I have coolant spilling all over the block from leaky stuff on the hoses. The thermostat is junk, it just barely opens. Now I can replace all this stuff with factory parts, but - holy heck! - you gotta remove the intake manifold.

Now I don't mind doing that, but come on, it's all plastic junk under there. If I do it, I want to do it ONCE. So....

Is there any kind of kit around that can replace the silly plastic junk and move the thermostat somewhere better? I don't care how goofy the kit is, even if it's radiator hose, a 1970 ford thermostat and galv pipe. I just want to fix it once, because this car runs in open loop for 30 mins before the messed up cooling system finally heats up (about 120c). Stuff is boiling hot, and the gauge up front read "middle"...

Top hose is hotter than hell, resoviour is boiling, and the bottom hose is cold as can be. Thermostat is cold as can be, and it's overheating! Crazy stuff. Eventually it gets so hot that the thermostat opens, but the design seems a tad bad to me.

If you have any ideas, and you know this car, please let me know. I love the little thing, it goes anywhere. Even disabled like it is, it still goes anywhere (close). Redneck fixes are okay.

I remember one time I was chained up in my truck, and my wife was driving the FL in deep snow (no chains). I eventually stopped because i was getting high center from snow, and this little thing passed me and kept plowing through it all. Given the new climate change problem of global cooling, I need 'er working again!

Thanks in advance for the help!

Trellend