Need help finding simple parts-where to buy?!

[danheit]

OK, this is getting rediculous. I have been searching around, and can't find anywhere that sells the fan belt, Upper AND Lower radiator hoses for my 1957 Chevy 3100 with the 235 6cyl motor. Can anyone help? I have checked LMC, Ecklers, CPP, lots of places as well as local parts stores. I have found the belt, and upper hose, but can't seem to find anyone that sells the lower hose for the 6cyl and I really don't want to mess with a universal flex hose. I would love to get this stuff going so I can get my truck back up and running! HEEEELLLLP!

[18tahoe]

I got a lower hose for a 235 at www.TruckandCarShop.com, in Orange CA. I really like this place they seem to have a lot of parts and everything is usally in stock. Good Luck

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by 18tahoe

I got a lower hose for a 235 at www.TruckandCarShop.com, in Orange CA. I really like this place they seem to have a lot of parts and everything is usally in stock. Good Luck

I have been using them too almost exclusively, BUT I've read on here a lot of negatives about their service to mail order customers. Their counter guys are knowledgeable; well at least the guy I usually go to is. But I'm a walk-in customer. Just a "head's up" to others that read this. YMMV.

[Coach529]

I bought all that stuff for my 1949 at my local Napa.

[mr48chev]

Napa should have the fan belts or can get them overnight and should be able to get the hoses.

The computer geeks at Autozone and O'Reillys will never find it in their computers but the fan belts are just V belts and not rare or exciting. If you have a sample anyone should be able to match them.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Re...014058+5999999
The lower hose is on page 2

Usually if standard parts are available from Local sources the Napa catalogs will show the part.

[mr48chev]

I looked some more:
Autozone
belt http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par.../N-j4021Zapsy5

Upper hose http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...16_5780_10495_

Lower hose they only show a flex hose
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...83751_0_10496_

O'Reilly's only shows flex hoses and didn't show the belt.

[OrrieG]

If they can't xref from the napa numbers, bend up a wire for the routing, measure the rad and water pump diameter and start searching the shelves. My Oriellys has some really good gear head counter guys, took him about two minutes to find upper and lower for my frankentruck. You might end up with something longer on one or both ends.

[danheit]

Thanks Guys, I have tracked everything down through NAPA, but my local store says they can't get the upper hose. I ran into this on my '55, but we just took another hose and cut the elbow portion of it off to make due. Really didn't want to do that if I could help it, but it looks like that's the route I'm going to go. As much of a great store as NAPA is, I usually try to go to Advance Auto, simply because I have a commercial account there and get a discount based on how much I spend each year. Oh well, off to NAPA I go...to place orders and hope I have it by tomorrow.

[1project2many]

As much of a great store as NAPA is, I usually try to go to Advance Auto, simply because I have a commercial account there and get a discount based on how much I spend each year.

Which is part of the reason you can't find the hose at other places. Advance and similar high volume stores prefer to sell high profit, fast moving parts. By routing more business to them and less to the places like NAPA you're routing money away from the suppliers that have slower moving parts for older vehicles. As a commercial customer it only makes sense to spend some money with the NAPA guy too. He just might have that hard to find part when you need it.

[danheit]

So I got the hoses from Advance, Lower worked great, Upper was nowhere even close. Couldn't figure out why until I did a little digging, and it appears that I have a V8 thermostat housing instead of the 6cyl. The v8 makes the hose bend need to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 degrees, where as the v6 makes it a cool 90. So, off to find the proper thermostat housing now. Kinda sucks, cause I threw one away a few months ago.... Still haven't found the belt yet. My NAPA can't get it either. May just have to do a mail order. Thought about using the one off of a parts rig in the junk yard, as it has the correct belt, and it doesn't look too bad, but it's been out there in the weather for a little while.

[1project2many]

I'm surprised local NAPA can't get part. Is it because no one has one in stock??

NAPA belt number is listed as 17412 (Gates) or 2594120(Goodyear)
NAPA lower hose is listed as NBH7438

You can also use Gates online lookup.
http://www.gates.com/part_locator/in...cation_id=3002
Belt = 9412 or 9412HD
Lower hose = 20584

Napaonline and other sources will sell and ship. One of my local chains has the Gates belt at their warehouse and I found 14 of the Gates hose on fleabay.

HTH

[danheit]

Well, today I went to the junk yard and snagged a correct water outlet neck, set of fan bolts, cooling fan (to replace my bent up one), and I even took the V-Belt off the truck seeing as how it looked "ok" and was better than not having one at all! Also scored another 6-lug rim while I was there that matches my other replacement one. Now I am in the process of cleaning up the water neck and fan, already have the loose rust off, and a coat of primer. Thank God for warm beautiful weather on my day off today! Hopefully I will be up and running by the end of the day today!