66 327/300 Thermostat housing

[Les Veach]

I understand 3827369 may not be correct for base engine.
Is it 3877660 ?
Thanks

[Joe L.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Les-----

GM #3877660 is the one you need. However, be advised that there are several different configurations of this housing. You need the one with the "depressions" in the corner of the base.

[Joe L.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Les-----

This is the one you're after. They're not rare. Plenty out there to be found as they were used on all sorts of Chevrolet engines in the 1966-73 time period.

[Joe R.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Hi Joe L:

I have seen at least two different versions of the 3877660 housing. One has the casting number on the neck like the one you show, and the other has the casting number on the base. The following ebay ad for item 280076039236 has some photos of the version with the number on the base:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/66-1967-1968-1969-1970-Corvette-Chevelle-SS-Camaro-Z28_W0QQitemZ280076039236QQihZ018QQcategoryZ34202QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I had the impression that some judges consider the version with the number on the base to be correct for 1966, but maybe both styles were used concurrently. For what it's worth, the one on my 67 has the number on the base.

[Gerard F.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

I thought the numbers were supposed to be on the base flange for 67, per the 67 Judging Guide. Maybe it was differnt for the 66 and later replacements. There must have been a lot of replacements because they crack easy, I know.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Kevin M.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

You are right Jerry, Joe must have been tired.

Kevin

[Kevin M.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Talking about tired here's a picture I tried to include in my last post.

Kevin

[Joe L.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Joe------

Mainly, I pictured the outlet to show the base configuration that he should be looking for. Only this base configuration is correct for all 66-73 original thermostat housings.

As far as the location of the part number, I mentioned nothing regarding that because I don't know that 1966 used the the location shown or that it didn't use the location shown. I believe that thermostat housings with EITHER part number location were used during any given period. It may well be that a certain location predominated during any one period, but I don't think that either one was exclusively used. These things were being manufactured by the MILLIONS during the 66-73 period and there were, undoubtedly, many molds and, likely, even many manufacturers.

I VERY SERIOUSLY DOUBT that instructions at the Flint and Tonawanda engine plants during 1966 and 1967 were to make sure to use only the thermostat housings with the part number on the base on Corvette engines.

I can say, for sure, that the original thermostat housing on my 1969 had the part number on the neck. I can't say what the engine in the car built before it or the car built after it had, though. While "extrapolations" can be made for many parts (e.g. for many Corvette-specific parts there was only one set of tooling), I don't think that such "extrapolations" can be made for a nuance of configuration for a part like these thermostat housings.

[Joe R.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Hi Joe:

Thanks for your feedback. I don't have a position on this issue either way, since I have personally inspected very few known-original cars.

I was just making the observation that some judges seem to think that the style with the number on the neck is a later version and that C2s had the number on the flange. As Jerry Fuccillo has pointed out, this distinction has found its way into the the 67 TIM&JG, although I was not previously aware of that.

[Kevin M.]

Re: 66 327/300 Thermostat housing

Joe and Joe

That's all I was trying to say also. As far as I've been told by NCRS judges and manuals is that the number must be on the flange for 67 and earlier and on the neck for later. I have taken the later off 68 and up Chevrolet SBs with the number on the neck. If you are right Joe L then finding correct housings for 67 just became easier because I see the neck part numbered ones all the time. In fact I've given them away because I could not use it.

Kevin