MTFCA Forum

I measured an original gaslight hose from the radiator tube to the headlight. It is 10". The one from the radiator to the frame rail pipe is 5 1/2". The one for the frame rail pipe to the tank is missing, but I think it is 28". Does anyone know the original length? I wish we could buy the correct hose!

1,000 feet would be enough for 250 cars. Should be easy to initially sell lots of 10 sets to each of the four major vendors. That’s 40 sets right there. Why don’t you have 1,000 feet made? Should be easy to get it custom manufactured exactly the way you want it if you order enough...

Order enough? Maybe. Pay enough? Definitely!

When i needed lamp hose i used a old set from my torch and used that??? Bud.

Like RV said..$$$...last I knew it retailed for $6 a foot, so you can bet it would wholesale at $3 a foot in order for a vendor to make any profit. So even at that, who has $3K sitting around on speculation. Sure isn't me!! Nice thought though.
Just another area of dwindling supplies and parts. Gonna get worse before it gets better.

I'd be willing to pay plenty for the correct hose! The last time Ron Gocek made a run, he wasn't paying attention, and it came out 5/8" OD. That's way to big to fit through the holes in the radiator and the splash shield. The correct size is 1/4" ID, AND 7/16" OD. Welding hose is too large.

I have Ron Gocek 1/2" hose on my '14 for about 5 years running off a Prest-O-Lite B tank.
My concern has been about cracking/leaks where it rubs on the metal 3 places-radiator & splash shield.
OK so far, but I wouldn't run that RG hose through a drilled 1/2" hole which may cut it.
I don't think the reproduction splash shields for mid '12 through '14 have the gas hole punched in them.
Sort of like lab burner hose, and may look correct, but I don't imagine it is an acetylene rated hose.

Rather inexpensive way to get your lights working until the "correct" hose is available (6-1/2 feet of 7/16" Acetylene hose for $23):
https://www.amazon.com/Goss-HA3-6-Acety ... de=df0&hva

I still have the petrified original hose from my generator to the frame pipe. The piece that goes thru the splash apron for my early '13. I'll measure it.

Here's photos of my "original" hose. It is between 24 3/4" and 25" long. The outside diameter is 15/32", slightly over 7/16" as Larry pointed out for original specs. Since my car is a Canadian car, some variations may apply(?) This has been on this car since my grandfather bought it in 1956. I would imagine, it's been there all it's life. I have no way of proving it but take this info for what it's worth. Hope this is helpful. The hose is cloth wrapped.

While not correct mine works perfectly and welding hose comes in more than one size.I would avoid old cracking hose but that is just me.Bud.

Every couple of years this quest for original red acetylene hose pops up. I don’t believe red acetylene hose ever was used on early cars up to the 1913-4 models. Over many years, I’ve had many original artifacts come through my hands, and every once in awhile, there is a bit of old hose still attached. Petrified and mummified but was obviously a white or cream color rubber tube. Out in the weather, over time, this gum rubber swells, cracks and generally just goes bad. Sometimes I’ll find a piece still attached that also has a piece of fine wire, or even bailing wire holding it on. This was an owner fix when the hose started going bad, and swelling.
Searching through my very old supply catalogs, I come up with only one listing, shown below. Gum rubber tubing. I believe this is what early autos were supplied with originally. Stop and think. On the assembly line, would Henry have used a rubber hose , that could just be pushed onto the nibs by hand? Or would he use red plumbers tank acetylene hose that needs to be attached with clamps. This red hose Larry seeks is way too heavy duty, and made for hard use ( on a plumbers tank, for instance) that can be used, wound up, used again, skuffed around. Plumbers tanks use higher pressure appliances than any lamp ever used. I’ll say it again. Lamps use VERY low pressure. The type of pressure that soft rubber tubing can hold by itself on a bib fitting, no clamp. It’s hardly ever shown in the catalogs of the day, likely because it was a common hardware store item, easily bought when your ford hose started failing. My other picture is shown gum rubber tubing, available in many sizes, even the size Original Smith seeks. It’s pretty cheap. I’m showing new hose next to some delicate vintage gum rubber that still has some life in it. Available in many sizes from McMaster-Carr supply. If you agree, I’d grab it soon, as they just started carrying it again, after not having it for many years. The picture showing the two hoses is of old coin operated machines, with hearing tubes, made in the same period as our old cars. JMHO

Kim Dobbins where are you?

.

Whether you choose to use it or not, 1/4 inch red acetylene American made hose is readily available.
I use it for fuel lines in addition to acetylene.

It is true the current splash shields don't have the hose hole punched. I was able to do it for my '13 exactly like the original I have some of McMaster Carrs red hose on one of my cars, and it is ok, but I like the cloth covered stuff better. Thanks for the help on the tank to frame line hose.

Here is another period ad, gum rubber acetylene lamp hose. 1925 catalog. This in red. By then they were starting to add compounds to increase the longevity, black in tires, red in hoses. I’ve put this out there, mr. Original, any rebuttal archival evidence that FoRd used acetylene welding hose originally? fWIW, McMaster-Carr has gum rubber, in the right size, Available in red, along with the natural color. I’ve got a sample on the way.

Asked my dad about the three red rubber hoses on his 1910 IHC roadster. (I should also ask him if any of the original was on the car when he bought it 70 years ago and if he kept any samples of it.)

He said back in the 1950s and 1960s, antique auto restorers used red rubber beer line air hose and that is what he currently has on his car. You can still buy it today but after doing some casual Googling, it seems that red vinyl beer line air hose is more readily available than red rubber.

The off white is $2.88/ft. The red is $2.80/ft. The red shown is shown for color, it’s a different size that I’m using for something else.

I agree with Tim on the off white hose. I have seen it still attached to old burner elbows.

Dropacent wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:55 pm

The off white is $2.88/ft. The red is $2.80/ft. The red shown is shown for color, it’s a different size that I’m using for something else.

Dropacent, Is the off white the biege color in the catalog? And is the size 1/4 ID, 3/8 OD? Thanks, Art

Art, here is the McMaster-Carr parts numbers. If you read up on the history of rubber, they started experimenting with adding material to change the durability of rubber very early on. From the original bits of it I’ve seen over the years, it’s swollen so much from age that a lot of 1/8” wall stuff was used back then, too. It would be my educated guess that white hose would be appropriate for very early cars, the red for later gaslight use. A personal choice, I would think, also. If anyone around here wants some, I’d be glad to order it in. ( original Smith is taking donations of used acetylene hose)

If you are looking for people who would be interested in buying some lengths of the white hose, count me in.

I’d be glad to get a bunch to someone that wants to supply people. Just holler. I don’t want to do it at a couple foot at a time. I would do that for someone nearby me, but wifey has enough keeping track of our other things.

I re-plumbed the acetylene lines on Lizzie after she adopted me, using the red rubber hose with a cloth outside pattern that Lang's offered at the time. After four summers spent mostly outside, it needs replacing. I wonder how well the original hose held up ? Any historical accounts of that ?

Rich, I’ve had original gum rubber tube inside on coin op machines for 25+ years now. Inside, air conditi9ned, out of the sun. I’d say it would last a lifetime kept like that. For on an old auto, my guess would be that you’d get several years out of it, depending on use and storage conditions, of course. Ozone is the killer, it will start getting a hard skin that dries out and starts cracking, even though the inside will still be supple enough to hold the pressure we are talking about. Keep in mind, it’s offered in two different wall thickness , 1/16 and 1/8. I’ve seen more original bits on burners and such that appear they were probably 1/8 wall, and swollen pretty huge.

I did get the 1/4 ID X 3/8 OD with the 1/16 wall from McMaster-Carr and it seems like the 1/16 wall is too thin. I would think the 1/4 X 1/2 with the 1X8 wall would be better. What do you guys think? Art

When I cut the hole in the splash shield for the generator hose, I started with a very small hole, maybe 1/8" dia. I drilled a 7/16" hole in a block of wood, and centered it on the block of wood, held in place with a floor jack. I carefully used a taper punch to enlarge the hole to the original size. Can't tell it from the original!