VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Water Bag Question ?

With Summer quickly approaching, I have a Canvas water bag from the early fifties, and want to know where you hang it on the grille, I would think near the center top, just want the most effective use of it...

Thanks,

Wes Marquis

They are hung on the bumper but not on the grille. It would obstruct the air flow to the radiator if on the grille. All it was, was an extra supply of water to use if needed.

Thanks Chevgene, I thought they were used to provide cooler air through evaporation to the radiator.... I stand corrected, now I know.

Wes Marquis

I have a old original water bag that my parents used back in the 1920's and early 30's when the traveled across the desert to California,a beautiful thing, made of burlap, with a picture of a camel on it ...The pictures I have show the bag on the front of the radiator of the car...My father said that helped to keep the car running COOLER by the air having to pass through the water to get to the radiator and helping to cool by evaporation.

Thanks Ed1938, That's what I had been told, but it could restrict air flow also..

Wes Marquis

From the Internet:

Desert water bags can carry between one and two quarts, all depending on the size of the bag. These bags are very convenient and useful in arid desert climates because of the low humidity. The bags utilize evaporation to maintain cool, easy to drink water. Desert water bags are very helpful items to have if you plan on being out in the desert for a significant amount of time.

Desert water bags usually have shoulder straps for portability. The upper corners of these bags generally have aluminum or plastic caps. Desert water bags are usually made out of canvas, as canvas material helps maintain the cool and refreshing qualities of water.

A lot of people attach desert water bags on the front bumpers of their vehicles while traveling. Some people, however, place them on the front of the radiators. The handles of canvas desert water bags will often be seen hanging from radiator ornaments towards the front of vehicles. This is because during driving, the air that passes will keep the water nice and cool.

Desert water bags are effective because they effectively keep water cool and appetizing to drink, especially on a hot day in the dry desert. Water kept in canteens will be warm or hot, and definitely won't quench your thirst in the same way. Desert water bags consists of skins that evaporate and cold water to keep the inner body core cool.

Another theory from the Internet:

These bags were filled with water and hung off the front of a car's radiator. The evaporating water would aid in cooling the air entering the radiator as you drove through the desert.

I went thru this phase last summer with my ’50 pickup truck Wes. I thought it would be cool to have an old flax water bag hanging from the corner of the grill on those hot summer cruise nights. So one saturday night I filled one up, slung it in front of the grill and me and my "big old wife" headed for the Dairy Hut.
The rest of the night all those hot rodders that walked by just stepped around the puddle of water dripping in front of the truck. I guess they thought the radiator was leaking and that it just went along with the old pile of iron that I was driving.
Not one single person made a comment about the water bag. I guess most of them were to young to have experienced stuff like a summer time trip out to California down Route 66 or else to affluent to have sampled a cool drink from the water bag on an August afternoon out in the hay field.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/accessories&page=1
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny, When I go to the car shows, I have the bag on my bumper filled with shredded paper, People talk more about the bag than the car, it's amazing. I'm not sure it will provide me any additional cooling or not when put into real service or just make a mess. I have it with me, so maybe I will give it a try while in New Mexico / Arizona.

Wes Marquis

I find that there is no good place to hang one on a 41. Most folk don't know what they are. I hung one on by the hood ornament once. Not too snazzy looking there either. I don't think the intent was for cooling the radiator. Running the heater, if you can stand it, works much better in handling an overheating problem.

For those of us having served in the ground pounder military services, they work just like the old lister bags. Hang one of those big old lister bags in the shade and let a little breeze waif by it and soon you'll have a drink of water cool enough that you don't even notice the canvas taste.

Charlie

I think that those wise words from the internet are a bunch of you know what,...the same as freezing the balls off of your brass monkey originating in the sailing ships about cannon balls..Ha! Folks a brass monkey is just that..... "a brazen antropoid"!

Mack, Why don't you explain to us less educated people what a brazen antropoid is ? Is it in the same family as the hem-or-rhoid ?

maybe more likr a rhoid!