Radiator shroud 55 till 59 Trivia??????

[Roy B.]

This was the answer to a members question== What do you say or know???

In 1955 and early 56 the lower "FOUR" piece shroud which vary few people know about didn't have the two holes your talking about. BUT two little holes forward of the bottom piece using two clutch head screws that supported the "FOURTH" metal piece that was also screwed to the lower Radiator shroud . All to gather there was "FIVE" metal pieces for the radiator shroud.in 55 and 56. But later 56 till 59 the same shroud was used but it now consisted of "FOUR" pieces with the lower piece still showing the two little forward holes( not used any more) and now also the two large holes your talking about., bolted to the cross member.
I think G.M used up the early type shrouds till they ran out , so you may not see it bolted to the member or your's, or was replaced with the early repro's.
It is vary rare to see the front lower #5 shroud piece on a restored 55-56 Corvette because it's not repro'ed and not judged, and only a few people know about it.
Seems no one ever ask about the "TWO" little hole tho!!
I would take a pic. of it on my 55 , but is so daing hard to see>

[Dave Suesz]

This one sent me straight to the garage...

There are only two holes on the lower panel on mine, oval holes near the front (radiator) edge. They are very clean and crisp, with no mark of ever having been used for anything. Now what?

[Roy B.]

Re: This one sent me straight to the garage...

Well some how some where it was lost in a repair to the radiator.E-mail me

[Dave Suesz]

Well, it's always something......

I have the 56-7 AIM here. Section 13 Sheet 2.00 (K166) shows shroud parts upper 3721100, LH 3721103, RH 3721104, lower 3720365. This is exactly how how mine appears, except the inset View A, showing screw 171114- I have no such screw, not even a hole. I do have two holes at the front, on the flat area just babove the "lip" folded down on the front, so clean and smooth they look like they have never had a screw in them. Not shown on this page is a row of holes on the fibreglass lip below the radiator, which I have, which I am told was for the six cylinder engine rubber radiator seal- no evidence of fasteners there, either. The radiator is original, but has been out of the car at least three times to my knowledge, one time of course the rad shop threw away the tag with the part number on it. (Why do mechanics hate part# tags so much?) Anyway, am I missing something down there? I used to teach sheet metal fabrication, If I had a clean paper tracing of a missing shroud part I could probably make an undectable copy.

[Dave Suesz]

Near as I can tell...

The only pair of holes I can find which are in the area between the lower shroud and the crossmember is a small hole at each end of the upper flat surface of the engine side of the bottom horizontal part of the radiator support. These holes are unmolested, as though there were never any screws in them. But, if I project from these two holes two the two holes in the lower shroud, a flat sheet in this area would form a filler panel which would prevent air from passing below the shroud. The lower part of this would be visible if you looked through the lower part of the grille opening, below the bottom edge of the radiator. Sound about right?

[Robert D.]

Re: Near as I can tell...

the original shroud from my car was mangled but it had the lip with the small oval holes in it. the center section of the three lowers had 2 holes on top of it that corresponded with the holes in the crossmember to bolt it down. the 59 aim manual shows the center section being shimmed and bolted down. any comments on that will be appreciated
thanx
bob

[Dave Suesz]

Apparently...

There was a change at some point. The '56-7 AIM shows what you describe, the lower panel had two holes in it, and the assembly instruction was to use the lower shroud's two lower holes as a guide to drill into the crossmember, with a shim between the shroud and crossmember, then the screw and washer were inserted. Mine was not screwed in this manner, and in fact lacks the holes. The two small oval holes, not used on your car, apparently attached a filler panel which extended to the radiator support. This panel was discontinued sometime in '56, although apparently they continued the lower shield with them punched, as on yours. Hmmmm...

[Roy B.]

Re: Near as I can tell... "BOB"

1955 was the "FIRST" design shroud for a V8 engine . The first design lower piece for 55 to 56 used the lower support piece were talking about with the two front little holes screwed to the lower support piece #5. Then in 57 to 59 a "SECOND" design lower piece having two larger holes were added and the change was to support the lower shroud piece to the cross member
#5 piece not used any more.( but the two front little holes were never removed, they only added two larger holes)
The first repro's didn't have the two larger holes that were added later on repro's.
That is why you may see a mixing of these shrouds on wrong year Corvettes.
For years many owners used 60 shrouds on 58 and 59 Corvettes till it was realized they were wrong.
All 57 to 59 have the two little holes ( originally)