Conversions & Hybrids - what upper radiator hose did you use?

Trying to figure out what upper radiator hose to go with. The fbody water pump is 1.25" and my howe racing aluminum radiator has a 1.5" inlet. Just wondering if anyone figured out a hose that used these sizes and what the brand/model number was.

I used one off a buick rivierra (i think 76? I'd have to look it up) with my factory 3 row radiator that had the top outlet on the driver side, perfect fit

Look at Goodyear hoses or you might try a piece of exhaust tubing and have it stretched and use it as a reducer of sorts.

You might have trouble finding the right hose. Its pretty easy to splice the hose using a brass or steel reducer. If you use the shrink fit hose clamps, it looks presentable.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/9002/p1040220rw7.jpg

i haven't been able to find any 1.25" brass or similar pipe to use to splice the top hose though. Maybe I should just be looking for a stock replacement ls1 radiator and skip the hassle. Too bad this howe radiator was $500 though.

I used to sell new Modine radiators back in the day and we used to have rubber reducers that would fit inside the hose.
check with a local radiator shop and see if they still have them

they still have them, but then the problem is finding hoses that are 1.5" throughout to make the 2 90' bends.

I believe the 82 buick riv 5.7 upper hose dayco #71132 (I think) is the one I used on the last swap. :chug:

I used goodyear # 62426 which is for the 98-02 f body. My radiator also has 1 1/2 inch inlet/outlets. I just sparyed some wd 40 on the inside of the hose and the radiator outlet and worked it on there. No problems to speak of.

I found this lousy picture, but you can see that there is even a flare at the end of the inlet/outlet that I had to get the hose over. As you can see the hose fits pretty nice and its not like it bulging or compromised to the point it might fail.

i haven't been able to find any 1.25" brass or similar pipe to use to splice the top hose though. Maybe I should just be looking for a stock replacement ls1 radiator and skip the hassle. Too bad this howe radiator was $500 though.

JTR has hose splicers for your application:
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_TPI-TBI_HoseSplice.html

In addition, there are transitional hose splicers that go from 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" (actual dimensions are 1-5/16 to 1-9/16). They are similar to the transitional heater hose splicers, but larger. The larger sizes are not yet on the website:
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_Cooling_HH-splicers.html

Also, there will be a transitional splicer (1-5/16 to 1-9/16) for the LS1 which includes a steam tube and bleeder valve.
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_Cooling_LSI-tee.html

I have one of these:
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/images/LS1-tee-2240.jpg

Same as the last link above. Very nice piece of aluminum.

Any pics of what your dealing with? What side are the radiator fittings on?

Pics and gates part number on first page http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/628118-pics-ol-rock.html?highlight=

look for an exhaust pipe adapter/reducer at the parts store.
if not go to a muffler shop and they will flare an end up for you.
that coupled with the shrink clamps in the picture beforehand, wouldnt look too bad.
better than 2 hose clamps there, and then one at the radiator.

look for an exhaust pipe adapter/reducer at the parts store.
if not go to a muffler shop and they will flare an end up for you.
that coupled with the shrink clamps in the picture beforehand, wouldnt look too bad.
better than 2 hose clamps there, and then one at the radiator.

The muffler adapter/reducer has straight ends.
If you don't have beaded ends on the splicer, the hose can come off. I wouldn't recommend using adapters that don't have beaded ends.

I figured after trying all the hoses even recommended here and them not fitting or needing to be spliced for being too long I just went out and bought a stock replacement ls1 radiator and am selling off my howe radiator to pay for it. Wasn't worth weeks worth of searching and the 20 different hoses I've bought and returned thus far.