C1 & C2 Corvettes General C1 Corvette & C2 Corvette Discussion, Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Project Builds, Restorations

1966 BB radiator

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-16-2015, 09:41 AM
  #1  
mjlr1buy
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
mjlr1buy's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2008
Location: Grayslake IL.
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default 1966 BB radiator

The weather man said sunny no rain!!

Well that means a great opportunity to drive the corvette to work on Saturday. So, it pours on the way home. It’s like a rain forest in my convert. When I get home, it’s nice out no rain. I clean the car and pull it in the garage. As I start to put the car cover on I hear a hissing under the hood, open it up and there it is, a steady stream of coolant spraying out my left side tank. Now to the point, it’s the original radiator with an extra core added a few years ago. Do I fix it, or replace it? If I replace it, what should I buy?
Thanks
Mike
Old 08-16-2015, 09:50 AM
  #2  
gscott
Burning Brakes
 
gscott's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2006
Location: huron ohio
Posts: 869
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Replace it with a dewitts.
Old 08-16-2015, 10:29 AM
  #3  
jim lockwood
Race Director
 
jim lockwood's Avatar
 
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: northern california
Posts: 13,613
Received 6,529 Likes on 3,004 Posts
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019

Default

That should be a copper/brass radiator ..... very repairable.
Old 08-16-2015, 11:16 AM
  #4  
gbvette62
Race Director
 
gbvette62's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Shamong, NJ
Posts: 11,110
Received 2,031 Likes on 1,316 Posts

Default

If you need a new radiator, DeWitts is the way to go.

DeWitts makes a very nice aluminum replacement 66 big block radiator. It's not an identical show car radiator, but unless your going NCRS, it's an excellent radiator and most people won't know the difference.

If you want to stay 100 point correct, DeWitts now makes a repro 66 copper radiator, with correct tanks, inlet, outlet, Harrison markings, and tag.

The aluminum one sells for about $500, and the copper one's $200 more.
Old 08-16-2015, 12:16 PM
  #5  
mjlr1buy
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
mjlr1buy's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2008
Location: Grayslake IL.
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Thanks guys! After I remove it I will determine what to do. There's a good shop buy me and I may have it repaired. Wouldn't be nice if someone made an aluminium radiator that was an exact reproduction? If there was one of those I would buy it. Paint it black and you're done!!!
Old 08-16-2015, 03:20 PM
  #6  
gbvette62
Race Director
 
gbvette62's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Shamong, NJ
Posts: 11,110
Received 2,031 Likes on 1,316 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by mjlr1buy
Thanks guys! After I remove it I will determine what to do. There's a good shop buy me and I may have it repaired. Wouldn't be nice if someone made an aluminium radiator that was an exact reproduction? If there was one of those I would buy it. Paint it black and you're done!!!
The DeWitts aluminum one is real close. The biggest difference is the lack of Harrison markings and the ID tag. It's available in a black finish, that doesn't effect it's cooling capacity.
Old 08-16-2015, 03:41 PM
  #7  
jim lockwood
Race Director
 
jim lockwood's Avatar
 
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: northern california
Posts: 13,613
Received 6,529 Likes on 3,004 Posts
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019

Default

Taking absolutely nothing away from DeWitt radiators (I have two of them; they work perfectly), Griffin makes (or made at one time) an aluminum drop in replacement for the original 427 radiator. I swear the thing could make ice cubes.

I ran this radiator in my Grand Sport track car. In 108F weather and at full racing speeds, the temperature gauge never went above my thermostat temperature of 160F. I was then and remain to this day impressed by that.

It looked like this:

Get notified of new replies

To 1966 BB radiator




Quick Reply: 1966 BB radiator



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:36 AM.