I installed an Old Air Products ac on the street rod and moved the alternator to the driver’s side. Now the thermostat housing points right at the back of the alternator, and I can’t get the top radiator hose on without rubbing the outside of the alt. Does anyone have any ideas about a water neck that might come off at a different angle? I want to get this thing on the road before the weather gets nice enough to enjoy it. Thanks in advance.

Have you seen the new Performance stainless housing?
It swivels so you can move it facing a different direction and it is made of stainless steel.

It's a little pricey for some people so if the cost is too high you could look at the billet street rod style ones that also swivel.

For the cheapest route, you could go down to a NAPA store and have them pull out their Balkamp picture book. This will show all the different angles that the housings are available in and they may have or could order the one you see fits your application best. The NAPA ones are usually made of heavy cast instead of the flimsy aluminum or pot-metal OEM style.

Take a look at the thermostat housing used on the 67 L79 327 aluminum intake. It turns around in the opposite direction and goes off to the passenger side of the vehicle. It might be even worse for you because you might not be able to get to the radiator with it.
Also, some early Chevys used one that comes off the intake at a much higher angle than the common one on the Second Gen small blocks.

Warped,

I just thought of this. This is something alot of custom cars do for weird applications.

You could use the housing that Gary suggested or another one that exits differently from stock and get a pipe bent at a muffler shop then use short pieces of hose to connect the pipe to the t-stat housing and the radiator.

You could paint, powder coat or plate the tubing a custom finish and dress up the compartment.

Just a thought.

Go to the auto parts store and ask for their book with pictures of t-stat housings. Look for a GM application and in the configuration you need.

IIRC,
a late 80's Astro Van ran the hose behind the alternator that was on the drivers side. It may have been an Impala/Caprice. Check both.

All the good autoparts stores will have a book/computer that shows the thermostat housing with all the different angles that they come with. For example: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?PartType=398&PTSet=A&SearchFor=Water+Outlet

Try to avoid the chromed o-ring style. I don't know what it is about them, but every one of them I've had weeped coolant. I have had luck using RTV on them but it's a frustrating POS IMHO.

I've also used a rub guard off an Olds diesel car. It's just a huge plastic piece that looks like the shielding for the wiring harnesses on steroids.

Thanks for the responses. I didn’t realize that there would be that many choices, but I assumed that someone on this board would have the info. I currently have a coolflex hose that I hoped would fix the problem, but the room between the neck and the back of the alt is pretty close and the angle was just too much to bend the hose around it. I will be making the rounds of the parts stores this afternoon and tomorrow morning. Any additional thoughts on swivel necks leaking. I really don’t want chrome; I know that it is prone to leaks. I will probably end up with a billet unit, although the stainless looks pretty pricey.