Bob89c4

Hello Everyone!

I have not been signed in since 2009 mainly because we've been driving our two corvettes and not working on them and the other reason is I misplaced my password…. finally remembered it! Ha ha.

At any rate about a year ago the heater core on the 89 blew. I had been smelling anti freeze for sometime then one day I was playing with a mustang on the highway and she started puking antifreeze on the passenger compartment big time. I bi-passed to core and drove it fully planning on doing a swap out last winter but it was so cold I decided to wait till now. Did a lot of research and really enjoyed & used the write up Agent 86 did. I knew it was going to be a bitch but figured if I took my time I could pull it off.

Finally got the old core out and went to several local parts houses and chevy dealers figuring I could find something close to the original part but no go. Autozone and O'Reilly both had a really cheap knock off alum one. So then I decided to order one from Zip being as I have had decent luck with them in the past. They sent me one that looks nothing like what they have picture in their catalog. It is also aluminum and looks like its better quality than the auto zone or o'reilly's but I want what they showed in there catalog. I called them and voice my displeasure with them doing what they did. They said they would check with other vendors and get back with me.. so I am still looking for a oem core but everybody is telling the same thing…they are not made anymore.

I knew this repair was difficult but I did not figure on finding a replacement core to be a major problem.

Any ideas? I put the one ( a aluminum one) in and got it to fit but when I try to get the housing/cover on there seems like there might be some interference at the top probably from the inlet/outlet pipes.

Any ideas would be much appreciated. Glad to be back after 5 years!

Bob

xrav22

I am using an Oreilys heater core after researching they do not many choices, heater core was first job on my 85, it works fine after 1 year.

Bob89c4

A year in your car and did everything go back together correctly? Did it work as well as the old one? I'm guessing its a Aluminum one? That's another issue. Autozone, O'reilly, Rockauto…etc all had them for around 40 bucks. Zip, eklers, mid America about 80-90 bucks for about the same thing although their catalogs show a original looking part. This is call bait & switch in my book.

I think somebody could really make a killing making classic car parts that aren't made anymore.

xrav22

I believe it was copper and aluminum because it was brown.

corvetteronw

Corvette Central shows this one:
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....5Z50000050F~~~

Bob89c4

This is a very close looking repro core. All of the major Corvette mail order places have a decent looking one pictured in their catalog. Zip did too, its not what I got. That was my main gripe. With Corvette central I had a bad experience with them a couple of times years ago with my 71 and don't even check what the have, that might change.

Latest update, core is in. Everything is working great the red devil is back on the road. I plan on uploading some pictures of what I did and a couple little tricks I used and tools I made. This is a difficult procedure but if you work on your own car its one that you can pull off by taking your time and thinking things through.:yes nod:

Hot Rod Roy

I bought mine from O'Reilly, and it was copper/brass, made in USA by Murray, if I remember correctly. Fit fine, works fine, but not an easy project!