radiator support interchange?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
radiator support interchange?
Which other radiator supports will fit in my 77? The one that needs to be replaced has a solid tray across the bottom where the radiator sits and has a lip that the fan shroud clips on to. I'm installing a new aluminum radiator and an electric fan, so I'm really more worried about function than perfect originality.
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: Kernersville North Carolina
my 68's radiator support has a rusted out bottom half and needs replaced as well. corvetteworx has one for mine but it is pretty pricey...i'd like to find something as an alternative, i also don't care for total originality.
not trying to hijack your thread...i'll go away now
not trying to hijack your thread...i'll go away now
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: KC MO
When I began my build, I found that both the radiator and the support were bad. At a total of about $750.00 for repros of both, it just wasnt in the budget. I decided on a cheap but risky alternative. I got a permacool elec. fan from Ebay, mounted it to a Summit aluminum radiator.
I fabricated the core support from 1" square tube, and I shaped plate steel for the side mounting plates, not sure what guage, but its about 1/8" thick. I made use of the stock top radiator brackets without altering them at all.
Youll have to excuse my terminology, Im new to some of this...
So far it runs cool, but I havent had it out long enough to really tell, plus the hood is still off the car. Ill repost when I get the car out and about, if it works, Ill send detailed pics.
total cost was about 250$
I fabricated the core support from 1" square tube, and I shaped plate steel for the side mounting plates, not sure what guage, but its about 1/8" thick. I made use of the stock top radiator brackets without altering them at all.
Youll have to excuse my terminology, Im new to some of this...
So far it runs cool, but I havent had it out long enough to really tell, plus the hood is still off the car. Ill repost when I get the car out and about, if it works, Ill send detailed pics.
total cost was about 250$
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by dshanks
When I began my build, I found that both the radiator and the support were bad. At a total of about $750.00 for repros of both, it just wasnt in the budget. I decided on a cheap but risky alternative. I got a permacool elec. fan from Ebay, mounted it to a Summit aluminum radiator.
I fabricated the core support from 1" square tube, and I shaped plate steel for the side mounting plates, not sure what guage, but its about 1/8" thick. I made use of the stock top radiator brackets without altering them at all.
Youll have to excuse my terminology, Im new to some of this...
So far it runs cool, but I havent had it out long enough to really tell, plus the hood is still off the car. Ill repost when I get the car out and about, if it works, Ill send detailed pics.
total cost was about 250$
I fabricated the core support from 1" square tube, and I shaped plate steel for the side mounting plates, not sure what guage, but its about 1/8" thick. I made use of the stock top radiator brackets without altering them at all.
Youll have to excuse my terminology, Im new to some of this...
So far it runs cool, but I havent had it out long enough to really tell, plus the hood is still off the car. Ill repost when I get the car out and about, if it works, Ill send detailed pics.
total cost was about 250$
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: KC MO
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
That Summit aluminum radiator (made by Northern) isn't risky, a lot of us have them. Honestly, fabbing up a new support didn't even occur to me.
I have to have at least some doubt in my engeneering, Im practically a newbie...
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
What are the dimensions of your new radiator? The northern radiator I got fits in the lower support perfectly and is 30.187" tall x 18.875 wide x 2.25" thick (overall height and width). If your lower support is just rotten and needs to be replaced, I'd try getting one from one of those corvette junk yards.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 96
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From: KC MO
Originally Posted by Kalway
What are the dimensions of your new radiator? The northern radiator I got fits in the lower support perfectly and is 30.187" tall x 18.875 wide x 2.25" thick (overall height and width). If your lower support is just rotten and needs to be replaced, I'd try getting one from one of those corvette junk yards.
I read that used core supports are very hard to find cause they typically rusted in all vettes.
Plus my buddy got a new welder and I wanted something to torch on!
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
I was just wondering about the interchange. There are several on eBay for reasonable prices, but they don't exactly match mine - especially on the lower radiator bracket design.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 96
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From: KC MO
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
I was just wondering about the interchange. There are several on eBay for reasonable prices, but they don't exactly match mine - especially on the lower radiator bracket design.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Any chance you and your buddy can use the old one to get an idea how to fab up a new one? Being that my vette has only been in Arizona and California all of its life there is very little, if any, rust anywhere. Mainly just rot from not being used enough. I figure it'd probably be pretty easy to fab something similar to the original, if the original one is still sort of there.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
I think 69-82 all basically interchange (68 has an unusual bottom, 82 has a cutout for "forced" air). 76L-81 was the longest running and should be the easiest to find used. I have a 76L-81 in my 69 because radiators are more common in that size.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Good to know. It seems like all of the ones I'm seeing have a different lower bracket than mine. I think I might yank it out and see how hard it would be to fab one up out of angle steel and square tubing. I bet I can make something at least as strong as the factory part...and I have plenty of steel scrap to play with.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I got a new support some years ago, and paid about 200 at a show here in Florida...before I met my TIG welder friend here, now I am conceptualising about fabbing up an aluminum support, making some changes to it for the rad I"m using, and cleaning up the fan install, not happy with the appearance...allthough it works ok...
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,503
Likes: 2
From: Raleigh NC
My '77 has (had at the moment) the radiator and radiator core support from a '76 in it--it came that way from the factory. I spoke with someone at DeWitts and they recommended I stay with the '76 core support due to price and availabilty advantages.
I recently pulled my radiator support. I have come to the conclusion that the design of it is also intended to add alot of rigidity and structural support to the front end of the car. The 2 lower bolts should be considered body mounts #9-10, yes? Then there's the 6 bolts that attach the core support to the body.
I recently pulled my radiator support. I have come to the conclusion that the design of it is also intended to add alot of rigidity and structural support to the front end of the car. The 2 lower bolts should be considered body mounts #9-10, yes? Then there's the 6 bolts that attach the core support to the body.
Last edited by PhotoVette1; Aug 2, 2006 at 06:10 AM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by PhotoVette1
My '77 has (had at the moment) the radiator and radiator core support from a '76 in it--it came that way from the factory. I spoke with someone at DeWitts and they recommended I stay with the '76 core support due to price and availabilty advantages.
I recently pulled my radiator support. I have come to the conclusion that the design of it is also intended to add alot of rigidity and structural support to the front end of the car. The 2 lower bolts should be considered body mounts #9-10, yes? Then there's the 6 bolts that attach the core support to the body.
I recently pulled my radiator support. I have come to the conclusion that the design of it is also intended to add alot of rigidity and structural support to the front end of the car. The 2 lower bolts should be considered body mounts #9-10, yes? Then there's the 6 bolts that attach the core support to the body.
If I do decide to fab one myself, you can bet it will be quite a bit sturdier than the GM design.