Windshield defroster corrugated rubbers

daveydog · #1 (**permalink**) 10-31-2007, 09:29 PM

Well I've got the dashboard off my '74 GTV to install new wood veneer and the corrugated rubbers that supply warm air to the windshield are pretty well at the end of their lifespan. The rubber itself is cracked and there are many splits in them.
Is there a place where I can source new ones? Or what have you guys used as replacements? It's funny that these hoses are in such bad shape because the two outer ones (fresh air) on each end of the dash are kind of crushed but otherwise in decent shape. Must be the warm air has dried out the rubber past "the point of no return"?

TIA, daveydog.

daveydog · #2 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007, 06:15 PM

Please don't tell me nobody on this forum has ever had this problem...Is there anybody out there who has replaced these two hoses? Is there a hose made for a different application that would work? Thanks!

axeman74 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007, 07:33 PM

I have encountered the same problem with my 2000GTV resto project. Both my hoses are split.

I can tell you that no one is reproducing these hoses (and they probably never will be reproduced, sadly), and in my experience finding good unsplit used ones is very, very difficult. Trust me, I have looked.

My solution will be to join the existing rubber back together using a short length
of plastic plumbers pipe and Sikaflex 227 adhesive. In other words, I will be gluing the hoses back together using the plastic pipe as support. Sure it will not look fantastic, bit once under the dashboard you can see very little of the hoses anyway. Ask me in a couple of months if this fix has worked.

Sorry I cannot help further, but I can sympathise with your problem!

Axeman74

axeman74 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007, 07:36 PM

Stupid me, I just realised my error. I have re-read your post and realised you are talking about the short hoses to the center vents. I am talking about my long corrugated hoses to the outer vents.

Anyway, the same repair principles may be applicable to your situation.

Axeman74

daveydog · #5 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007, 08:52 PM

Thanks Axeman, it's good to know I'm not alone in this! I used contact cement on each of the many splits in the two hoses and then, trying to be really smart, used silicone sealer over top of these repairs after they'd dried. The result? Some worked and seem like they will hold and others just came apart with slight tugging. There are just too many splits to bring these hoses "back to life". Maybe there's some hoses at the auto parts store that might fit.
Does anyone know?

daveydog · #6 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007, 08:58 PM

And it's funny Axeman, because my two outer hoses for the fresh air are in really good shape! There are no tears or splits whatever, just a bit of crushing from the way they were routed behind the dashboard. I cleaned all the dust out of them with soapy water in the kitchen sink and then treated them with Armor All silicone liquid and they are almost as good as new.
Go figure...

harryf · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007, 04:11 AM

The solution to this is to get the equivalent hose from a spider and to cut it in half. I just did this and it works fine. Bit of a fiddle to fit but isn't everything. Windcreen actually demists now!

I don't know if the Spider ones are available new but I got a set from Highwood in the UK which looked pretty new to me. Spider spares generally a bit better in this respect as the model ran for longer in Europe.

Note there are two duct diameters, I believe yours should be 75mm but do check before ordering.

Alex · #8 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007, 06:49 AM

Why can't you use rubberised air duct tube fastened with large jubilee clips? This can be cut to length from any good race parts supplier and you'd never know the difference. Early paper tube is still available from Alfaholics, AFAIK.

daveydog · #9 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007, 06:07 PM

Harry and Alex, both of you have good tips and I'm not such a purist that the demister hoses "have" to be OEM since they're hidden behind the dash and who cares if you can't see it. Although sure it would be nice to get the correct hoses.
My question is, if I can't find the correct hoses, what other 75 mm hose would work? The length I'm not worried about because like has been said before, I could just cut one.
Good tip on the Spider hoses

**Roadtrip** · #10 (**permalink**) 11-06-2007, 05:54 AM

Take 'em down to a good autoparts store and ask if they have some bulk defroster ducting. Gates makes them in various diameters.

73gtv · #11 (**permalink**) 11-06-2007, 12:51 PM

I had a hard time finding the flexible ducting at auto parts stores. All the modern cars use solid formed plastic ducting. But there's always JC Whitney. Their on line catalog has it in different diameters. I "adapted" the ends off the original outside hoses so they would fit more easily on the cowl openings and on the dash outlets.

daveydog · #12 (**permalink**) 11-06-2007, 05:36 PM

Well judging from the responses I can see I'm going to have to do a little leg work and visit some auto part and hardware stores. One of these places must have a 75mm (3 inch) flexible hose that can be cut down and adapted to fit. Please keep the tips coming, I can see I'm not the only poor soul who can't see out of his windshield

missinglink · #13 (**permalink**) 12-30-2007, 07:42 PM

I struck out finding a suitable replacement at auto stores and Alfa suppliers. I settled on a shop vac hose kit from the lumber yard. Less than $20 for ten feet of 2.5 inch hose plus end fittings to adapt to 3 inch. I found the outer diameter was a perfect fit inside the demister fittings in the dash of my 76 Spider. The bottom end which is oval at the airbox was accomplished with short bits of salvage from the original hose to act as an adapter. It looks very neat and works great. There is enough left over to do four more cars or use it with your shop vac.
Matt

daveydog · #14 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 10:00 AM

Okay, I know it's been months since this post was here but I thought I'd show the Alfa world how I fixed the problem.After all this time I finally got hold of two rubber demister tubes from a Spider and found out that the diameter was slightly smaller than the GTV's. They are a snug fit on the inside of the hard plastic tubes that run under the dashboard to the demister outlets so no problem there, but the ends that fit on to the heater box were a different story. Those two outlets on the heater box are oval in shape and there was no way I could stretch the rubber over the tube so I just cut the ends off the old GTV rubbers and attached them to the Spider rubbers using zip ties. It doesn't look pretty but it will work I'm sure

Here's a picture

Hope this helps someone else!