Radiator hoses?

[JJorgensen52]

My 69 has what appears to be poor replacements for the factory radiator hoses.
On top, (hard steel tubing):



and on the bottom (no pictures) it has a standard rubber hose, which is held in place with aluminum sheet metal that is actually touching the alternator belt.\

What is supposed to be going on here?

[69GMCLonghorn]

You should just have 2 rubber hoses with hose clamps on them, just like the other 8 billion vehicles on the road. The top pipe might now be hurting anything, but it's kind of goofy. I would just buy a couple new hoses and ace the Mickey Mouse action.

[john]

The 4x4 trucks have a metal tube on the upper hose. see pic in link. Yours looks like it has an extra tube.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=108105

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by john

The 4x4 trucks have a metal tube on the upper hose. see pic in link. Yours looks like it has an extra tube.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=108105

Okay, that makes sense, because that seemed like it belonged there.

As for the bottom, it looks like an original molded hose; the alternator brackets are non original, is the hose close enough to the belt that moving the alternator outward could cause contact between them?

[71 super]

As said earlier, the metal hose is a stock unit for 4x4 trucks, but there has been some unique engineering going on for the alternator bracket. It should be on the driver's side in the original configuration, but on the positive side it looks like you still have the original top alternator bracket. What is the stuff mounted to the drivers side of the engine?

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by 71 super

As said earlier, the metal hose is a stock unit for 4x4 trucks, but there has been some unique engineering going on for the alternator bracket. It should be on the driver's side in the original configuration, but on the positive side it looks like you still have the original top alternator bracket. What is the stuff mounted to the drivers side of the engine?

The original owner installed power steering, and he made a total ghetto-mod out of it. That's what you see on the driver's side.

I have all the original stuff that was pulled off the motor, so I could shift the alternator back over.

That said, the truck appears to have a short water pump on it. Is that original, or should it have a long pump? The reason I ask is that I was thinking of getting my hands on a set of later model serpentine brackets for the PS and alternator (cheap at the local boneyard) to make this stuff work better for the moment until I can figure it out for good.

[mr48chev]

The bracket on the left side looks like it originally went to a rig that had a left side ac compresser.

All I'm going to say is that setup is wrong for your truck.

Did the P/O swap engines by chance and use the brackets off the engine that he put in and not swap the original brackets over?

The hoses just look sad and I would install good quality new hoses no matter what else I did.

I have the alternator mounted on the passenger side on my truck because I have a 350 out of a 79 Elkie in it with a long water pump. Also the simple fact that I broke off one of the bolts in the left head contributed to the swap. the good thing is that it makes the stock power steering pump easier to get to.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Did the P/O swap engines by chance and use the brackets off the engine that he put in and not swap the original brackets over?

The hoses just look sad and I would install good quality new hoses no matter what else I did.

this is the original #s match motor

I am planning to replace the hoses; she needs a new radiator (this one is the original!) as well.

I am debating whether I want to return the accesories to stock or go with a passenger's side alternator / serpentine setup, just for the convenience of it (and the ready availability of parts to make the swap)