77 C3 hot water valve vacuum line

[Michael C.]

My 77 all original car has a broken vacuum line going to the hot water shut-off valve. It is a thin, all white hose, with a special clear plastic nipple on the end with a capture loop, not a black vacuum-type hose. I ordered a kit from one of the reputable suppliers to get the one hose from it and when it arrived it was a black vacuum-type hose with a white tracer. Not the same. Anyone have any ideas about what and where? I'm going to have this thing flight-judged and I want it to be right.

[Geoff C.]

[Michael C.]

Re: Directly or indirectly

Thanks for the background Geoffrey and thanks for taking the time to answer. Sometimes its difficult to get this kind of info on the "smog sharks".

So, I think where all of this is going is that unless I can pull this hose from another 77-8? car I'm stuck with the replacement? NOS is probably nonexistant or at least very rare.

Mike

[Geoff C.]

[Dave Suesz]

Parts cost...

I talked to you once about the hood pin springs on my 55. You were very nice about them. I did find a generic spring which was close, and by creating a one-time tool I altered the diameter of the coil, and trimmed the length, and squared the ends. Please, no one should ask me for this "correct" replacement, I'd have to sell them for $50 each to break even on my labor :o)

The early Mustangs had a "soup can" vacuum reservior, current repro costs about $70, of which probably $2 is the can, most of the rest is the check valve inserted in the end panel of the can.

The 68 Shelby had five narrow pieces of aluminum trim around the grille. These sell now for $240/set. People whine. I'm told the tooling cost $30000. He'll have sell 125 sets just to break even on the tool, let alone the 15-20 years he has stocked this item, plus production cost, storage, etc.

[Alan D.]

Re: 77 C3 hot water valve vacuum line

Mike,
Take the new black plastic hose and clean it to remove any oil and paint it white with semi gloss Krylon paint. It will age to a pale white. Route the hose so it will not be exposed to the high heat of the exhaust manifold.

Have fun.
Al Dieterle