1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning

[Brad Hillhouse (37766)]

Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning

Hi - Joe Lucia

I have learned enough to know that I should never say for 100% that anything is original, but I will share the history and pics on 2 of the 1968's I have owned. The first one is car #2370 which I found in a garage in 2002. It was a 327/300 automatic and it had a Harrison radiator and steel fan shroud. The title I received with the car was issued in 1974, so it is possible that a prior owner had changed the shroud, but to me it appeared factory installed radiator and shroud. It was an original engine and had a beautiful stamp pad.

The second car I recently purchased and it #5601. It was parked in a garage in 1981 and not moved since then. This car is a 327/350 4 speed with a/c. This car also has an original Harrison radiator, and still has the foam weatherstrip seal on it as well as the original lower radiator hose. This radiator also has an original "MK" metal tag on the filler tank header plate. The title I received was issued in 1971, so again, it is possible it was changed prior to this ownership, but to me, it appeared 100% original. It also has what I consider an original engine stamped pad.

The first pic with a silver fender is #2370. The second car with black fender is #5601. Both cars had a radiator with steel side brackets on them with the small square notches that indicate an original Harrison radiator and not a typical parts house replacement. Both cars had a top radiator hose that was a parts store type "universal" flex hose which I think was typical of early 1970's repairs.

The JG does say that: "on some very early 1968 cars with copper radiators, metal shrouds have been found". Although when it comes to 1968's I find the JG very difficult to understand as to what constitutes "very early, early, late, very late" etc. I am hoping that the 5th edition will be more specific.

I am posting pics of both cars for your inspection, and welcome your comments.

Brad Hillhouse
37766

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning

Brad,

I wish you had posted a couple of months ago, as your cars are earlier than any (?) we were able to examine for the new 5th Edition of the JG. As such, I hope that you purchase one and then work with us on updating information on the very early 1968 cars.

Patrick

[Joe L.]

Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning

Brad------


I have little doubt that the radiator and shrouds are original in the 2 cars you describe and picture. I just don't see a reason that these components would have been changed, especially given the history of the cars.

The thing that I do find strange, though, considering the history of the cars is all the replaced parts and modifications I can see in the photos. The first car has a replacement master cylinder, a removed AIR system, a totally jury-rigged fuel line, A PCV valve replaced with some sort of breather, replaced heater hoses, a replacement radiator cap, and, of course, the "accordian-style" upper radiator hose. And, those are just the things I can see in the one photo.

The second car has a replacement water pump, removed AIR system, replacement left side valve cover (should be chrome like the right side for an L-79), replacement heater hoses, removed PCV valve, a jury-rigged fuel line with non-original fuel filter, and, of course, the "accordian-style" upper radiator hose. It may also have a replaced master cylinder although I can't say for sure. Once again, these are only the things I can see in the one photo.

So, neither of these cars is what I would call "un-molested". In fact, just from what I can see, they have been rather heavily "molested".

[Brad Hillhouse (37766)]

Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning

I agree with your observations Joe. Many things were changed on both cars, and as such, I agree that it is impossible to say that the radiators and fan shrouds were not part of those modifications over the many years of ownership prior to when I purchased them.

Many of the incorrect parts on these two cars I consider to be typical of repairs made in the 1970's - The upper radiator flex hose, the rubber fuel lines, incorrect pvc valves, Stant radiator cap, etc. And typical wear out items like water pumps and master cylinders that would have been changed with parts store repro parts as needed. Where the driver side L79 chrome valve cover from the black car disappeared to is still a mystery to me. I searched the garage the car was in for 2 hours looking for it to no avail. I did find the smog pump in a drawer full of house wiring and dog food that the mice had brought in for their winter home. Here is a photo of it for your amusement!

So, again, I cant claim either of these cars to be original, but as to the radiator and shroud, I believe that these 2 cars are still original in that regard.

Brad

[John C.]

Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning

Brad------

I must say that I'm somewhat amazed by this. I have never seen a 1968 Corvette with a steel fan shroud and Harrison copper/brass radiator. That combination was never shown in any AIM information and it's not supported by any GM SERVICE parts information. However, it sounds like the car you describe is likely original. This must have been some sort of atypical, early 1968, "irregular", factory-inspired configuration.

Joe

I would hardly call a steel fan shroud on a copper radiator atypical or irregular in and early build 68. All cars at the beginning of the 68 model year used a steel shroud (except L88). Aluminum radiator cars used the steel shroud for the complete model year, while copper radiator cars had it replaced with a fiberglass during the course of the model year. They aren't common find today because many were changed through dealer service bulletins to fiberglass to address overheating problems, but many still exist.

If it was an early build car with a copper radiator and a metal fan shroud then the core support and radiator were the same, but the 327 and 427 CI engine fan shrouds were different. Same barrel style but the 427 was shorter.

The change to the fiberglass fan shroud for big block cars occurred at vin 2469 according to TSB 68-T-9 dated Dec. 27, 1967.

Later production 327 cars built with the copper radiator used the exact same core support, radiator, and fiberglass fan shroud as the big block cars that used a copper radiator. This part is all called out in the AIM. You don't see the original configuration in the AIM because by the end of the model year it was no longer in production and the pages had been redrawn.

I don't know what the switch date for the 327 copper radiator cars to the use of the fiberglass shroud was, but I think it was later than the 427 cars as I've seen several with a December 67 build dates. There may be a TSB at the end of the 68 JG for 327 car changes, I don't remember or currently have access to one to verify.

I've attached the 427 TSB as ref, as well as, several more pictures of original steel fan shrouds being used with a copper radiator.

John