65 Correct Replacement Radiator

[Salvatore I.]

Can I trouble some of the members to point me in the right direction to find a correct, 1965 327 radiator? Who is the best source with the best pricing?

Thanks for the advice....

[Bill Richards]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

Sal,
I recently purchased a direct, replacement radiator from Dewitts for my 66. I also had it dated. This cost me about $75 less than the exact, non dated unit from a parts house. WWW.DEWITTS.COM
Bill

[Joe L.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

Sal-----

The most correct radiator available on the market today for your application is manufactured by DeWitts and is their reproduction of the GM #3155316 aluminum radiator. It is available directly from DeWitts or from their dealers which are numerous in the Corvette vendor world.

The GM #3155316 is not only the most correct in terms of configuration, it's also one of the few radiators that will deliver cooling performance equal to the original. So, it's the best way to go from both perspectives.

There is no other radiator on the market that's even close to the original in configuration.

[George C.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

Sal,
I agree with what everyone has said. I got mine direct from Dewitts. Even got to talk to Tom directly on the phone, wow talk about customer service. I got it about 4 years ago, at that time you could get it unpainted or detailed, painted and numbered, this was well worth the few bucks it cost. It looks great and cools as it should. It doesn't get any better than that IMO.

George

[Salvatore I.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

Thanks everyone....great advice...I saw dewitts ion Driveline, but just wanted to confirm....

Sal

[Joe L.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

Sal-----

Believe me, the availability of the DeWitts reproduction of the GM #3155316 radiator is an absolute GODSEND for 63-72 Corvette owners whose cars were originally equipped with this radiator. After GM discontinued the radiator in 1984, I thought that this was one part that we'd never see a reproduction of----just too complicated to reproduce.

Tom DeWitt "stepped-up-to-the-plate" with an absolutely fabulous reproduction, in terms of quality, performance, durability, and conformance to original configuration.

If there is one thing that I absolutely hate to see (besides side exhaust, 3 twos, luggage racks, and TJ-2 louver trim) it's a car originally equipped with the 3155316 aluminum radiator that's been replaced with the copper/brass replacement of that radiator. To me, it "sullies" the underhood appearance (not to mention cooling performance) of such a car to a degree greater than most other changes. In fact, it attracts my attention immediately.

Tom has made it possible for all cars to avoid suffering this fate. My hat's off to him.

[Roberto L.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

I agree Joe, it is a very good and only one repro of the famous radiator, but the price is a little on the high side, particularly for people like me, that live outside USA, with limited resourses...

All my best from Argentina, NCRS #30019

[Joe L.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

Roberto-----

Yes, they are not inexpensive. However, to put it in perspective, the GM #3155316 carried a GM list price of over $700 when it was discontinued in 1986 (not 1984 as I mentioned previously). Can you imagine what the GM radiator would cost today if it were still available from GM? Now, 20 years later, the DeWitts reproduction costs about the same as the GM piece did 20 years ago.

[John G.]

Re: 65 Correct Replacement Radiator

After a .030 overbore/rebuild of my SB back in 1974 the orignal radiator in my '64 couldn't keep up with cooling issues that developed, afterwards. As luck would have it; after getting some opinions and checking around I stumbled across a local radiator shop that had, of all things, a couple of brand new still-in-the-cardboard-box GM Corvette Harrison aluminum radiators. The price? .. 75 bucks a pop! .. The thought crossed my mind to buy both radiators - the second one as a 'backup' for later on. But, after thinking about it, I figured I wouldn't own my car long enough anyway for a second radiator to be of use.

Well, lo and behold, all these years later I still have the car! .. The radiator I bought back then has since crapped out (my fault - lousy maintenance on my part). A DeWitt's resto radiator was ordered up to take its place. . .. Pricey, sure .. But, to my mind anything else didn't look quite right as an original Harrison style radiator, in place. A kind of 'Corvette speak', I suppose .. :-) ..