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I have looked in a couple of parts books for upper radiator pipes and can't seem to find any that are not part of the dress up kits. The dress up kits are nice, but I feel that they are not necessary right now. The one's I have now are really worn on the inside and as long as I have the radiator out and at the shop, I would tend to some other things. Hoses would work, but I like the pipes. Any help or suggestions? Thanks Gary flathead v8 set up
Last edited by hardy53; Oct 6, 2015 at 05:52 PM.
Reason: forgot some thing
The 53 pipes haven't been available for quite a while. You might check eBay for some decent NOS, but 53's are not the same as 48-52, and some on there are selling the earlier ones for 53's.
Old thread on the subject: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...hose-pipe.html
The 1948 thru '53 engines in the truck were essentially the same. The "modern", 8BA/8RT engine was introduced into the truck line in 1948, and into the cars a year later. All flat V8's in trucks from 1948 onwards, had the water outlet at the front of the head.
The difference noted by Ross and the original poster, refer to the length and bend differences between the 1948-52, and 1953 pipes. Whiles the pipes between all years, '48-'53 inclusive, look similar, the 1953 engine actually sat higher on the frame due to the different engine mounting (that is why the '53 water pumps are specific to the year), thus required a shorter pipe. Too, the lower bend on the '53 is a smooth arc versus the sharp angle on the previously produced pipes. Diameters are the same throughout.
As has been mentioned, the pipes are unique to the 1953 here, and the 1953-54 in Canada. That makes them kind of rare, and probably not very profitable to repop. I found mine at the source Numberdummy listed in the other thread, and bought two of the last 3 they had.
It seems to me someone in the distant past took a pattern to a muffler shop and had them bend up a set, but I can't find that thread. Rolling the beads onto the ends would likely have to be done manually. People have used EMT too.
The one issue I had with "rolling my own" pipe at a muffler shop, was that there was a small difference in pipe outside diameter, at least with the stock tubing my local muffler shop had. This necessitated a little more effort in getting the hose over the pipe ends. Too, at the time, this feller had no way to form the end beads. Still, the pipes worked fine, and looked good. The plus side of those muffler shop pipes, was that the tube diameter was a function of a thicker steel wall.
I also was wondering if I took my old pipes to a muffler shop, could they just bend me a new pair? Should I go with stainless steel or galvanized, or just buy rubber hoses.
