Okay, I'm a little stumped here . Yesterday afternoon my radiator hose (upper) basically split right down the middle after driving around in 100 degree weather.

Today, I shopped around at various autoparts stores (Autozone, O'Reily's, the dealership) and I could not find the right one. When I went to Autozone, I purchase what appeared to be a '97 T/A radiator hose. But, I did't look like the one I pulled off my car. The one I bought from Autozone basically curves like an "s." The one I pulled off my car curves like an "s" but at the bottom end, it takes another curve to form something like a "w." So, I take it back and the sales guy gives me a blank stare and goes off to find a lower radiator hose to see if that's the one I need. Nope. Then he says something like, it might be an '98 radiator hose your looking for. Okay, next stop, O'Reily's.

When I got to O'Reily's, I asked for a '97 T/A radiator hose. The sales guy pulls the exact same hose I got from Autozone. Nope, that won't work. He too mentions that I might need a '98 radiator hose . He then goes on to inform me that mid-/late-model '97 T/A's may have come with some '98 parts and one of the parts may be the radiator hose. Hmm... well I received my '97 in '96, so... I fail to see the logic behind that... Unfortunately, all the O'Reily stores in Wichita are currently out of stock of the '98 radiator hose(same goes for all the Autozone stores). I have nothing to compare to.

Feeling confused and a little frustrated, I pay a visit to the local Pontiac/GMC dealership. I tell my story to the guy behind the counter and for some reason, he goes along with the possibility that a '98 radiator hose could work in my '97. Guess what I find out? The dealership is both out of the '97 and '98 T/A radiator hoses! WTF? Since I didn't have my vin number and since he's not at all buying that I have a '97 T/A he tells me to go home, get the vin and call back to make sure I have a '97 T/A.

I call back about two hours later and a different guy picks up the phone. I proceed to tell him my story and all he can say is '98 T/A's have the LS1 and '97 T/A's have the LT1 ( tell me this isn't so!) and that their parts are NOT interchangable. I give him the last eight digits of my vin, V2201313, and his computer search confirms I have the '97 LT1. Then it's back to LS1/LT1 dribble about everything I already know . As I end the conversation but before I hang up the phone he mentions and I quote, "Remember, you have the LT1."

So, what motherf-ing model radiator hose do I need to replace this upper radiator hose? I did not, by the way, check to see if a '96 T/A radiator hose would work or any other model year. And somebody please don't ask me if tried to find one from a Formula or Firebird!

Also, who's the bigger dumbass here? The Autozone guy for going back to get a lower radiator hose , the O'Reily's guy for mentioning that I could need a '98 T/A radiator hose , the dealership guys for not believing I have an LT1 , or me for considering all of the above to be dumbasses for suggesting I might need a '98 radiator hose and that I wasn't competent enough to tell whether I had the LS1 or LT1?