TAC Tech => Mechanical => Topic started by: Wrightd76 on March 12, 2023, 04:03:04 PM
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Hello everyone. I’m a long time member here but have been gone more than 15 years. Hoping you can help me now that I’m back into a gen2 Trans Am.
I’m looking for the radiator and heater hoses for a 1981 Turbo Trans Am. Even a lead on the original part numbers.
I bought a very original, very low mile car that I would like to maintain as road worthy. These hoses don’t come up in the usual searches.
Thanks
Dave
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Rock Auto a site sponsor is showing upper and lower radiator hoses. If you scroll down to site sponsors there is a link. I didn’t check for heater hoses, but they should have those as well. One heater hose is 5/8” the other should be 3/4”. Any auto parts store sells heater hose by the foot.
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Thanks 5th T/A. I looked at the typical resto part stores and never considered Rockauto, whom I buy my daily car maintenance supplies. I ordered the hoses along with everything required to change all fluids and filters an the car.
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Thanks 5th T/A. I looked at the typical resto part stores and never considered Rockauto, whom I buy my daily car maintenance supplies. I ordered the hoses along with everything required to change all fluids and filters an the car.
The one time I purchased radiator hoses from a restoration merchant with the correct part numbers stamped into the rubber to mimic factory parts, neither of them fit for my 400 W72. The upper hose needed around six inches trimmed off from where it secures to the radiator inlet, which I understand is a normal thing you have to do; however it was also pressing so severely against the washer fluid bottle that it had an acute bend that could potentially occlude coolant flow. This is probably because it also needed trimming from where it secures to the waterneck on the intake, but I didn't bother - into the garbage it went.
Then for the bottom hose, it didn't have a bend designed into the mold to clear the idler arm, and so it was pressing against the idler arm which would slowly wear it over time.
Got them from Firebird Central.
Was not happy - ended up just re-using the hoses that came on the car when I got it, which I think both came from NAPA.