What Lower Radiator Hose?

[shoopdog]

I’ve thought about bringing this up many times so now I’m going to let the cat out of the bag. Am I the only builder who is guilty of omitting the seldom seen, difficult to access lower radiator hose? I have quite a collection of them! I know a lot of members might think this is as taboo as using a Sharpie for trim or Testors tube glue but I am quite guilty. There may be less than 10% of my builds that have a lower hose. How much in the minority am I?

[Jack L]

only time I put one on is if its in the open or easy to get to

[Jim B]

Definitely not in the minority, I would think. Sometimes those lower radiator hoses are so difficult to place without destroying the engine. It's ridiculous. And then if you do successfully get it in, you can't see it!

[StevenGuthmiller]

I’ve been guilty many times of omitting the lower radiator hose.

I only add one when it’s “possible” to get it in without making a friggin mess of everything.

 

By the way, Sharpies for trim and Testors tube glue is still taboo! ?

 

 

 

Steve

[Bills72sj]

Lower hose only if it is easy. Sharpies for side marker lights YES! for chrome trim? no so much. Testors glue, EVERY build as appropriate.

[StevenGuthmiller]

53 minutes ago, Bills72sj said:

Lower hose only if it is easy. Sharpies for side marker lights YES! for chrome trim? no so much. Testors glue, EVERY build as appropriate.

Man, I haven’t bought a tube of Testors glue since I was about 15 years old! ?

I hated the stuff back then, I can’t imagine that it has improved.

The only thing that I’ve ever used a Sharpie for was a gold Sharpie over foiled scripts to make them look like gold anodized scripts.

 

 

 

Steve

[Dpate]

Depends on the kit if it’s even gonna fit where it’s suppose to fit anyways. If it can fit like it’s suppose to I’ll try my best with proper tweezers to get it in or if it can’t be seen from top or bottom eh screw it. 

[Bainford]

Yup, been guilty of that myself in the past. These days I sometimes go one further, and omit the entire engine.

[Mike 1017]

Only if it is an easy fit. I must have 5lbs of lower radiator hose in my parts box.

Mike

[Tabbysdaddy]

If I don't add the hose, how will I drive it when I use my magic powers to make the car full size?

[StevenGuthmiller]

30 minutes ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

If I don't add the hose, how will I drive it when I use my magic powers to make the car full size?

It'll be easier to add one once it's full size.

 

 

 

Steve

[shoopdog]

Found em!

there has to be more somewhere!

[Chuckyg1]

I make 2 - 3 attempts. If I'm not successful, it goes it the parts box. For what reason, I don't know.

[bill-e-boy]

What are you talking about, what lower radiator hose? Must be some sort of rare breed 

[KWT]

Never heard of her...

[Keef]

Those are in the kit? ?

[bluestringer]

I try sometimes, but don't take a lot of time with it, rarely get one on.

[OldNYJim]

I built a couple of Beetles, and they didn’t even include any radiator hoses in the kit!

[espo]

Most kits provided lower as well as upper, hoses don't seem to line up or are almost imposable to install without either being too long or too short. Just as you would use a small diameter "pin" to mount a door handle or a rear-view mirror, you can put a pin on the end of the water pump and another on the radiator. I use some rubber tubbing cut too length and slid it first on the hardest to reach position and the other end to the most accessible. The tubbing will bend easily, and if it is too long and kinks you can remove it and cut off enough so that it fits without kinking. 

[carrucha]

I install the kit lower radiator hose if possible.  I used to replace it with Detail Master radiator hose which was nearly an impossible task so I just use the kit hose if supplied.  I use Testors tube glue every once in a while.  In some situations it works better than the Tamiya cement I usually use.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I just recently did the upper and lower hose on my '64 Bonneville project, and as always seems to be the case, it took a little more monkeying around than anticipated.

 

Of course, I never use kit supplied hoses as I feel they're not worth the effort of sanding off all of the mold lines and then hoping that they'll fit right.

 

I use appropriately sized wire, (I believe this is old Detail Master wire, but I've had it for years, so I'm not certain) and then create my own clamps, etc.

 

 

One of the steps that I never really enjoy doing, but I feel that the hoses are a necessary step on a fully detailed build.

In this instance, the lower hose was easier as there was plenty of space to install it, but the upper hose was a bit more difficult to get routed correctly around the alternator, etc, and to keep it in the right position/ height to ensure that the air cleaner sat in the right position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve