Someone could make some money !
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Someone could make some money !
Or a few bucks anyway 
selling chrome or a polished aluminum piece to cover the ugly top of the rad support. I am not a fabricator but it would be easy to bend a piece of sheet metal and stamp or paint something on it like 427 or whatever.
A good fab could whip one up in minutes I figure. I passed this idea on to Wilcox and they said they would look into it. I could get someone local to whip one up but a one off piece would be much more expensive than a production unit.
I saw one at a car show years ago and it just made the the whole engine compartment look much nicer. And since many of us have nothing there it would probably be a good seller
selling chrome or a polished aluminum piece to cover the ugly top of the rad support. I am not a fabricator but it would be easy to bend a piece of sheet metal and stamp or paint something on it like 427 or whatever. A good fab could whip one up in minutes I figure. I passed this idea on to Wilcox and they said they would look into it. I could get someone local to whip one up but a one off piece would be much more expensive than a production unit.
I saw one at a car show years ago and it just made the the whole engine compartment look much nicer. And since many of us have nothing there it would probably be a good seller
Last edited by MotorHead; Sep 15, 2012 at 07:54 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
not being mean, just point something out that any metal worker would know....
That'd be a mother to make. You have a radius on the top, and a square edge on the bottom. It'd be easy to make if you could simply slap it into a press brake and make a Z shaped piece, but, because of the radius, that piece would either need to be stamped (read, very spendy die); or made in two pieces then welded and finished.... and trust me on this, finishing a radius so that it looks smooth is something that takes years to learn to do.
That'd be a mother to make. You have a radius on the top, and a square edge on the bottom. It'd be easy to make if you could simply slap it into a press brake and make a Z shaped piece, but, because of the radius, that piece would either need to be stamped (read, very spendy die); or made in two pieces then welded and finished.... and trust me on this, finishing a radius so that it looks smooth is something that takes years to learn to do.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
not being mean, just point something out that any metal worker would know....
That'd be a mother to make. You have a radius on the top, and a square edge on the bottom. It'd be easy to make if you could simply slap it into a press brake and make a Z shaped piece, but, because of the radius, that piece would either need to be stamped (read, very spendy die); or made in two pieces then welded and finished.... and trust me on this, finishing a radius so that it looks smooth is something that takes years to learn to do.
That'd be a mother to make. You have a radius on the top, and a square edge on the bottom. It'd be easy to make if you could simply slap it into a press brake and make a Z shaped piece, but, because of the radius, that piece would either need to be stamped (read, very spendy die); or made in two pieces then welded and finished.... and trust me on this, finishing a radius so that it looks smooth is something that takes years to learn to do.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Motorhead..
I looked in to it but only briefly. The issue.. The number of different radiators used from 1963-1982.... then toss in the aftermarket rads with smaller cores and larger tanks combined with the number of cores...
We had a figure on how many variances you'd have to have and it was just not justified.
While you think making one with cut off lines might do the job... People don't want to cut and dice new stuff to fit. I just don't see it as a good venture for us... Now possibly someone doing it at home in their workshop.. possible.
Flat aluminum can be purchased, brush finish can be added easy... (a scotch brite pad will add a brush finish to any aluminum part as long as you can drag it evenly and straight) Engraving.... well now you are talking EMI issues with GM and licensing... another issue.
IMHO,
Willcox
I looked in to it but only briefly. The issue.. The number of different radiators used from 1963-1982.... then toss in the aftermarket rads with smaller cores and larger tanks combined with the number of cores...
We had a figure on how many variances you'd have to have and it was just not justified.
While you think making one with cut off lines might do the job... People don't want to cut and dice new stuff to fit. I just don't see it as a good venture for us... Now possibly someone doing it at home in their workshop.. possible.
Flat aluminum can be purchased, brush finish can be added easy... (a scotch brite pad will add a brush finish to any aluminum part as long as you can drag it evenly and straight) Engraving.... well now you are talking EMI issues with GM and licensing... another issue.
IMHO,
Willcox
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
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.