correct radiator hose color

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Theo
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correct radiator hose color

Post by Theo » Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:35 am

Good morning, I have been trying to determine the correct color radiator hose set for a 1922 T Coupe. I have heard that red is the correct color, also black & yet black w/red stripe. The parts house states that they have the original red hose set. But yet others say Ford never used the red hose. I'm a little confused as I am trying to put her back together a close to original as possible. Currently black hoses w/modern clamps are on it. I purchased the red hoses & correct hose clamps, but am now unsure if red is the correct color.
Thanks for your help as I'm sure this maybe a controversial subject.

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George House
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by George House » Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:52 am

Theo, I don’t know the correct color of coolant hose for your year T but this was good advice I received years ago:.. use modern hose clamps that you can crank down with a socket/ratchet. Run the engine to operating temperature to enable rubber to adhere. Then remove modern hose clamps and install original style repop clamps. They could never be tightened as much as modern. Some guys even use a gasket sealer over the Ford inlet/outlets. I wouldn’t recommend it
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Steve Jelf
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by Steve Jelf » Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:32 am

When I read the question I thought of the 1917 Rip Van Winkle. Does it have its original hoses? My second thought was the MTFCI restoration guidelines. I found nothing there.
Screen Shot 2020-08-13 at 9.15.04 AM.png
In this old B&W photo are the the Rip's hoses red or black? I'm guessing red. They seem too light to be black. The fan belt is much darker.

I haven't tried the switcheroo with modern and original clamps. I use the original type, but I put filister head screws in them so the screwdriver can get a good grip. For a good seal you can put Ultra Black on the inside of the hose and slather grease on the outlet or inlet for ease of removal the next time you have to take things apart.
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John kuehn
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by John kuehn » Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:42 am

I would use red since that’s what seems to be closest to what Ford probably used. Notice I said ‘probably’ since that’s what the vendors say. As for clamps the original style that’s being sold is OK but as George says you can’t get the hoses tight enough in some instances. One of my cars has a recored radiator and the outlet is not quite as straight as it should be with the head outlet.

An original style clamp can’t be tightened as well as the modern style clamp so that’s what I use for that car. No more occasional drip or slow leak.

I would suggest using the brass lower tube instead of the steel one. They eventually rust out.
The brass one will last as long as you own your car and then some.
Ford didn’t use brass so paint it semi-gloss black if you want to be close to original in appearance.

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DanTreace
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by DanTreace » Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:45 am

Could be the hose color varied, as aftermarket parts catalogs state 'gray' or 'red' for hose color on replacement Ford hose.

Looking at period photos of T's on assembly lines supports the lighter hue of red to me. So red is probably correct. The Model A hoses are black but have a red parting line strip that seals the seams. Back in the day 'red' rubber was considered higher quality, and 'red' rubber inter tubes for tires were priced higher.


Lighter color hoses on these brass era radiators....

eryumentDVEGS3UO (770x458).jpg

And by 1927 still has a light color like a red hose.
1927 HP plant.jpg
1927 HP plant.jpg (85.56 KiB) Viewed 3349 times
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by Rich Bingham » Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:59 pm

Very good advice for using the “authentic” reproduction hose clamps: “set” hoses with modern traction clamps first, then swap them out. Unhappily, like so many reproduction parts, the current offerings are “close, but no cee-gar” being made of too light a gauge metal with round head screws. Steve is right, as the originals came with filister head screws.

I have never understood why reproduction parts can’t be made to original specs. ?!? When corners are cut, the result is usually a movie prop that looks great but doesn’t stand the duty of normal use. Surely the old clamps of this type worked fine to cinch up hoses without nursing them with a different clamp.
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Erik Johnson
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by Erik Johnson » Thu Aug 13, 2020 7:40 pm

Here are the original hoses from the 1917 "Rip Van Winkle" Ford touring.

This car has a June 1917 motor serial number and was most likely assembled at the Minneapolis plant.

Click on the first photo to enlarge. Click on it a second time to make even larger.

Note that the inner and outer layers of rubber are thin compared to the canvas sandwiched between the layers. One hose has lost a lot of its outer layer of rubber almost completely exposing the the canvas.
Attachments
hoses 1.jpg
Hoses 2.jpg

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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by DanTreace » Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:34 pm

Erik

Thanks for posting photos of these original hoses to that '17!


I lightened them up a bit to examine. Seem to have a black appearance, yet under the clamps appears some red? Or just rust deposits? Or maybe were red and then got years of dust, dirt and crud from that T touring sitting on those custom wood post blocks in that lean-to shed for decades :)

hoses 1.jpg
hoses 1.jpg (49.27 KiB) Viewed 3127 times
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Erik Johnson
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by Erik Johnson » Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:37 pm

I have higher resolution versions of the photos (I also cropped the second photo).

In my opinion, it's rust.

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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by Steve Jelf » Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:55 pm

So apparently on that particular 1917, Ford they were black. But it wouldn't surprise me to find that they varied by supplier, or by year, or both.
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Re: correct radiator hose color

Post by John Codman » Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:13 am

I bought a set of repro hoses and OE style clamps from Lang's about six years ago. I have never had a leakage issue with the stock hose setup. The Lang's hoses are red; i just assumed that red was the correct color. I can't see why a hose manufacturer would make them red unless they knew (or at least believed) that red was the original color. It would be much easier and most likely cheaper to make them out of black material.

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