1968 sb with a/c

[Bryan K. Montford]

There was a discussion awhile back about the 68 sb a/c cars having a metal or a fiberglass radiator shroud. Here's what is claimed to be a low mileage car. It has the metal shroud.

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4629240281&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

[Kurt B.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

I have a 68 coupe with the L79 smallblock and A/C and I have the fiberglass radiator shroud. I have owned the car since 1972 and bought it from a friend of mine (original owner) who made no mods to the car as he was a purist, so I am quite certain it left the factory this way. I also seem to recall reading a thread on this forum many months ago in which Joe Lucia stated that the fiberglass shroud was correct, but I will let Joe confirm this himself.
Kurt # 26406

[John D.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

I have an early 1968 L79 AC with a metal shroud. My AIM says the shroud should be metal.

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

Kurt, without a doubt you car came with a fiberglass shroud as did a lot of 68 sb a/c cars but, I have been collecting pictures of 68 sb a/c cars for the past 8 years and have seen alot of the sb a/c cars with the metal shrouds. My car has the metal shroud. It is an a/c, ps, pb, 4 spd with a 3.70 gear. It has the HT engine code.

Here's another one with the metal shroud. Scroll down to the 68 foe sale




68 corvette sb a/c @ AACA Museum in Hershey

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

Fixed the shortcut in my first post

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4629240281&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

[Kurt B.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

My 68 L79 with A/C was built May 10 so it might be considered a late car vs. early car.
Not sure how much difference that makes.
Kurt

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

My car was built in November 67.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

What day?

[John D.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

1968 L79 with AC built October 19, 1967 with a metal shroud.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

Bryan-----

For the most part, 1968 Corvettes with small block and A/C have fiberglass fan shrouds. That's what GM says was used, that's the part shown in the AIM and that part has been the only part ever catalogued to SERVICE 1968 Corvette with A/C and/or THM-400 applications. However, apparently early 1968's with A/C were built with the circular steel fan shroud. I was not aware of this previously. I have never seen a circular steel shroud used with anything but the 3155316 aluminum radiator. However, the cars in the pictures appear to have the copper brass radiator used with the circular steel shroud.

Sheet UPC C60-B4 of the 1968 AIM shows the fiberglass shroud. It specifies it's the same as L-36. Extensions are used with it for the small block with A/C application to make up for the fact that the L-36 shroud is shorter (since the L-36 fan location is further forward). However, the revison record block at the bottom of the page indicates "redrawn and redesigned". Unfortunately, the date is illegible. It may very well be that the "first design" used the metal shroud and the later design used the fiberglass shroud.

By the way, I believe that I know why the design was changed. The circular steel shroud is a very inefficient shroud from a cooling perspective. Due to cooling issues, exacerbated with the addition of A/C, I'll bet the design was changed to improve cooling performance, especially at idle and under high ambient temps.

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

NOV. 19th 1967

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

Rats.

16 days too late, but the closest I've ever seen.

Patrick

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

The closest to what?
Bryan

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

Joe,
Thanks for the reply. Although I can't swear that they are original, I have a few more pictures 68 sb a/c cars with the metal shrouds.

Have you seen any 68 sb ac cars with the HT engine code? Anybody?
Bryan

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 1968 sb with a/c

John,
What is your engine suffix code?
Bryan