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Old 08-05-2015, 08:41 PM   #1
1930artdeco
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Default Water bag

I headed to Reno for Hot Augst Nights today and had a good ride. Barbara did well at about 20 mpg up to Auburn. Gassed up an then for an experiment I filled and added a water bag to the light bar for cooling the radiator. Refilled in Truckee and on to Reno. Got to the hotel and had to add .5 gallons of water😳. She did not lose water from Oakland to auburn. So I was talking with dad to let him know she did well on the trip and he thinks that even though the bag was wet, cold and dripping water like it should that t still blocked a lot of air flow over the radiator. Does this sound reasonable?

Mike

Ps I was surround by Chevys until a mustang pulled in behind me. There is actually one other stock Model A here as well, a 31 Tudor.
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Old 08-05-2015, 10:03 PM   #2
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Default Re: Water bag

Those water bags were not meant to cool the radiator. They were meant to be for drinking water, or putting into the radiator. They were to be hung on the bumper. The water would slowly seep through the canvas, evaporate and cool the water inside. Putting it in front of the radiator would block the airflow.
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Old 08-05-2015, 10:14 PM   #3
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Default Re: Water bag

Ah that explains a lot. Thanks.
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Old 08-06-2015, 12:57 AM   #4
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Default Re: Water bag

Oakland to Reno, that's a long up hill haul, you have an overdrive or did you move along at 45 most of the way?
I lived in Sac for years and years, I know how those drivers are out there (they're nuts), must have been blowing by you at 80+.
Glad to hear you made it in one piece.
How about some pics so we can all enjoy.
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Old 08-06-2015, 01:45 AM   #5
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Default Re: Water bag

Here's some
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Old 08-06-2015, 05:03 AM   #6
BILL WILLIAMSON
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I tried & tried to find 2 Desert Bags, no luck !
Drinkin' from those bags, with their UNUSUAL smell & taste, is like NECTAR FROM THE GODS, when you're in the middle of the DESERT, on old ROUTE 66!
Bill W.
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Old 08-06-2015, 07:14 AM   #7
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Default Re: Water bag

Quote:
Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON View Post
I tried & tried to find 2 Desert Bags, no luck !
Drinkin' from those bags, with their UNUSUAL smell & taste, is like NECTAR FROM THE GODS, when you're in the middle of the DESERT, on old ROUTE 66!
Bill W.
This company sells them new.

http://www.can-spec.com/canspec/prod...ucts.php?ID=14
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Old 08-06-2015, 08:31 AM   #8
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Default Re: Water bag

She did pretty well I the Sierras. I did 45-50 and saw several cars go by me but not 80. The funny thing is that of all of the trailered cars I saw they were all Chevys. I will take lots of pictures and post them when I get home. Today is swap meet day and hoping to run into quick change there.

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Old 08-06-2015, 10:02 AM   #9
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Default Re: Water bag

I remember seeing many water bags when we drove to Needles, Calif. along Route 66, through Death Valley, back in very early 1960's to see the old man. They had an Army camp down there back then, properly ruins now.
Remember the Mon&Pop's gas stations along the way, the dust and empty expanse of desert, 15 cent soda's and the greasy burgers, sand blasted cars with frosted windshields.
I remember Needles when 3rd street was on the outskirts of town. The hot spot was the walk-in movie theater, it had A/C, and they had a public pool, both was like 25 cents, we'd take 75 cents so we could get a snack and some soda's.
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Old 08-06-2015, 10:19 AM   #10
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Default Re: Water bag

Glad to hear that there some "A"s there this year. Last year I saw lots of chevys and lots of willis. Enjoy your stay.
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Old 08-06-2015, 10:25 AM   #11
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Default Re: Water bag

I read some where that the water that seeped through acted like a swamp cooler. The moisture was sucked through the radiator and helped cool the in coming air for the engine and carb.
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Old 08-06-2015, 10:47 AM   #12
BILL WILLIAMSON
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Default Re: Water bag

They weren't designed to cool a radiator, just for COOL drinking water. Keep them full of water for 2 or 3 days, before your trip, to "swell" the canvas fibers.
AND, @ $53.00 each, I'll pass & use MILK jugs, which later can be used for other stuff--LOL
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Old 08-06-2015, 04:46 PM   #13
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Default Re: Water bag

It's the water seeping out and evaporating that keeps the water inside cool! Mine is damp up to the water line even after hanging for a couple of day.
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Old 08-06-2015, 05:13 PM   #14
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Default Re: Water bag

It is sad to hear two or three of you know about the iconic Water Bags. It shows that some of you are as old as I am. Mine was a "Desert" bag. They cost about $5 at Western Auto, etc. in the 1950's & early 1960's.
In those days of frequent boiling over of radiators, I did not know of anyone who wasted the water on drinking - it was too important to refill the steaming radiator.
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Old 08-06-2015, 05:29 PM   #15
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Default Re: Water bag

Always had one hanging on my Model A while running around all over southern Arizona when I was a teenager. Don't remember having to use it much for the radiator though. But I can also remember my Dad having one most of the time when on a trip in his '52 v8 which always ran hot.
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Old 08-06-2015, 07:25 PM   #16
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Default Re: Water bag

Quote:
Originally Posted by DougVieyra View Post
It is sad to hear two or three of you know about the iconic Water Bags. It shows that some of you are as old as I am. Mine was a "Desert" bag. They cost about $5 at Western Auto, etc. in the 1950's & early 1960's.
In those days of frequent boiling over of radiators, I did not know of anyone who wasted the water on drinking - it was too important to refill the steaming radiator.
You're my Man, Doug,
Those bags saved MANY lives! Like, when Old Highway 66 went through Oatman, Aridzona, BARREN desert mountains, with switchbacks that were LOW & SECOND gears, both UP & DOWN!! Water cost 10 cents a glass & 25 cents to fill a radiator! WILD Donkeys still roam the streets & LOTS of OLD movies were filmed there! OOOOLD wrecked cars STILL reside in the CANYONS
Google Oatman, Arizona & you'll be AMAZED! Some people chose the shorter bags, so they wouldn't DRAG, when hangin' on the bumper guards.
I'd like to have 2 bags, BUT NOT for $106.00
Bill W.
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Old 08-06-2015, 09:06 PM   #17
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Default Re: Water bag

Gee love this site, I've never heard of theses water bags..
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Old 08-06-2015, 09:21 PM   #18
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Default Re: Water bag

Used to use those bags when grouse hunting in the BC interior back in the day. Didn't save my life, but sure quenched my thirst when walking those mountain logging roads.

Used to hang them on the outside mirror of my '57 Chev.
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Old 08-06-2015, 09:26 PM   #19
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Default Re: Water bag

As teenagers we drove LA to Chicago on 66 in the 1950's. Had a water bag tied to the bumper for the radiator and used wet towels on rolled up windows for "air conditioning" in the car. Ten years later when I was at 29 Palms CA firing 155 MMs across desert valleys, we had a 50 gallon canvas water bag hanging on a tripod for our drinking water. When its 114 degrees in the shade and the water in the bag is cooled by evaporation, it seems like its ice water!
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Old 08-06-2015, 10:42 PM   #20
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Default Re: Water bag

I have one for my 1938 Oliver tractor. I too thought it hung on the radiator. Now I know. Thanks
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