Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Thanks, now I have something I can hang my hat on.

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

So curiosity got to me and I hobbled down to the shop (just had knee surgery). Considering one of my olive/army clamps which says 2 5/16 outside and 19 inside, Whittek/Chicago, etc. versus a very used and pierced (as discussed above) repro which says 3/63 and 74 in addition but nothing inside. The screws are identical in diameter. They are 3/8 head. I don't have a thread guage above 10-24 on my wire crimper but they are larger and also would not go into a 3/16 wing nut from a sheetrock anchor...but they are not 1/4. I guess they could be metric which would surprise me or #12, but i thought 12 and 3/16 were the same. Regardless, they are the same.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

I have about 50 or 60 that are all the same size with the name, month/year and size on them. they are in the lower 2" range. I am not in the shop to read them at the moment. 90% came off aircraft intake tube rubber hoses. I removed them during overhaul to replace with new clamps.
While doing my 67 I found ones that I removed years ago and they were month/year dated also. I will look in the inside for the #.

Dom

[Bill L.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

HI:

There is actually a pretty quick and "almost" fool proof way to tell original Wittek clamps from the reproductions.

Several years ago I pulled quite a few originals out of a junk yard -- I took them off of 65 to 67 full size Chevrolet cars.

If you examine the photo below you can see that the clamp on the right has a sort of knurled (?) area at the ends of the tabs that wrap around the clamp blade (see the orange arrows). The reproduction on the left is mostly smooth -----this appears to be the case on every original that I have. It does not appear on the repros ....at least from what I have seen.



One additional difference (although rather discrete and hard to determine for sure) is the "U" shaped opening between the tabs. On the original it is actually "U: shaped but on the reproduction it is more like a "V" with a rounded bottom.

By the way both of these clamps have "20" stamped on the inside..... I always felt the tabs were a better way to determine real vs. repro....especially when they are on the car.

Hope this helps a bit...

Regards
Bill

[Dan H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Bill, I have several Wittek clamps, some old, some NOS and most of them are like the one on the left. They function perfectly, not like recent dated repros that won't cinch up properly. Maybe these are later production witteks? Never seen the ones on the right side, but will keep an eye out, always learning.
Dan

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Dan, I was on vacation and am now just getting back to this. Could you look at your originals to these points versus repros.

1. The orientation of the number inside...is the center indent below it when reading or above...maybe there is a pattern.

2. Possibly more importantly....the size of the indent inside which keeps the screw centered. I'm thinking it is smaller on originals. I'd be interested in what you observe.

[Dan H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Larry, most of mine are dated in the 80s, probably came from Paragon or LICS back then, they still sold original clamps until they ran out. Some have no dates, the inside numbers are above and below the rivet, hard to say with a mixed bag of clamps. Looks like original service replacement type stuff.

[Larry M.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

You say rivet but it is really a dimple. I have a box of olive drab and one other clamp which I know to be original. On these the center dimple is smaller than another I know to be repro and another I suspect to be repro. Of course this is a loose part ID discussion. You can't see any of this on an installed clamp.

[Rick B.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Hey guys, wanted to build on this older thread instead of a new one. Didn't see another detailing Original upper Wittek clamps and the differences between replacements and originals. Really hoping for input. Pics included. Left; believed to be a replacement showing details outlined above "smooth" tabs, "V" hole, undated, no "66", round underside rivet vs Right; believed by all accounts Originals with "clamped/knurled" tabs, "U" hole, Dated, "66", and flat underside rivet (smaller 20). Is there anything to the writing? "C" in Chicago, U.S.A. spacing, punctuation, or configuration of the numbers like the "2" or the "6's"?

Or Are there other characteristics determining Original from Replacements besides how they function? If undated is it safe to assume they are replacements?

Thanks in advance and hope everyone had a good thanksgiving.

IMG_1790.jpgIMG_1792.jpgIMG_1796.jpg

[Rick B.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

One more pic....Believed to be original rivet?

IMG_6203.jpg

[James G.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

a quick look reveals these character differences in the suspected repros vs originals
A -the cross bar is too high
C has flats on the horizontals vs arcs
O - see above
E and F middle horizontal is too long - should be shorter
G - should have the down leg off the G and the horizontals are flat vs arcs
M- middle V should not come to base line
W - is too wide
comma is the wrong shape
No period after U S A

[Rick B.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

James your observations or actual details between replacements and originals your aware of? Thanks for the input.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

Rick,
Didn't read all the way, but I have a bunch of wittek 66 clamps and a few other years that came off aircraft engines that I rebuilt. They used the same as were on the car. I will check the size. They are in the 2" range.

Dom

[Owen L.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

a quick look reveals these character differences in the suspected repros vs originals
A -the cross bar is too high
C has flats on the horizontals vs arcs
O - see above
E and F middle horizontal is too long - should be shorter
G - should have the down leg off the G and the horizontals are flat vs arcs
M- middle V should not come to base line
W - is too wide
comma is the wrong shape
No period after U S A

All of the letters on the right hand pair appear to be a narrower font on any given letter. If the true comma shape holds across suspected originals that may be an easy "tell".

Look too at the untrimmed screw heads; the right hand pair appear to me noticeably deeper than the left.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Wittek Tower Radiator Clamps

The lettering on the reproductions always appears "engraved" to me, vs the stamped lettering of the originals.
This is a similar appearance to what you see in many reproduction radiator caps vs originals.