63 L84 air inlet hose

[Michael G.]

After about an hour of messing around trying to get the original "hard" air inlet hose onto the air meter and air cleaner of my 63 fuel injection system, I was ready to give up and sell the air cleaner for 5 grand or so, when it occurred to me that maybe the hose would soften if heated....

So, I soaked the hose in near-boiling water for a few minutes, dried it off, and tried to install it. Voila...2 minutes later it was in place, clamps and all

This stuff is easy...if you know what you're doing (or in my case, get lucky)....

[John D.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Mike, The original hoses are great for having your car judged. But not that good for driving as they are hard as a rock. You take a chance of cracking the fiberglass.
show it with the hard original and put a nice repro on for driving. John

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Thanks John, I'm just putting it on my blue car for judging, I won't be driving that car until after Nationals. I have a repop that's been on the car most of the time and I'll put it back after judging. The repop's much easier to install.

[John D.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

A fun thing on our 63's is to put the original hard as a rock hose with a kink in it on our show cars.
Most are impressed when they see this real deal part. Typically no deduct is given. But when you think about it the original part should be given a deduction for condition!!! A new 63 Corvette would not have a hose that is aged and hard as a rock.
I have not heard anyone talk about this subject before. The fact that I don't judge very much may be the reason.
This hose acts as a shock absorber you know.
You can't beat the repro hose for a 63 and part of 64. Buy one while you can still get it as won't be long before they are history. JD

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

John, I'm wondering just how soft those original air hoses actually were when new. Not too soft methinks, as it seems to me they were a major pain to install, even way back in the 60's.

[Robert B.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

where can I get the hose

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

John, I'm wondering just how soft those original air hoses actually were when new. Not too soft methinks, as it seems to me they were a major pain to install, even way back in the 60's.

That's why they changed the design to a soft flexible hose in mid 64 production. That hard 1st design hose was probably difficult for the assembly line guys to install too.

[John D.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Michael, A NOS 63 air cleaner adapter hose my friend has appears to be quite flexable. Nothing like the one on my 63. John

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Michael, A NOS 63 air cleaner adapter hose my friend has appears to be quite flexable. Nothing like the one on my 63. John

The NOS one I had back in the early 80's wasn't very flexible.

[Alan D.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Did the original "soft flexible hose in mid 64 production" use a spring inside of it?
Can not find any reference to such however have been informed they existed.

[Jim B.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

I've got three of these original thick hoses with the part no. and "AU" on one end. One is about as close to NOS as you'd ever find (I can barely see any imprint of clamps ever being on it). Squeezing these with your fingers to adjust their "roundness" takes a fair amount of effort, but can be done. However, bending them into a slight arc, as they typically need to be in order to fit over the elbow and the adapter, is more like trying to bend concrete. If the hose hasn't taken a "set" that suits your particular air cleaner's geometry, you better forget it. There is very little adjustability in these (although the hot water trick may have some merit). I can appreciate that over the years, with possible changes in the rubber compound (I'm not a chemist) causing a loss in elasticity, these become stiffer. However, I think I'll side with the two Michaels and wager that these were not that flexible even when brand new.

[Jim B.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Alan--yes, I have a couple NOS examples of these "soft" hoses (part #3853879) and they both have the internal springs to maintain their shape.

[John D.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Hanson, True the NOS ones aren't as flexible as the later 64-65 ones. But they are still a lot more flexible than the aged originals. Those are't flexible at all. At least the one on my 63 isn't. It needs to come off big time as I plan on taking the car to a local show.

[Alan D.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Thank you Jim.
You forced me to look at the two NOS purchased in early 70's and there it was. Can not really tell from outside by a squeeze so later today I will take the one on my car off & check. Keep learning those details.

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 L84 air inlet hose

Thank you Jim.
You forced me to look at the two NOS purchased in early 70's and there it was. Can not really tell from outside by a squeeze so later today I will take the one on my car off & check. Keep learning those details.

Alan,

Would a super (rare earth) magnet detect the wire inside the hose?