Does anyone still have an original heater hose? I'm looking at new heater hoses in the parts catalogs and am getting confused. Some catalogs say ribbed is correct for 67-69 and some say 67-68 were smooth and had a "GM" stamp, and only 69 was ribbed? Some of this info comes from Camaro catalogs - were Firebird and Camaro hoses different?

The heater hose return line that I took off the water pump was ribbed and molded to fit around the A/C compressor bracket and then has a bend back toward the firewall. Could that be original? The rubber seems too soft and flexible to be 40+ years old. Does anyone sell a molded heater hose? I haven't been able to find one online.

Thanks for any info,
Pete
67 400 coupe

Pete, What vendor is claiming smooth hoses? I have only heard of the ribbed being the original style.

The "correct" GM marked one I got was smooth...hmmmm maybe not so correct! I did notice only yesterday that it does not have a whole lot of wall strength tho...easily compressed with your hand when cold...

I beleive the ribbed hose is correct for 67-69 FGF, If I remember correctly (had a 68 RS/SS conv. Camaro) the Camaros used the GM stamped hose on all 67-69.

Also, the small section of hose that connects the breather pipe from the valve cover to the lower ram air pan (where the breather pipe connects to the white PVC breather that sits inside the lower ram air pan) also uses a very short piece of ribbed hose to connect the two.

I learned about all of the above at the 2008 Ecklers AACA Camaro/Firebird AACA Nationals when our Bird won it's Jr. Award. I had the ribbed hose for the heater but not on the breather pipe. So when the judges walked away I removed one of the heater hoses, whacked off 2" and stuck it on the breather, hooked everything back up and got back just enough points to earn the award. LOL

Jim,

The smooth "GM" marked hose is listed in the Rick's Camaro catalog as HC-8, for 67-68 and HC-9 is ribbed for 69.

Camaros and Classics lists HS2673 as smooth for 67-68 and HS2674 as ribbed for 67-73.

I only found ribbed hose at Ames and PY. That's partly why I was wondering if Camaros and Firebirds used different style hoses.

Pete

I have seen the GM stamp only on Chevy's thru the years. I have never seen a Bird/GTO with this. I have been attending stock type shows since the early 80's.

I believe that Ames and PY generally have pretty good parts. If the GM stamp was correct, they would have it. I believe some of these Camaro/Firebird guys are mostly Camaro oriented.

Thanks for all the replies. I'll go with the ribbed hose. I agree, I trust Ames and PY more than the dual Firebird/Camaro guys that tend to pass off Camaro parts as correct for our Birds.

I took a few pics of the molded hose on my car. After it clears the A/C bracket, it turns up until it clears the upper A-arm, then turns back toward the firewall. It has 4 raised ribs, so it doesn't match the depressed rib design that Ames says is correct. The last shot is a piece of new heater hose. If I try route it the same way as the molded hose, it crimps badly.

Have any of you with an A/C equipped car seen a molded hose used to clear the A/C bracket? If not, is the heater hose routed in front of the bracket?

Thanks,
Pete

Interesting topic Pete.

I looked in the 1972 parts catalog and see that the '67/'68 Firebird w/AC heater inlet hose is a distinct part number 9788819 described as "Hose, heater water inlet (formed)". So, yes, it is a molded hose. (You may want to keep the old one for reference.)

Mine has been replaced a couple times in 42 years, most recently with the ribbed repro stuff.



I apparently have mine incorrectly routed over to the wheel well and then back under the AC muffler but perhaps not having the formed, it may be the only choice.

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Thanks for finding that part number, Jim. I just blows my mind that the heater hose survived that long! Well, the front half of it anyway - the heater core is bypassed, so the hose was cut at the center of the inner fender and then connected with a flush tee to the outlet hose at the head (which is a newer Gates hose).

Pete

I did some more searching and discovered that the 9788819 hose is not the hose that I posted pictures of.

I found the 9788819 part number here: Group 8 Part Numbers, see part group 8.846 on page 10 of the PDF.

Then I found an illustration: Group 9 Illustrations, see Group 9.000 Illustration 13 on page 16 of the PDF. The drawing shows #33 as the Hose, Heater Water-Inlet (Formed). This is the hose from the cylinder head to the heater core inlet. There is a formed 90 degree bend where the hose connects to the heater core inlet. The other heater hose is #36 Hose, Heater Water-Outlet. This is the hose from the heater core outlet back to the water pump, and is the hose on my car that is formed. The diagram describes it as 3/4" ID x 47", so it apparently is just straight hose. So the formed hose on my car is apparently not original. I'll hold onto it anyway.

Thanks,
Pete

The one on my 67 is ribbed but with 3 raised ribbs. Two close together. It is not molded and runs in front of the A arm like Jim's