Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

[Larry M.]

I know they made these clamps without the 66 or 74 and without date coding but all originals I have see have the two digit number, 20 or 18 or other stamped inside the clamp under the tower. my question is this. If the clamp has the number under the tower can you be fairly sure it is an original Wittek or do some repros also have this number inside? Does anyone know or remember?

[Irby G.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Hi Larry, I'm not sure about the clamp. I'm just replying to send your question back to the top of the page.
Aloha,
Irby

[Dan H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Larry, my original clamps have the '20' stamped on bottom side, had some repros, were junk so threw them out, don't remember if they had the underneath number.

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

What I'm trying to get at is this. Is the number under the tower a sure way to know you are looking at an original? I think it is but I'd like someone who has see some to tell me,

[Thomas S.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

I don't have you answer for sure but my guess is that it may be a size designation. I found this post on the forum where number sizes are referenced. https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...=Wittek+clamps

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Thomas, thanks but you're off base here. In the post you reference they are speaking of smaller clamps which might size 10. They likely had the number on the outside, visible after installation. The radiator clamps I'm discussing were larger but were also numbered.
66 was 2 1/16 inches
68 was 2 1/8
70 was 2 3/16
72 was 2 1/4
74 was 2 5/16....etc.
Small block C2s used the 66 for upper radiator hoses and the 74 for lower to my knowledge and these numbers were stamped on the outside for Corvette assembly line usage but Wittek made them without numbers for some people. Without numbers they would not be the best for judging but if original would likely function better than repros. I have a box full of 74s without numbers and olive drab made for military use.

The number I'm asking about is inside the clamp and I've never heard anyone say what it meant. Would take a Wittek engineer to answer that. But I've never seen an original that did not have the number. I'm just asking if repros have it. Any guy with some repros not yet installed could just look and answer that. 20 is the most common number seen but others exist. I've see 16 and I think 18. I suspect it is a tooling number or something similar.

[John D.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Tom, You said the number 20 on the radiator hose clamps is a size designation.
Might not be as the 63-65 FI air cleaner hose clamps also has the number 20 on them. John

[Dan H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Larry just wants to know if the repros have the 20 etc stamped on the inside like the originals did. Anybody have a repro with the '20' stamped on the inside?

[Thomas S.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

I have have upper and lower radiator clamps, dated repros from LIC and the have no stamp marks on inside.

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

That is only one data point but it indicates to me that if you are buying these things long distance (which I'm attempting to do) with no opportunity to judge their originality via close inspection, and therefore their effectiveness when installed, if the seller says they have the 20 or 18 or 16 inside or any two digit number for that matter then they are likely original Wittek and will hold water.

[Donald H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

I think the answer for repros is yes and no. I have dated 2 1/16" from LIC and they do not have any stamping underneath. I have undated 2 1/16", probably got from Paragon, and they have 20 stamped underneath.

Don

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Donald - I understand but tell me this. Do the undated clamps look vintage or have a different "flavor" of plating. Even if you got them from Paragon they could be Wittek originals. When dated mid sixties they are assuredly repro in todays world (or you pay hundreds).

[Donald H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Here are some pictures. I purchased these within the last 3 years, and if they are vintage from Paragon, I didn't know that when I purchased them.

The one on the top is no date and shows the 20 in the second picture.

The bottom one is for sure from LIC as I have the LIC package label.

I'm not sure where I got the 20 on the inside. I'm assuming Paragon.

Don

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Thanks for your effort. The two are made from different lots of material and the forming of the folds looks tighter on the undated one. It could be original....but it does look clean and new.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

What I'm trying to get at is this. Is the number under the tower a sure way to know you are looking at an original? I think it is but I'd like someone who has see some to tell me,

Originals have a thinner shaft to the screw than the reproductions.

When designed, they were made with a shaft that was "the next size smaller" than standard when compared to the size of the head. The idea was that if the head was overtorqued, the shaft would shear and the head break off. The shaft would not then pierce through the clamp or hose. If you see clamps on cars missing their heads, you now know why.

Once you see a repro and compare it to an original, the difference in shaft size is not difficult to discern.

Patrick