Bullrhider
Member
Does anyone know of a source for the red/rust colored fan belts? Is there a custom maker out there? Thanks!
Source for red fan belt
- Thread starter Bullrhider
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Bleedblue4life
Member
Bullrhider
Member
Looks very nice! How long does the paint last? Did you paint the inside of the belt as well? Do you end up with red oxide "dust" all over the pullys and engine? Thanks!!
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
For years we have painted them for almost every one of our customer's cars. Soak the belt with Lacquer Thinner to remove all the oils (-this takes several applications and blotting). Then lightly mediablast the exterior of the belt to make it textured to look more like a cloth wrapping. I use an upholstery dye that we have specially mixed that has the proper sheen and color. We hang it in the booth and spray the dye with a gun. It generally will last several thousand miles. Then you remove the belt, reclean, and re-spray. Not a big deal at all. The first picture (-with the Powerhouse) is of Jim Cannon's car after he had driven it on several tours including the length of the Blur Ridge Parkway tour. (note the wear on the inside.)
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Model "A" Fords
Senior Member
Brent would you be our source? I would take five. If you want to do a run let us know and others could add there name to a list. You could have an annual "Red Belt Day".
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Jeff, as I recall, the A-8620 Ford drawing is just a prototype document that was sent to the Vendor to show them what was needed. In the case of the Model-A belt, it was Firestone who had the contract, and they provided a proposal as to material used and specifications. I believe I have seen the Firestone assembly drawing at Benson which is more detailed including M-Specs. I also think maybe the Ford drawing does have a M-Spec on it too however I have not seen the Ford Engineer's card to see if it specifies/specified the color of the wrap.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
You Boyz funny!!
Seriously, are fan belts even in production right now?? How I about I teach y'all and you supply them. They are a lot of work to do them right.
TomInCologne
Senior Member
You Boyz funny!!.....
.....
Seriously, are fan belts even in production right now?? How I about I teach y'all and you supply them. They are a lot of work to do them right.
...and i am pretty sure a lot of people, including me, are prepared to pay for you doing it right. But, i would only buy it from Snyders due to problems with shipping and customs...
So, get in contact with them and prepare the first batch of 100...
Werner
Well-known member
Whoever not only drives his model, but also repairs and maintains it himself, should be able to create this fine color work himself.
I just think so... -
I have a general accessories catalog from about 1930. There are red colored hoses, valve stems, etc. They are offered as "luxury accessories".
Maybe that's the idea of the red water hoses and V-belts?
I just think so... -
I have a general accessories catalog from about 1930. There are red colored hoses, valve stems, etc. They are offered as "luxury accessories".
Maybe that's the idea of the red water hoses and V-belts?
the dye makes far more sense if you want the color to last awhile. I was going to suggest shoe dye, as it soaks into the belt.
another thought is the Sem paint for upholstery that I was told on another thread I had asked about. used for vinyl coloring. it is flexible and may hold up better then primer paint.
another thought is the Sem paint for upholstery that I was told on another thread I had asked about. used for vinyl coloring. it is flexible and may hold up better then primer paint.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
But therein lies the problem. From my vantage point I really am not doing it the right way. The right way would be to have Gates (-or someone) make the entire belt using the correct color material. What I am doing is only a temporary way, and as soon as the paint wears off, Snyders (-or whomever) is likely going to field complaints about how the color didn't last as long as they expected it to.
marty in Ohio
Well-known member
You're right, Leonard. As Henry said "never complain, never explain."
Marty
Marty
As I recall, the repo red belts were originally contracted by Antique Auto Supply out of the Chicago area in the late 70s or early 80s. Bob Hanselman had them made, I think Bob is no longer with us. I think they ran about 3-4 times the cost of the regular black belt and he ended up with a big back log of them as most people would not pay the higher price for them and the quality was not as good as the black belt. I am thinking they were around $25 to $30. I bought 1 and used for show for 25-30 years and sold it a few years back.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
If the belts were made like tires with cloth reinforced rubber strips wound onto a spindle then they likely didn't use any synthetic materials in that era. They substituted something else other than just carbon black and the usual vulcanizing chemicals to strengthen the rubber compound. Carbon black is what made the rubber wear better after the stuff was heated to complete the vulcanizing process. A lot of V-belts were covered with an imgregnated cloth outer cover to resists oils, fuel, and other contaminants such as alcohol mixed coolant that was used back in the day for anti freeze. The red color may have only been in the outer covering material. A lot of coolant hoses used red rubber materials as well and that practice lasted well up into the modern era.
These belts likely didn't last all that well in comparison with more modern belts that use synthetic materials in the mix.
These belts likely didn't last all that well in comparison with more modern belts that use synthetic materials in the mix.
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