the local O'Reilly's let dig through there hoses till I found one with the correct sizes and turn. I had to cut the section I needed out of a longer hose, but it fit just right without any adaptors.
I did exactly what Joe did when building my roadster and it worked out for me just like it did for Joe. You'd be astonished at the variety of radiator hoses at O'Reiily.
