1967 Power Steering Hose

[Joseph T.]

I removed these Power Steering Hoses from my 1967 Small block. They have a single crimp on the end and have smooth rubber with no ribs. Are these originals or later GM product? Thank You

[Joe L.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

I removed these Power Steering Hoses from my 1967 Small block. They have a single crimp on the end and have smooth rubber with no ribs. Are these originals or later GM product? Thank You

Joseph-----


The crimp looks like an original or SERVICE GM hose. However, I've never seen a GM hose without the ribs. Are you sure there are no ribs? The ribs are very subtle, not deep ribs. From the photo, it vaguely looks to me like there are ribs on the hose, but I can't be sure.

[Joseph T.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

Joe,
Definitely no ribs. The rubber is smooth on both the expansion and contraction hose.

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

Any printing on the hose cover? I know that all through production, Goodyear was our only supplier for the 1/4 inch ID C2/C3 pressure hose assemblies. The Goodyear hose was always ribbed. The flat crimp was sort of a Saginaw exclusive. The printing on the hose cover for size, manufacturer, and construction number was as follows: 1/4 GY 4749 followed by a date code. The date code was XXX - Y. Where XXX was the day of the year (001 = Jan 1). The single number Y was the last digit of the year. Unfortunately, the number 7 could be 1967, 1977 or even later service years.

Several years after the C3 went out of production, Saginaw tried to get other hose couplers to take over the 1/4 inch hose assembly business. However, it took years and years before someone could pass the hot oil impulse test and qualify to replace Saginaw. It is possible that finally someone else is coupling those hoses and using a different construction of rubber hose material. (I was supervisor of the hose group until 1984. I wasn't involved with certifying an alternate coupler.)

BTW, all of the C2/C3 hoses that I have seen pictured in Corvette supplier catalogues have had what we called "double bubble" crimps. So I doubt that they were Saginaw parts.

Jim

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

Joseph,
I purchased a original power steering unit for my 63 from a burned 63 roadster and the hoses are just like yours with one crimp and smooth finish. I can't say for sure if they have ever been replaced but I suspect they are original.

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

Joseph,& Joe

Here are the ones I pulled from my 66. If you really want confusion Three are smooth and on is ribbed . All single crimped.

They are certainly dirty and worn enough to be originals. This pic is after washing them .

Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

Can you make out any printing on them?

I was the supervisor from 1970 through 1984. I talked to the engineer that had hoses before me. All he remembers is that his people didn't spend much time engineering the 1/4 inch Corvette hoses. (Pretty much the same during my stay in the hose group.)

One thing I can say for sure. We didn't let suppliers change their design or method of manufacturing without extensive testing. So if his group didn't spend any time and my group didn't spend any time, that hose had a corregated cover for a long, long, time.

I will try to contact the engineer who took my place in 1984. He is the one that had such a difficult time qualifying another supplier to take over the Corvette hose service business. He might have some information on "flat crimps" and corregated hose covers, etc. Unfortunately, he hasn't been the most helpful with information.

Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 Power Steering Hose

Sorry Jim,

Not a shread of evidence of any lettering on them .The most I can make out is one appears to have a white paint band arround the hose, or did at one time .

Jim