[fbirdinconcord]

I am having some radiator hoses made up with the correct lettering for the 69 T/A. What color should the lettering be, yellow or white?

Does anyone have a pic of an original hose?

Thanks,
Richie

[Transamric]

I will share my knowledge on this, but don't hear me saying I have "THEE" absolute truth. The concensus will likely say White, but the true NOS as well as NORS hoses I've had (mainly '70-73 applications) were Yellow. Some believe the Yellow hoses found have simply turned Yellow from sitting in various envirenments for 30+ years. Possibly. But most of these hoses I've had looked quite primo, not at all weathered or "oxidized". Plus, I recall the new or slightly used GM cars I owned in the early '70's had hose markings that looked much more Yellow than White.
There is also a chance that both White & Yellow may be correct. IIRC, GM did not make their own hoses, but got them from outside vendors. Gates (for sure) & Goodyear (I think). So the possibility exists that the companies could have used different colors to apply the info GM required.
Lastly, I ran out to the shop to get some examples of what I have, just for reference.
Have a couple 480200 NT ('78 dates) with White.
Two 481776 NA with Yellow ('76 dates).
A factory original '73 489867 LU (1-23-3 date & small Gates name) is Yellow.
So you see why I believe both White & Yellow could be considered correct.

[68bird400HO]

Does anyone know what the NA, NT, and LU codes mean? I saw that Ames has repro lettered hoses. I think they have the 481776 upper hose and the 480200 lower hose. Has anyone seen or used these hoses? I checked my parts catalog and the 481776 looked correct for '71 but the lower hose number came up different, looked like 480201 for '71 rather than 480200.

[Transamric]

The 2 letter codes were used by the line workers in Final Assembly to make sure they grabbed the proper hoses for the car passing by on the line. These will be on the Body Broadcast or Build Sheets.
The 1970 FB PDM shows 480200 & 480203, while the 5/70 Pontiac MPC shows 480201 & 480203.
The 1971 FB PDM has 480200 & 483115 (upper), & the 9/70 printing of the '71 MPC shows 480201 (lower) for both '70-71 V-8, & still 480203 upper for '70, but 481776 (upper) for all '71 V-8.
So you see that there is some discrepancies even in the old catalogs. I think the numbers used on the repro hoses have come to represent "generically correct" replacement hoses for all 70-73, even though those were not neccessarily the original numbers.

[Transamric]

Oopps,..forgot I was in the 67'-69 Forum instead of the '70-73, where I usually hang out. 68Bird400HO, you were thinking about your '71 I assume.

[70RAlll]

the 70 and 71 Firebird hoses were white. I have 2 NOS sets(with the aqua blue and tan/cream stripes-these early original hoses all had a stripe down the side) and they are white. Plus I have 3(2 top and one bottom) used ones and they too are white. I always thought the yellow stampings were pre 1970 and mainly the GTO numbered hoses. The hoses Ames sells are mostly superceeded numbers. Plus their stampings are not like the originals. The 480201 is the correct number for the lower hose on 70 and 71 TA's/FB's..
PM me and if you have some pictures of the original stampings, I can make you the stamps-they cost less than $10 each. Plus i have the original ink that was used. There is a special ink used that will stick to rubber(EPDM.polyoxxx etc..)Most restorers just use paint for their stamps, but that will rub off eventually and crack. the ink is just like what GM is still using. Look under the hood of any modern GM car and you will see the similar white ink stampings on modern radiator hoses..I can make these for you and they will look right for $25 each.
Plus their are a couple sets of letters on these hoses. The letters after the part number is the "pick code" but there is also a two letter code that distinguishes the maufacturer. Like AU was goodyear and Gates had another two letter code.I have these written down somewhere.. Can seem to find them right now. But the 70 top hose has 480203NS and below that is a AU next to the arrow above the "radiator" script, and the AU here designates a Goodyear manufactured hose..

[Transamric]

Just as I said. The concensus will say they are White, just as 70RAIII can "prove". But, like him, I have NOS hoses that have Yellow lettering, with later dates than the '60's. So I guess you could say I can "prove" that they were Yellow. But the real bottom line is that, most likely, we are both correct. Yellow &/or White is correct.

[68bird400HO]

Ric, yes I was think of my '71. Forgot I was on the first gen thread.

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by Transamric

Just as I said. The concensus will say they are White, just as 70RAIII can "prove". But, like him, I have NOS hoses that have Yellow lettering, with later dates than the '60's. So I guess you could say I can "prove" that they were Yellow. But the real bottom line is that, most likely, we are both correct. Yellow &/or White is correct.

'ric- will youy please post some detailed pictures of your nos yellow script radiator hoses?? I would like to see them . If needed, I can post the ones i have. But I am really interested in seeing the yellow hoses...

[Transamric]

Sure, I'll be happy to. Won't have time to do it until Sunday afternoon or Monday morning, but I'll get some on here.

[Transamric]

Ok, we'll see how clearly these show up here. I'll also incude an original '72 upper hose, although the printing on it is quite faint. But I'd say it was/is most likely White. This'll probably take two uploads to fit in.

[Transamric]

And number two.

[Transamric]

So hopefully everyone's monitors clearly show that there was both Yellow & White, at least from 1970 through about '78. Should be obvious from the pics which ones are original used, vs. those that were bought from GM, as NOS, or more correctly, NORS stock.

[sts]

How did the second generation come to the table? This is a fgf board, and anyone who knows the fgf, it doesn't even remotly related to the other generations.

[Transamric]

If you'd take a second & read posts #5 & #8, you'd see why. Besides, your comment "it doesn't even remotely related to....." is not entirely accurate. Some of these detail things such as hose marking styles & colors was not only consistent from year to year & platform to platform, but from division to division. So even though our specific number info is for '70-73, the balance of the facts can give knowledge & help to many other Pontiac (& GM) models & years.

[Transamric]

70RAIII, are you out there? Hello, hello, anybody home?? Just curious what your impressions are of the pics I posted.

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by Transamric

70RAIII, are you out there? Hello, hello, anybody home?? Just curious what your impressions are of the pics I posted.

ric- i am going to bump this thread to the 70-73 section. i have a few comments, but quite frankly... some of us are too busy to check these boards daily or hourly as some seem to do.. i will start a new thread thios afternoon with some pictures.. i have the same 480200 hose you have, but mine has "made in mexico" branded on the underside. so I sort of believe that is a later SR hose..

[Transamric]

Probably a good idea. Wasn't trying to pressure you with my post #16, just thought perhaps you'd lost this thread, so I posted to place it back at the top of the list.
I agree that a "Made in Mexico" anything, from GM, would most likely be made in the mid '90's or newer.

[hog1340]

STS really is an A** isn't he!

[FunctionalShaker]

So, what ever happened to the pics of original '69 hoses that were asked for?