Thermostat housing

[Bill Bayard]

Who makes a zero clearance thermostat housing
to fit a Ford SB?
I have very little space to work with, and haven't been able to find one that points in the proper direction.
The thermo housing is the last thing on my list of pre-startup chores.
I would appreciate any information. Thanks.

Bill

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Bill, if you can't buy what you need there are some very good fabricators over here that can make up what you want in aluminum, I think. Let me know if I can be of any help. I don't know what access you have to metalworking shops over there.

 

[Guest]

Ditto

I had mine made up locally by a custom
radiator shop. Not a big deal.

MikeD

 

[Bill Bayard]

I was able to use my 45 degree housing after all. It took some custom hose and pipe work and a lot of swearing, but it works.
I can even get the bulkhead panel closed
without putting all of my weight on it.
Thanks for the tip guys.

Bill

 

[Bill Bayard]

For those interested, A company called CSI

Industries, makes a 90 degree swivel thermo

housing for a Ford small block. They are

billet aluminum, and come in different

colors. I don't have a price yet, but will

post it when I get more information.

BTW, I got my engine started today. All I

can say to describe the feeling is "extasy"

Only a few gremlins left, and I have them by

the short hairs!


Bill

 

[Bill Bayard]

FYI,

CSI Performance Products swivel thermostat
housing for a SB ford is $92.50. It is billet aluminum, comes in three colors, and seals with an O-ring not a gasket.

Bill

 

[Guest]

Bill, I know how you feel: started my engine for the first time not long ago and it definitely made my week. With regards to the CSI swiveling outlet cover, I have only been able to find them for Chevy. Who has them for SBFs?? This might be a good alternative to the mandrel bent J tube I am now using.

 

[Bill Bayard]

Lynn,

The SB Ford housing is brand new to the market. Distributors don't even stock it yet.
I was told that it was in the Summit catalog ,by Peter Delaney in
Australia, and then went hunting in the local
Car Quest specialty catalogs. Voila, there it
was. You should be able to find it locally,
as well. There is a 7-10 day wait to get one.
CSI Performance Products has a website that
shows a photo of one, if you want a look before your search begins.
If you can't find one locally, let me know.

Bill

 

[Guest]

Bill, the CSI swivel thermo. housings are in the new catalogs of both Summit and Jegs at around $95.

 

[Guest]

Bill, the more I look at this housing, the more I think that it won't help me. I need to take an immediate turn to the pass. side out of the intake manifold and it looks like the heater outlet port will block this. I have a hose going from the heater port to a header tank and then another coming back to one of the returns on the water pump. Right now my housing takes a 90 up and I have a 5" radius mandrel bent J tube that takes it over towards the pass side and then straight down beside the water pump to get to the tubes going through the tunnel. I have a fitting in the top of inverted U to bleed any gas off, but it is really in the way of the roll bar brace/firewall. I would like to get rid of the inverted U altogher, but I think the hoses to header tank will not allow this. I guess, I am going to have to try to cut some more off of the J tube where it meets the outlet to get it lower. The one advantage is that I can put a pitcock in the bleed line to allow filling to the highest point of the coolant system.

It just struck me that if I cut off more of the J tube, I am going to be into the curve of the 180. The swivel housing would help line up to this curve much better than the present vertical outlet. So maybe the swivel housing will help (and look nicer to boot.)