I have 2 pieces of rubber 1/8 thick and 3" wide and 16" long with 3 holes in each . They are called Hi-Perf Side Radiator seals. I can not find any Information as to where they go. I can not see any place that they would do any good. Does anybody know where they go on the radiator? Thanks
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Mr. Duntov
in his requests to Warren, Michigan for a part number, indicated that they were to go on solid lifter 1962 model Corvettes.
I have copies of his correspondence. He was sent to the proving ground in Arizona to solve the overheating problems encountered with the new 327 cu.in. engines at wide open throttle in high ambient temperatures. This work started in late 1961. The Harrison aluminum radiator was marginal in it's capacity to cool under these circumstances.
No 283 cu. in. cooling problems were encountered in the 1960 model year.
Those of us who like to increase the displacement of our Corvette engines without taking into account the added load on the cooling system are in for a surprise. I have worked out the numbers and discovered that a 350 inch engine requires 9% more cooling capacity while a 377 incher needs 15% more capacity. A 410 inch monster needs 25% more capacity. These increases required for WOT in hot air.
The reproduction houses will sell us anything we will buy. Examples: copper washers for the differential studs and radiator side seals for 1958 through 1961 Corvettes. Those of us with 250 hp or 300 hp 1962 models don't use side seals either. Only the SOLID LIFTER 1962 models were made with them.
Dale. -
Dale's Right - almost
The Rev is correct - but then not ALL '62 FI cars got them from the factory - Sheet 8.00 in the AIM under FI shows the seals and correctly refers to an ECR (Engineering Change Recommendation) dated 1-11-62. It would appear that this ECR did NOT start at the Plant, so from 1-11-62 to implementation on the line???? maybe February?Comment
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Re: My November 61 car has em !
My 62 F.I. car #2272 has these seals and it was built in November 1961 . RichComment
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Re: My November 61 car has em !
I forgot to mention that I've owned the car since 1972 and it sat for at least five years before I bought it from a friend and they were there all the time.Comment
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Re: Dale's Right - almost
It's my understanding that even a few of the latest 1961 solid lifter Corvettes got them. (Unproven). The January 1962 date, like so many of GM's drawings, carries an arbitrary date for the change order. Lengthy discussions with our mutual friend convinced me that all 1962 models received the seals regardless f dated documentation.
Dale.Comment
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Re: Dale's Right - almost
I Thank you very much for you help. I am glad my 60 does not have side seals. The shroud, body and radiator is enough to line up. Thank everybody.Comment
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This Case Is One Of Those
whereby a solution to a problem was implemented on the assembly line THEN the problem was officially defined, OFFICIALLY investigated, OFFICIALLY solved, and then documented.
Lots of GM engineering was done that way!
Dale.Comment
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Re: This Case Is One Of Those...Line Fixes
Dale -
Absolutely true! This went on all the time - plant would find a problem, apply an immediate fix to protect the customer (rework, substitution, bend, grind, ream, or whatever provided a quick fix they could handle on the line), then between the Engineers and Supplier Quality guys, they'd find the root cause, develop the "official" solution (which took time if supplier tooling changes were involved and depended on how many parts were in the pipeline and who would do the rework on them), and it could take days or weeks to get the "corrected" parts into the plant. This kind of thing was documented internally, but the only evidence of it we see today is when it required an actual Engineering change to a part number to fix the problem and it eventually found its way into the A.I.M. This kind of thing goes on every day in every assembly plant - it's a normal part of everyday operations; there's no time to thoroughly analyze it when it happens - when there's another one coming every 51 seconds, you have to have a fix, NOW! Been there, done that (for 37 years).Comment
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