Re: [Chrysler300] Fwd: 1957 Power Steering Hose repop info needed

A single photo of the old and new '57 power steering hoses has now been posted on the Club website. Click on the link:

http://www.chrysler300club.com/newsletter/38/38.html

I have additional, more definitive, photos I can email to anyone interested. Just let me know. We have a number of folks who are indicating they will want to get in on the order, and we will probably close it off in the next week or two.

Keith Boonstra

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Keith Boonstra <kboonstra@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, Jul 2, 2018 at 4:42 PM
Subject: 1957 Power Steering Hose repop info needed - SUCCESS!
To: yahoogroups <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Thank you to all who helped pull the information together - submitting photos, and even sending me a hose to compare - regarding the power steering hose for the 57s which have the Thompson PS pumps.

I have good news. After much sleuthing we arrived at a consensus of what would constitute an "original" configuration for this hose. I have one, and I submitted it along with an order to copy it to Thermo King in Grand Rapids. I just received their rendition of it and installed it, and I have to say I am very satisfied with the final result.

There are some minor differences in the appearance of this new hose in comparison to my original, but they are fairly inconsequential and hardly noticed without calling attention to it. The fittings are a little different style, and also the hoses are made of tougher materials that have a slightly smaller outside diameter by 1/8 and 1/16". I have several photos of the comparison between the two, and will gladly email these to anyone interested in also buying one.

For those interested, I can tell you I paid $141 plus shipping, and Thermo King says that it would be the same price even if a combined order for, say, 10 units was placed at one time. So you could figure your cost with shipping might be $160.

Although I will be willing to submit my original sample hose to Thermo King again to be copied for others - and I would help coordinate a first order for several of these - I would not want to "go in the business" of power steering hose reproduction. Any future orders for singles would have to be handled directly by the person with Thermo King.

Attn: Jeff or Joshua
Thermo King Michigan
955 - 76th St. SW
Byron Center, MI 49315
Phone 616.878.4900

Turnaround on this would only be a couple of weeks. Any takers?

Keith Boonstra

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: kboonstra@xxxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Fri, Jun 8, 2018 at 10:41 AM
Subject: [Chrysler300] 1957 Power Steering Hose repop info needed
To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The PS hose for '57 Chryslers with the Thompson pump is a particularly difficult challenge to find a workable substitute for. From the pump it has to squiggle up, over, and around a few obstructions, and then pass between the battery and the valve cover on its way over to the steering box. The wrong path can put the hose on an interference course, and it can be cut through by the corner of the battery shelf. So the bottom line is that several of us have been working to have this hose and its odd tubing end replicated for our 300 Club members.

I need a little help with this from owners of '57s. I have found a place in Grand Rapids that says they can replicate this hose. The three fittings would have a bit of a different look to the appearance of the swage stampings, but otherwise the replica hose should be close to both the fit and the function of original. The company just needs a correct example to copy.

I believe that I have a correct Chrysler original they can follow, but I cannot be sure without seeing one or more PS hoses of other '57 Chryslers to confirm that. I will be happy to send pictures of mine by email for confirmation, or you could send pictures of yours to me to compare.

After I have one hose made that seems as correct as practicable, the offer will be put out to the Club on the forum or elsewhere to have more of these hoses made up as needed. If the '57 project is successful we may take a look at also doing the PS hose for the F and G cars, which I understand are also difficult to replace.

Thank you for your help.

Keith Boonstra

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Re: [Chrysler300] Fwd: 1957 Power Steering Hose repop info needed - SUCCESS!