ditto here and amen 
dewitt rad
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
Hey guys. Maybe its me, but while Dewits customer service might be very good, I'm thinking maybe we are missing a bigger issue here. QUALITY. From this post alone we've been told of at least 3 or 4 failures of this product in a relativly short period of time it seems to me. My self I'd be more Impressed if the product held up for a very long time and hopefully not have to even deal with customer service at all. Kind of a hassle going thru the work to put in a BRAND NEW radiator, only to have it go up in a short period of time, yank it back out, shlep it to the post office or to whom ever you ship it by, and then have to wait for what is now a re-manufactured radiator (after the repair) to be returned to you and now have to install it agian. Again, maybe its me. Customer service is nice, but quality of product I think is more Important. Just my thoughts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
Your 79 radiator has a few unique features that make it fit. The core must be 26.25" or the mounting saddles will not line up. The driver side end tank needs to have a hood relief cut or that might bind up. The lower hose connection is about 1/4" away from the stabilizer bar as is. A generic radiator is going to require some work.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: shrewsbury Pa.
O.K. guys, Got it. Dewitt makes a fine product with great customer service. I'm sure that's where I'll will buy mine this spring when I get to that point in my project. Thank you all for your response and feed back. I seemed to have really stirred things up here. To see so many come to Toms defense speaks loads of his product and his customer satisfation as well as his customer service after the sale. Which I truly hope I don't have to utilize. As someone along the way here said, these rads, are a p.i.t.a. to pull out and Install, so once is all I hope to have to do it. B.T.W. I do realize that with ANY product there can be a problem or unintended deficiancy. Just like to do some homework on a product or company before I spend this kind of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ for ANY part. Can't Imagine anyone could disagree with that. Thats all I intended here. Thanks for all the feedback!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by squirrelguy; Dec 29, 2007 at 06:16 PM. Reason: spelling correction.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 549
Likes: 5
From: punta gorda florida
JUst to clear the air corvette america said that they would tell there manufacturer that I painted the rad.and would let me know what they said I asked if painting would affect the warranty they said they didnot know. so i was concerned. then found out that Dewitt' s built the unit so I went to the forum too find out if anyone had any experience with Dewitt's. got back 4 dont worry reply's that Tom would take care of it as far as the time and the shipping costs I have not yet come acrossed any company that would pay for this as of yet Only one that gave me a sall credit on my next order
George 69 small block I also presure tested radiator you can get these from auto zones loan a tool program
George 69 small block I also presure tested radiator you can get these from auto zones loan a tool program
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Yeah, and removing the hood isn't nearly as crappy as putting it back on. I have had to do it twice by myself, and it wasn't fun either way. I did it just fine, but when one of the two times is with a new hood using alignment pins doesn't help.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 7
From: Beringen
You mean...will a different size radiator fit and everything else, including the shroud work? I'd have to say "no".
Your 79 radiator has a few unique features that make it fit. The core must be 26.25" or the mounting saddles will not line up. The driver side end tank needs to have a hood relief cut or that might bind up. The lower hose connection is about 1/4" away from the stabilizer bar as is. A generic radiator is going to require some work.
Your 79 radiator has a few unique features that make it fit. The core must be 26.25" or the mounting saddles will not line up. The driver side end tank needs to have a hood relief cut or that might bind up. The lower hose connection is about 1/4" away from the stabilizer bar as is. A generic radiator is going to require some work.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: shrewsbury Pa.
Thank you for your insightfull and Inteligent posts. I'm sure we ALL appreciate them. Good for a laugh if for nothing else. Must be nice to have that kind of time on your hands to waste. Guess with all that mechanical experience and all that you have your not so busy as you wait for a phone call from your local Wal-mart tire lube express that "your oil change is done now, come get your car".
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,905
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
The GP thread was gone about the time I received mine, so I didn't see any place to offer feedback. The radiator (69M w/black finish) is a sweet looking piece of craftsmanship. Unfortunately, it'll be spending the next six months in the original shipping box until I finish the C4 suspension transplant. (ps: The DeWitt radiator in my turbo '84 is still looking nice!)
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
I did NOT remove the hood...that is not necessary....over the past 29 years,I have installed two radiators in my 78 without removing the hood.....the last one was the Dewitts I installed about a 1 1/2 years ago....what I did do, however,was remove the bolt,washer,and bushing at forward end of the upper A arm (pass.side) to allow more clearance for the lower rad outlet to pass by...that in my experience made the job easier..
I would love for that hood not to have to come off.
Last edited by seacliffe301; Dec 30, 2007 at 02:59 PM. Reason: Spelling correction
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,526
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NC
But I agree with Rich, no need to remove the hood if you are doing the rad. I remove the hood so I could get the support out to clean and paint. I installed the rad and support as a unit. Piece of cake with to sons to help.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: Oldsmar FL
Originally Posted by Tom DeWitt
............. We recently had our annual CF group purchase, where we sold over twenty radiators, and not one member posted feedback after receiving it. ...........
............. We recently had our annual CF group purchase, where we sold over twenty radiators, and not one member posted feedback after receiving it. ...........
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
I don't know why you guys are taking the hood off or removing upper a-arms. 
All I did was loosen the bottom bolts to core support and remove the others and tilt the core support forward as far as I could and I had plenty of clearance for the radiator and the attached fans.
As far as customer service goes. Tom goes the extra mile, no doubt about it. I installed the radiator on Christmas eve, I have been chasing a problem since then and he was even there to help me out on Christmas day. You can't get better service than that! Unless Tom starts coming to our houses. 
All I did was loosen the bottom bolts to core support and remove the others and tilt the core support forward as far as I could and I had plenty of clearance for the radiator and the attached fans. As far as customer service goes. Tom goes the extra mile, no doubt about it. I installed the radiator on Christmas eve, I have been chasing a problem since then and he was even there to help me out on Christmas day.
You can't get better service than that! Unless Tom starts coming to our houses.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 0
From: Cut n Shoot TX
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
That's a viable question....but there are some reasons one might do that. A local dealer can provide installation assistance, or they might inventory the product and can deliver it right away, free of shipping. The dealer might discount it deeper than the factorys msrp or to avoid state taxes. Some dealers have discount programs that get better with the volume of purchases and/or they need a bunch of items and simply want to do one stop shopping which we can't provide.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
He does say lead, maybe meaning he points them toward DeWitts and not selling them a DeWitts with a markup.
I send a lot of people to DeWitts too, and I don't need to be a vendor for that.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
Get a friend to help when you are lifting old one out and lowering new one in...much easier than trying to reach across engine compt. by yourself.....all the rest of job is not that difficult..
I used Tom Dewitts suggestion of taping cardboard to both sides of core from his shipping carton to protect alum rad fins before lowering it into position....just tape top/sides..(note:In this pic I had already put bushing on A arm back on)
I used Tom Dewitts suggestion of taping cardboard to both sides of core from his shipping carton to protect alum rad fins before lowering it into position....just tape top/sides..(note:In this pic I had already put bushing on A arm back on)
You've admitted to having mechanical ability, and slamming Squirrelguy in the ground about NOT having any. Do you have some cleaning and painting abilities? That engine bay could use some, maybe squirrelguy could help, since he has no mechanical know-how
