'71 Radiator Tag

[Charlie P.]

Just completed my first Flight Judging, and of course had a few surprises. One peculiar one was the radiator tag having white painted characters (MI9), which was called out as incorrect. With very low mileage, and knowing the ownership history, painting this tag would be about the last thing anyone would have undertaken.

Has anyone ever seen this on an original car?

[Chuck S.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Charlie, was this a metal tag soldered into the passenger side tank seam about half way down the radiator, with two large capital letters and a small digit "9" embossed on the tag? What was incorrect?...White paint on the embossed characters?

[Patrick H.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Photos, Charlie, photos?

send me more info and meet results when you get a chance (or call me), but if it's the tag Chuck is describing I have never seen one with white letters.

You might consider taking a digital picture, and sending it to Terry McManmon IF he didn't see it at the meet.

Patrick

[Charlie P.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Yes, Chuck, the white paint was called incorrect; and yes, characters are as you describe.

[Chuck S.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Mine doesn't have the white paint, but it appears that painting the letters would be darn hard to do neatly in the car...you would almost need to have the radiator out to do it, and I agree, radiator removal seems unlikely given the history of your car. A small deduction, no doubt; Whaddaya' tryin' to get? A perfect score?

The reason I asked about the tag is that your post implied two letters and a numeral...TIM&JG only mentions the two letter broadcast code, but my 70 tag reads MK9 (numeral 1/2 height) for 300hp C60 car radiator. TIM&JG also says the tag should have a part number...mine does not. Is your car a non-air big block? Some of the radiators (aluminum?) have date codes like 71A (January, 1971), but I have never been able to find one on my brass/copper radiator.

[Charlie P.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

The characters are as you describe, Chuck. Big MI, small 9. Car is 350/auto/air. I can see no part number or date code. You're right- no way it was painted while in car.

Ain't gonna get a perfect score, maybe just a better one. If it's cheap and simple to correct, I'll do it, but I don't want to correct something that doesn't need to be. And in this case, I won't be pulling the radiator just to make the letters black, if they are wrong.

[Patrick H.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Charlie,

My 71 as well as my 70 Cutlass still have their original tags. I can check them for numbers, but they are as you describe. The 71 is here, but this week the Cutlass is not. Maybe I'll know by the time we talk.

Patrick

[Chris H.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

I will double check, but I believe my 70 has the numbers painted white.

[Chuck S.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Charlie, painting the letters black would be much easier...just point and spray. However, if you believe the painted letters to be original, and I believe there is a chance they could be, then I wouldn't change it.

I assume the car earned Top Flight. Once you have Top Flighted, a few additional points would be strictly for miniscule bragging rights and its not worth destroying originality to get them. Ask Paul Borowski about the driveshaft finish on his Survivor car sometime.

[Chris H.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Charlie, my low mileage, unrestored Jan 70 454, most definetly has its radiator tag numbers "MJ9" painted white.

[Dave S.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Charlie,
I was great to meet you in Wildwood and admire your car. Its a beauty. My recommendation would be to touch absolutely nothing, as there is a good chance you will live to regret doing whatever you do. Good Luck, see you in Windsor.

[Chuck S.]

(Message Deleted by Poster)

Message Deleted by Poster

[Chris H.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Hi Chuck, sorry, I should have specified. Mine is a non-AC car and I have the aluminum expansion tank. The radiator does not have a cap. The VIN is 531, and the body date is January 9.

[Chuck S.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Chris, does your radiator have a cap on the radiator? Does your car have AC?

I believe 70+ Corvettes with AC have the biggest copper/brass radiator; bigger even than the non-air big block radiator. What I am trying to decipher here is whether your early 70 radiator with "MJ9" code is the same radiator as my late 70 radiator with "MK9" on the tag; i.e., do the broadcast tag differences (MJ9, MK9, MI9) represent different radiators, or the same radiator at different times?

The data points so far are:
MI9=350/350hp/auto/AC
MK9=350/300hp/4spd/AC
MJ9=454/390hp/?/?

[Terry M.]

Re: '71 Radiator Tag

Yes the different codes signify different radiators. They are broadcast codes just like engine suffix codes, or master cylinder tags, or the ink stamps on alternators. Tom DeWitt was working on the radiator broadcast tags....he is in the process of writing a story for The Restorer and gearing up to make reproduction tags. I'm not sure if he has the complete list of codes yet, or if he is still working on it. Maybe he will see this thread and chime in.