I have a 1986 351W sitting in my truck with an after market radiator (champion) lower hose is on the drivers side. I'm having a hard time finding a lower radiator hose. I've been using the rubber flex hoses, but the first one ended up getting eaten up by the PS belt. I purchased a longer one, but now it looks like it's all kinked up for some reason. I did look at AutoZone to see if I could find something close to the stock hose, but nothing. The stock hose seems to be right, but it's a bit too short.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

I had a similar issue, and gave up on the flex hoses. I took a coat hanger, bent it to the configuration I needed, then had a stainless pipe bent at a local muffler shop. Two short straight hose sections on each end, and you're done.
If you go this route, definitely go with the stainless pipe, steel pipe will rot out in no time at all. It cost only a little more than the stock hose, so well worth the money.

Hope this helps.

 

Low buck method is to use two different radiator hoses with the correct ends and a splice to connect them, I had to do that on the lower hose on my 47 caddy. I used a galvanized pipe nipple and a couple hose clamps as the splice, it is pushed into each hose enough that is cannot be seen and will not be rotting out any time soon.

 

Great idea guys, thanks a lot for the suggestions.

 

When messing with hoses keep in mind that you can get rubber reducer bushings at your local NAPA store. I think Gates markets a line of these as well.
http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...902_0006447018

Bobby