Engine: Thermostat housing

[55zephyr]

Hi all, I'm putting a 1961 259 cu.in engine in my 1931 Ford model A and want the top hose to go straight up to the centre fitting on the radiator. Is there another make thermostat housing that would fit the engine? Has anyone found an answer to this?
Cheers, Ron.

[52hawk]

Chevy uses the same gasket.[if you have the two hole,'61 outlet]

[jclary]

You might have a later manifold and housing that has the two bolt housing that is set at an angle. The earlier engines (if I remember without having to look it up, or go out to the barn and look) had a four bolt thermostat housing that has a vertical opening. The only caution to using the earlier water manifold, is to make sure to get one that is at least 1955 or newer. From 1951-54...the manifold will not clear the timing cover that has a fuel pump mounted there.

[55zephyr]

Thanks 52hawk, yes it is the 2bolt housing. I'll look into that.
Cheers, Ron.

[Mike Van Veghten]

The Chevy and Chrysler housings will work as will the custom housings for the same makes.
A couple of companies make swivel and straight up versions.
There are very cheap ones...and fairly expensive ones. Made from cheap cast aluminum, to fully machined aluminum to stainless steel.

The internet is your friend..! So is Summit Racing, Jegs Racing and Speedway Motors.

Mike

[jrlemke]

Watch out for the groove for the thermostat, the Stude I have has the groove in the housing and all the Chevs I've seen were in the block!-Jim

[BobWaitz]

I had a similar problem when putting a 259 into an M5. As you can see from the first picture, the stock housing makes for a very bad hose run:
P7110005 by reverborama, on Flickr

A Chevy housing was perfect except the bolt holes were too big. After 4 failed attempts to seal it with a lot of silicone, I decided it was time for... JB Weld.

Untitled by reverborama, on Flickr

I filled one bolt hole of the Chevy housing with JB Weld. Once that cured I bolted the two housing back to back very carefully so the thermostat holes were perfectly aligned and ran a drill through the Studebaker hole then through the JB Weld. Then I JB Welded the other hole on the Chevy housing. Once that cured I drilled that side. Three years later it's still dry as a bone.

[junior]

IIRC some chevy vans I've come across in the bone yard have straight thermostat housings if you are looking to stay OEM. cheers, junior