Thread: stainless radiator lines, what looks better

Tweet

kay guys, I currently have sitting on the shelf one of these

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

that I was going to use on the hotrod, but am thinking that the braided stainless line might look better. what do you all think? the fuel lines are all braided stainless if that matters.

Thanks a lot.

Red

If you are talking about that braided hose sleeving, I think it looks cheesy,
stick with the cool-flex

I have the braided fuel lines and look good. On another car I have the braided sleeves ("the cheesy" ones) and they have held up well over the past 15 years but they tend to get dirty (grease and such) and need to be changed out periodically. That in itself is a pain in the arse.

If you like the braided look get the factory braided ones and by pass the DIY's. As for using Cool Flex it depends. If you are building a streetrod or muscle car, Cool Flex works well. If you are building an old school hotrod or rat rod, it don't work at all. Stay with plain black rubber hoses. My streetrod has Cool Flex, my 57 kustom has braided.

Cool Flex hoses are made of copper not stainless steel like many of the copy cats. I think the Cool Flex hoses are better than the stainless variety, but that's just my opinion.

And also, regardless if you get Cool Flex or a similar product, don't forget to let the coolant get cool before working on the engine. Those hoses can burn the heck out of your body parts, just like getting into a flame.

No offense intended, Just an opinion

I wouldn't give a nickel for any of that glitzy crap. If you don't like my black rubber hoses, you can kiss my grits.

Dago Red,

Here's may two cents. The Cool Flex product works well, I've use it and it's easy to bend around things. The great thing about Cool Flex lines are they come a chome look or powdered coated black. Rubber hoses are great for that old timely look. Braided stainless are fine for a high tech ride with all the bullet, I have always believed that braided lines look like crap. Good luck with your choice.

CRUISER

Dago
I like the braided stuff for fuel lines, and the cool flex for the radiator. I think they will go well with what you've got. I also like the black version of cool flex that cruiser mentioned. When it comes to engine dress up, I think it's very individual, which is probably why they make so many different types of air cleaners, and valve covers, that we are all suckers to buy!
Here's a nice little article on cool flex
http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techar...all/index.html

Stovens, thanks for the link to the installation tutorial. As Tech1 says I just installed rubber flex hoses because I did not want to gamble on the coolflex hoses until I get things running. The rubber hoses do not look as good but are only about $12 to $15 each compared to the more expensive coolflex. The coolflex hoses do look neat and maybe cool better too but I will postpone that option for a while and get the car running with the rubber hoses. Maybe it was necessary to do the rubber hose option first because I already went through several cut-fit-try-another cycles to get my fan belt and hoses set up. I have braided lines for fuel and breather but I wonder how to clean them from grunge after a while?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Here is a reverse twist comment on how bad the rubber hoses look just to reply to Tech1 as a sort of progress report. Yes, the rubber hoses are ugly but I am enjoying creeping up on the first start of the engine and so I went ahead and got the universal rubber flex hoses at Auto Zone. I may shorten the upper hose about 1/2" but for now I will use the rubber hoses, although I plan to add the coolflex tubing in the future for looks and probably better cooling. So Tech1, thats what the Zip water pump riser looks like on my 355SBC and my optimism is slowly increasing that I may get the engine started before Christmas? Nah, probably not but I am getting closer.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Looking nice Don.