In the custom-truck scene, there's one thing that most people strive for: the ability to stand out at a show. That uniqueness is, without a doubt, worth its weight in trophies and recognition. While frontend conversions and taillight swaps may take care of the exterior, and fiberglass may clean up the interior, the options for engine dress-up have been relatively limited. That is, until now.
Optiflo Inc. is introducing an idea that may single-handedly revolutionize the way engine compartments will look at future shows. The concept is to remove the plain and boring rubber hoses from your engine and replace them with glass extensions, which not only conform to the original hoses, but will also allow never-before-seen visual elements. These spectacular visual elements allow you to watch radiator fluid flowing in and out of the block and through heater hoses, as well as vacuum wisps moving over the block.
Some immediate concerns come to mind at the mention of sticking any type of glass on a hot and turbulent engine. First and foremost, what is going to keep it from shattering? According to Todd Townsend, creator of Optiflo Inc., the glass tubes the company uses have a wall thickness as big as 4mm and are made of the same material as Pyrex ovenware. To prove to us how strong the glass is, he put it head to head against a 2x4-inch wood plank, the shop wall, and a metal filing cabinet, all of which lost to the glass. He even placed the tube on the ground and stood on it to show its structural rigidity.
The second concern we had was how the glass would handle the heat from the fluid within the radiator and heater hoses as well as the overall temperature from within the engine compartment. Todd explained that the glass is heated to extreme temperatures during the manipulation stage, then set into a 1,000-degree kiln to cool off for about an hour. Considering that the temperature of your engine only sits at around the 210-degree mark on a hot day, heat is not an issue.
Follow along as we removed the intake, vacuum hoses, radiator hoses, and heater hoses on our '93 Toyota project truck, and then let the crew at Optiflo work its magic. Since the glass can be manipulated into any form and decorated with any design, the custom possibilities for this application are truly endless.
1.Graphite tools are used...
1.Graphite tools are used to bend and smooth the glass while in the fire. The graphite does not transfer heat as other metals would, so the tools can come into contact with the glass for longer periods of time.
2.The artist lathe and torch...
2.The artist lathe and torch is where all the magic happens. The lathe keeps the glass turning at an even pace, and the torch can be adjusted to apply more or less heat.
3.The term blowing glass comes...
3.The term blowing glass comes from the medical tubing that's inserted into the glass. The artist can blow air into the tube if the glass begins to collapse, or suck air out of the tube if it begins to expand.
4.To test the structural integrity...
4.To test the structural integrity of the glass, we had Todd from Optiflo stand on a section of tubing. This tubing is extremely tough.
5.A length of tubing is selected...
5.A length of tubing is selected to be used for the air intake.
6.Once the hose clamps are...
6.Once the hose clamps are removed from either end, the old intake can be removed.
7.We then removed all the...
7.We then removed all the pieces not containing fluids that we could replace with glass counterparts.
8.Inside the shop, Damian...
8.Inside the shop, Damian added some color to the intake, using a colored-glass rod. As the glass turns, the rod is melted, transferring the color.
9.After the design sets, the...
9.After the design sets, the glass must be smoothed again to retain its structural integrity.
10.The end of the intake was...
10.The end of the intake was heated, then bent to conform to the necessary shape.
11.A few measurements were...
11.A few measurements were taken to find out how much tubing would be needed for the vacuum line.
12.Smaller tubing was married...
12.Smaller tubing was married to the end of the vacuum line, which will provide a factory seal once the rubber hose is clamped on.
13.After the initial color...
13.After the initial color is spun, a clear rod can be used to smear the color into a flamed design.
14.Measurements were taken...
14.Measurements were taken again to see where the glass would need to be bent to fit into the factory location and clear the fan.
15.The glass was heated where...
15.The glass was heated where the bend would occur, then bent using a graphite rod.
16.A quick comparison shows...
16.A quick comparison shows that the glass matches the OEM tubing perfectly.
17.The intake and the vacuum...
17.The intake and the vacuum line were put into the kiln to bake at more than 1,000 degrees for about an hour.
18.
19.The intake was slipped...
19.The intake was slipped into the rubber fittings on both sides.
20.It's important to make...
20.It's important to make sure the glass is not touching any metal that may be attached to the same hose. Leave about a 1/4-inch gap between the metal and glass before tightening.
21.The heater hoses were bent...
21.The heater hoses were bent and attached using rubber hose and hose clamps.
22.Next in line was the radiator...
22.Next in line was the radiator hose. A twist of the screwdriver released the hose clamps.
23.A new radiator hose was...
23.A new radiator hose was bent to fit and decorated with a spun design.
24.Each glass piece was fit...
24.Each glass piece was fit with a section of hose and set of hose clamps.
25.Using a set of needle-nose...
25.Using a set of needle-nose pliers, the vacuum line for the brake booster was removed.
26.To keep a continuous piece...
26.To keep a continuous piece of glass, the check valve will need to be relocated.
27.A few inches of hose will...
27.A few inches of hose will need to be left on either side of the check valve so that we have something to attach the new glass piece to.
28.Damian decided to add a...
28.Damian decided to add a little artistic expression on a few of the vacuum lines.
29.Any design or words can...
29.Any design or words can be added to the glass.
30.The new glass piece was...
30.The new glass piece was secured to the check valve, then attached to the brake booster on the other end.
31.Our final piece was secured...
31.Our final piece was secured between the rubber fittings.
Finishing the 'Flo
Here, you can see what a visual impact the glass adds. The radiator fluid can be seen flowing through the radiator and heater hoses. Considering that radiator fluid now comes in just about any color, the choice of color combinations to match your truck are endless.