Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

[Douglas C.]

Hi,

I am trying to identify the original balance hose holes in my R.H. fender for my Dec. '63 convt. According to the 5th edition 63-64 TIM&JG, there should be 4 black push-in straps on the fender (p. 129) - long since gone on my car.

In the picture below, I've marked what looks to be the orignal holes in my R.H. fender. Can anyone with an early '63 (expansion hose routed inboard the hood support) verify that my holes numbered 1-4 look correct?
Hole no. 1 still has the remnants of the strap head - so I suspect its correct.

Thanks for your help,

--Doug (13644)

[Michael H.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Doug, looks like you have the holes located correctly. I just looked at a pic of a near new early 63 and the straps are in the same locations.

[Rob M.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Maybe a stupid question from a Mid-Year newbie: what is a balance hose, what is its purpose?

greetings,
Rob.

[Richard M.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

...the small hose between the expansion tank and radiator?

I thought the holes in the fender were for the engine harness. Our mid 63 coupe was that way(pic), but missing one plastic tie. The hose goes between the hood support and fender, right? You can see remnants of blackout paint wear from the original hose. What does "inboard" mean, between bracket and engine? Would my picture depict "outboard"? I'm confused......Rich

[Michael H.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

[quote=Richard Mozzetta (13499);339255
I thought the holes in the fender were for the engine harness. [/quote]

Rich,

From start of production to some point in mid production, the supply tank hose AND the wiring harness are routed together in a lower position. When the change to the upper position occured, both the harness and hose were moved at the same time.
There were four plastic tie straps that held the hose and harness together.
Picured is a nearly new 63. Note the position of the straps that secure the hose and harness. The mounting hole appears to be above the hose for positions 1,3 and 4, but below the hose for position 2.

[Michael H.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Maybe a stupid question from a Mid-Year newbie: what is a balance hose, what is its purpose?

greetings,
Rob.

Hi Rob,

There are no stupid questions. It's the hose that connects the supply tank to the radiator.

I really like your avatar but.... are you sure you have the firing order correct? Something isn't right there.

[Richard M.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Rich,

From start of production to some point in mid production, the supply tank hose AND the wiring harness are routed together in a lower position. When the change to the upper position occured, both the harness and hose were moved at the same time.
There were four plastic tie straps that held the hose and harness together.
Picured is a nearly new 63. Note the position of the straps that secure the hose and harness. The mounting hole appears to be above the hose for positions 1,3 and 4, but below the hose for position 2.

Ok, I see. Great photo. Our 63 is slightly less than mid production, #9664, completion apx 2-27-63. The new JG says the change was around 8000. AIM says 1-29-63(hose rerouted), but says it included 3 plastic ties(2 existing) when outboard of the support. As you can see our car has no evidence of the three holes for the ties. Hmmmm, maybe built between the documentation and the production line?
Rich

[Loren L.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Ok, I see. Great photo. Our 63 is slightly less than mid production, #9664, completion apx 2-27-63. The new JG says the change was around 8000. AIM says 1-29-63(hose rerouted), but says it included 3 plastic ties(2 existing) when outboard of the support. As you can see our car has no evidence of the three holes for the ties. Hmmmm, maybe built between the documentation and the production line?
Rich

Don't have the new JG - so I do not know what is used as a source for the 8000 # - but 10706 has never been hit and I've owned it since 1972 and uses the inboard routing (check the Motor Trend test car - appears on the cover at Hollywood and Vine); I think you will find it likely that the change more closely comes to the date just before availability of Air
Conditioning - 13XXX or so.

[Michael H.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Don't have the new JG - so I do not know what is used as a source for the 8000 # - but 10706 has never been hit and I've owned it since 1972 and uses the inboard routing (check the Motor Trend test car - appears on the cover at Hollywood and Vine); I think you will find it likely that the change more closely comes to the date just before availability of Air
Conditioning - 13XXX or so.

Yup, I think that's correct Loren. In fact, I believe the change was BECAUSE of the new A/C option. The compressor was going to be located very close to that area of the skirt and harness/hose so both were moved up to the top of the skirt.

[Dan H.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Loren, just checked my scrapbook pictures of my unmolested 1 owner 63 Coupe, vin 13528, and the wiring clips/wiring/hose were inboard of the hood support. It was a silver 340 hp car with 63K miles etc. Wish I still had that one! Regards,
Dan

[Loren L.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Dan, appreciate the contact. Checked with Rosebaugh and his records show that you still owe each of us a margarita dating back to 1985. Bob keeps meticulous records.
It probably doesn't matter - inasmuch as Mike Hanson, you and I seem to disagree with the 15 year update of the 63-4 manual, it won't be long until we are again banished from the Board.
It is impossible for me to encounter this without referring back - I got to be a member of the 61-2 JM team under Keith Kibee (in ?). Keith started by supplying us with what was there; he then asked for input on areas in order; if you had something, you stated what and why; KK then sent ALL of those comments out to everyone again, saying, in effect "does this change what you said earlier?". As I recall, virtually everyone "bought in" to the process and even got to the ultimate nirvana - we would admit that "I don't know". (As near as I can tell, this answer is no longer acceptable in NCRS.)
When KK filed his final report, I believe that Sam Folz' response to the other teams was "This is your model. Conform to it on your next draft."
Keith became our next National Judging Chairman - he might have done other things as well, but he never did anything BETTER than that revision of the manual.
In view of the fact that it took 15 years to get any sort of semi-valid revision to the 63-4 JM, I would hope that 5 days from now my mailbox will be filled with reasons for VIN # 8000 - for the right $$, I'll sell my car for destruction, Dan will quit trying to find 13XXX and we can all conform to the 2000 credo for NCRS = "NEVER, NEVER disagree; you're no longer a Team Player.".
But don't all of the "Team Players" somehow find themselves in the "Corvette Business"?
In response to a previous answer on another board, I will stipulate to Dick that the above is somehow "misleading". And three days from now the sun will rise in the west.

[Douglas C.]

Re: Early '63 Balance Hose Routing

Thanks to all for the great responses and helpful pics. I was wondering about the differences between the hose routing and the wiring harness routing as related to early '63s.

Someone had drilled several holes in the original RH fender over the years, so it was unclear which holes were the original.

--Doug (Member No. 13644)