Mod75

Splitting the radiator shroud ? Somewhere on some vette site i stated i had split my radiator shroud for easier in/out and have been getting questions about it.

Just replaced the water pump for the third time in 40 years. The shroud when split at the bottom will expand app 4", and will contract at least about 10".

Yes you can do it without cutting the shroud, everybody does it.
With the shroud split you can remove the shroud by just removing the fan, leave your belts on, leave the air/cond compressor on. Came real handy when the lower hose clamp broke, in/out 1/2 hour. Considering now many times the radiator has been out in the last 40 years for various reasons this is by far the best mod to keep the profanity to minimum.

Pros/cons? Its a driver, i drive it, not a show/judged car, anything that makes it easier sign me up. NCRS would frown upon this mod big time tho.

doorgunner

Find an original shroud at a decent price......box it up nicely.....label the box..........

Put it on a high shelf in your garage/Enjoy your D.D. Split Shroud!!!!!!

don hall

Should be submitted as a Tech Tip......

7T1vette

That's how it's done!

It has been presented about 1000 times. But, many just can't 'pull the trigger'. I guess they're afraid that the oil change guy will laugh at them....

gbvette62

Back in the 70's, a buddy of mine had an ARCO station, where he specialized in Corvette work. When customers came in needing a radiator, water pump, hoses, etc., he'd give them a choice; cut the shroud with a half hour labor charge, or 6 hours of labor to pull and replace the hood, shroud, core support, etc.

Most people chose to have him cut the shroud!

my 76 ray

I wouldn't waste the money or storage space for a '75 daily driver that already has other engine mods. It's unlikely that it will ever be put back to "original".

wcsinx

Convert to electric fans

problem solved

Wrecked82

Being able to spread it a bit would help, maybe, those who have a problem with the fan scrapping one side of the shroud. And, being able to get to the lower radiator hose easier is a plus.

Mooser

Mine was split (with and axe by a left-handed monkey, possibly blind or at least somewhat vision impaired, may have been drinking when it was done) when I bought the car.
BB just to make it slightly worse
Ended up making a panel to hold everything together and partially hide the shame.
[IMG][/IMG]

Now converting to electric so this is tucked away for the next guy to question...
M

Trae1976

Well that looks familiar.

But this ...
was my ultimate solution as well.

mrvette

Back in '95 when the car was first bought, I pulled that shroud and split it on each side, into top/bottom halves.....held together by some aluminum sandwich bolted to the bottom 1/2 so that the top would slide in between the two pieces of aluminum, never an issue, two top bolts and I got access to anything, GOD, I"m lazy.....

Jason Staley

That's pretty similar to what I did on my 76'. Soooo much easier to work on that way.

tejasak

Wow I could have used this thread a week ago. Replaced my radiator, cussed it so many times. I had read about cutting the shroud and did several searches but not find a single photo. Next time the saw is coming out.

my 76 ray

I wish I had seen that a couple of years ago. I split the shroud on my '74 down the middle which made a left and right half. It went in fairly easy but aligning it in the middle was just about as hard as getting it out.