C3 Question

[Isaly Szetela]

Does anyone know where I can obtain a 1973 Correct (not 74-77) Radiator Overflow Tank???? We can only find the tank that is for 74-77 and will not work. Please let me know. Thank you.

[Michael W.]

Re: C3 Question

The '73 tanks are a one-year-only part that is not presently being reproduced. They occasionally appear on eBay (hold on to your hat-$$$$). You could post an ad in the Driveline.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Question

Mike and Isaly-----

Correct. The 1973 coolant recovery tank is a one-year-only piece. It was GM #334762 and was discontinued in June, 1986. Also, the cap used for this tank was a one-year-only piece, too. It was GM #1497193 and was discontinued in September, 1985.

Interesting story on the tank. These things have been VERY hard to find almost since the time that they were discontinued, let alone 18 years after they were discontinued. About 10 years ago, through a friend's referral, I located one of these tanks at a small-town Chevrolet dealer in Ohio. It was probably an item that some customer ordered years prior and never picked up so they were "stuck" with it. When I asked about the price, the parts man told me something like...."well, I've got to get seven fifty for it". So, I said, incredulously..."you mean seven hundred and fifty DOLLARS?". He sounded amazed that I would have responded that way and he said... "no, seven dollars and fifty cents". So, I bought it. Later, from another source, I was able to find and purchase the 1497193 cap, too.

Now, don't get excited. Neither piece is for sale at any price. They're "in repose" in "the collection" for my historical reference purposes, only.

[Warren F.]

'73 Radiator recovery tank unit

Joe:

Is this recovery tank, a somewhat large white plastic unit?

[Joe L.]

Re: '73 Radiator recovery tank unit

Warren------

Yes, that's generally what it looks like. However, that's the general description of all 1973-82 tanks.

[Harmon C.]

Re: C3 Question

If you use a heat gun on the back side you can make a 74-77 tank fit level but you won't have the part number as a 73 tank had but you will have a white tank.
Joe Is your NOS 73 tank real white as I know it has never seen light or yellow as most all originals look today? Lyle

[John H.]

Re: C3 Question

Joe, thanks for all your comments over the many questions that are asked.
Big John.
I have to tell you'all (that's Louisiana talk) about my home recovery bottle
that I made for my 72.(Original owner etc.)
It all started after I had the engine completely rebuilt. My wife was concerned of coolant overflow that our many animals might discover.
So I installed a catch bottle on the end of the overflow tube. I was really
smart and wrapped it tightly with duck tape.
We then embarked for a 50 miles drive to get new Goodyear tires.
I had B.F.GOODRICH Radial TA'S with still most of it's tread, but they had
been on the car for the past 20 years. I didn't drive the car much.
Well the car rode like a brick with the old TA'S.
We arrived at the tire store and heard a loud bang as the bottle finally
blew of the over flow hose. My temperature gauge was buried to the right.
I thought I might have toasted the rebuild.
Well we got the new tires. The shop swapped the spare to use the best TA
as a spare. I wasn't thinking fast enough and the mechanic dismounted my
ORIGINAL SPARE , it had never touched the road. In dismounting the spare
he cut a 1/2 inch by 4 inch slice out of the bead of my original spare.
I noticed it when I got home, it now has a tube in it....
Well I had the car chapter judged later that fall and the judges noticed
that my passnger carpet was wet. My heater core (many years old) was leaking.
I then had a shop (The Little Shop of Horors) attempt to install a new heater core. The shop broke the tube of a brand new Paragon core that I supplied them
with. Shop claimed core had a bad weld. Paragon had NEVER had a bad core.
By the way I had picked up my car with the broken tube and shop said it was
ready. I made about 2 blocks down the street, before the green oil well
dumped on to the floorboard. It was discussed to get a new LOCAL core since
I was showing the car in a NCRS Regional les than a wek away.
After checking with the shop at the end of the week, they said they tried
2 local cores and both of them had leaks. I'd rather win the lottery before I
WOULD BELIEVE THEM. I told them to by pass the heater hoses for the show and
I would bring it back after the show to get another heater core installed.
Two weeks later they called (it was around April 1st time) to say they had
the heater core installed "However We have a problem, Your car CAUGHT ON FIRE"
The interior caught on fire. $4000 damages. Shop said it was a short in the
radio. Radio plays fine. My insurance handled it all. Shop REFUSED to even
have his insurance get involved. I'm not sueing the shop.
TO BE CONTINUED....Big John

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Question

Lyle------

It is pretty much white. However, it has a VERY SLIGHT yellowish cast to it. I believe that this is just how the tanks were originally. The thing that makes the tanks yellow in service is heat and exposure to coolant. This tank has never experienced either one.

[Harmon C.]

Re: C3 Question

Joe I have seen some low mile 73's and the tank was nice but not white like the 74-77 tanks made today. It is nice you have parts not for sale to share this kind of infomation. Lyle

[Jim T.]

Re: C3 Question

What years did coolant recovery tank #473260 fit?

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Question

Jim------

GM #473260 is applicable to late 1977 through 1982.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Question

Lyle-----

For whatever reason, I don't think that the 73 recovery tank was ever as white as the 74-77 and the 77-82. I have looked at a fair number of the 74-77 NOS tanks, including some that were quite old, and all of these tanks look, to me, to be much "whiter" than the 73 with little, if any, yellow "cast" to them.

No you're starting to see one of the reasons for "the collection". Otherwise, when all of the original parts are installed on cars and put into service, there would be no unworn, pristine, original parts left for historical reference purposes.

[Isaly Szetela]

Re: C3 Question

Although it is fascinating that other people have this part and are unwilling to part with it, and that the color of the white of the tank has been debated, I still have no overflow tank for the 1973. Any suggestions other than E-Bay?

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Question

Isaly------

Well, that's often what happens here; an initial question opens up a whole line of discussion that may be "peripheral" to the original question. That's just "the way of it". And, you're right; you still haven't been provided with any information as to what to do. Partly, I'm sure, it's because there really are no easy or readily apparent solutions to this. The tank you require was a one-year-only piece and it was uniquely applicable to Corvettes. That naturally makes it a difficult-to-find piece. Plus, it was discontinued 18 years ago. That makes it tough, too. Plus, it's a "consumable" item, meaning that it deteriorates and needs to be replaced, at some point. So, it's a part that a lot of other folks might need, too. That means that there's considerable pressure on whatever serviceable tanks might exist in the used marketplace. So, what to do? A lot depends upon what you're trying to accomplish. In other words, do you want a correct original tank or just a functional replacement? If you want a correct, original tank then I suspect that you're going to have to do one of the following:

1) keep and eye on eBay for an NOS or good used tank. For a used tank, make sure that it's really serviceable, as-is. These tanks are made of linear polypropylene and are difficult, if not impossible, to repair. You'll know it's the right one, though, via the part number (which I provided in my previous post) which is embossed on the tank, itself. Very easy to identify from this number;

2) go to Corvette or other swap meets and look for an NOS or good used tank;

3) contact some of the used and/or NOS commercial sources. In this regard, you might try Pacific Corvette of Puyallup, WA, Contemporary Corvette of Bristol, PA, Paragon Vintage of Swartz Creek, MI or Piper's Corvette of Vermillion, IL. Expect to pay BIG $$$$ for an NOS piece, if they have one;

4) wait for a reproduction to come on the market; eventually, I think that it will happen;

If you just want a functional piece:

1) You can use the 74-E77 as a replacement. This tank is GM-discontinued, too but Dr. Rebuild may or may not have some of these left. This tank will work just fine, but its configuration will cause a slight mounting problem. Dr. Rebuild also has a cap for this tank that will work fine for the 73 application;

2) If you can't obtain the 74-77 from Dr. Rebuild, using the Dr. Rebuild cap, you may be able to find a non-Corvette tank that will fit the cap and also fit in the general area where the original tank was mounted. For a FUNCTIONAL replacement, all you need is a tank that can be mounted in the car and will fit the cap. I think that many of the 74-77 tanks from other Chevrolet or GM models will fit the cap. You may be able to find a "universal replacement" type tank in an auto parts store, too.

3) You may be able to adapt the L77-82 tank which is still available from GM under GM #473260. This tank has inlet/outlet fittings integral with the tank. It MAY be possible to use these, as-is, and adapt your lines. I really don't know for sure as I have no experience doing it. It would certainly be possible to plug the integral lines and use this tank. However, this tank uses a different style cap and I don't know if the original cap or the 74-E77 cap will fit this tank. The tank is GENERALLY the same shape as the original, though.