C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

[Paul Latour]

My rad is 24 years old although still functional. But come spring I will replace it for peace-of-mind reasons. So in September I searched GM parts availability for a rad for a 1979 L-82 without A/C. That search showed eight were available in North America. So I purchased one and stored it in the basement. The part number is 88959428. At that time I checked dimensions and they seemed fine. I have since joined NCRS and wish to verify that this is the correct rad (BTW, Made in Mexico). Also the metal automatic transmission fittings seem hard to find. Any thoughts on those?

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

Paul-----

1979 was a year when several different radiators were actually used in Corvettes. Your original radiator should have a metal tag attached to it with a 2 alpha character code on it, the first character being "M" or "F". If you can tell me the code and the size of the radiator upper hose, I may be able to tell you the correct radiator for your application, including replacements.

One other thing: if you do have the original radiator for your car, I would strongly recommend having it recored rather than replacing it with one of the "889" series, "Mexico radiators". Although fully functional from a SERVICE perspective, these units are usually configured considerably different than original radiators.

[Paul Latour]

Re: C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

Joe,
My rad is original but unfortunately I cannot access my car until April. It is in storage for the winter. So it looks like I purchased a new "GM" C3 rad and I am stuck with it.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

Paul-----

Not necessarily. There's always a place called eBay. Who knows, with the right "pitch" you might just recoup the complete cost of it PLUS pay for your recore.

[Duke W.]

Re: C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

I'm not sure if a brass radiator ever wears out unless the cooling system maintenance has been so poor that the tubes corrode through.

I was faced with the radiator dilemma on my Cosworth Vega a year ago. It was beginning to seep between the tubes and the end plates. It had been rodded out once in 1985 due to clogging from all the salts in green antifreeze.

A search revealed not cores anywhere near original looking, but a friend referred me to a radiator shop that had done some work for him. After pressure tesiting it and finding the tubes were okay, they said they would completely rebuild it - remove the tanks and end plates from the core - rod the core and glass bead the tanks and endplates, then solder it all back together. The only caveat is that the modern low lead solders aren't as strong as the old high lead solders that were used back in the seventies.

Cost me all of 75 bucks! A Corvette radiator would be more because they are bigger. It appears to me that I have an essentially brand new raditor, and it still has the "UA" production code tin tag on it.

I now use Dexcool, so it won't get clogged up with silicates and other salts in the future.

Duke

[Paul Latour]

Re: C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

Thanks for the reply. I am sure my rad can be redone as despite its age, it remains leak-free.

[Paul Latour]

Re: C3 GM Rad Question re Part Number

Interesting thought! It is a brand-new GM rad for a 1979 Corvette. And as I said, at time of purchase there were only eight left in GM North American depots. BTW, the larger rad for A/C cars is not available with a GM label.