Radiator & Support Finishing..and other Qs

[Terry M.]

Re: Radiator & Support Finishing..and other Qs

The top and bottom bars is something you want to address with the shop. The "side brackets" is a term I use for the steel upper and lower "bars". In the old days, radiators were "down flow" design and there were steel "side brackets" soldered on each side that held the radiator together, and also bolted the radiator to the core support. With the advent of the cross flow radiator, there still needs to be steel reinforcements to hold the core together, and I still call them side brackets even though they are on the top and bottom instead of left and right. There may be a better term, this is what I have called them since I was a kid growing up in a 3 generation radiator shop.

Dewitts does still make a 67-68 copper brass radiator and its listed on their website, but that is not wide enough for your application. Its possible that they do not even make a post 68 copper brass radiator, easier to just sell their direct fit aluminum line. There is no aftermarket radiator core manufacturer that we have found that makes the correct rectangle and square punch outs in the top and bottom side brackets. Most are a different design "U channel" that is stronger, but completely different than the original Harrison design.

Brad Hillhouse

A reasonable good fabrication shop should be able to make those top and bottom bars (side brackets as you call them) without a lot of trouble. I am surprised one of the big Corvette suppliers hasn't had a batch of them made. AFAIK the top and bottom bars are the same and the punch-outs are the same from side to side. I am sure I must be over-simplifying it, but seems like a no-brainer to me. If someone made them, those of us in the field would only have to find an old-school radiator shop. That would be the harder part of the job.

[James G.]

Re: Radiator & Support Finishing..and other Qs

HEART BEAT CITY or whomever Jim Stubbings is having manufacture his radiators is apparently stamping out the top and bottom rails, whether or not they are the correct width for a vette application... I haven't a clue.

[Keith M.]

Re: Radiator & Support Finishing..and other Qs

Ok...now all the terminology makes sense. Thanks for the detailed explanation. As it turns out my shop guy is an old school radiator guy....been at it 40 years or so...referred to the bars/brackets as "sides" this morning as well...and I didn't think much of it at the time.. Now i get it. My side brackets/bars are in pretty good shape so in the interest of preserving orig parts am hoping he can get them off the old and on the new in decent shape. I'm optimistic. Also have a few small dents in the sides of the tanks...he's gonna try and improve them...but acknowledges he is "not a body guy"...but those don't worry me too much. Some "imperfections" can also be considered "character"!!

[Keith M.]

Re: Radiator & Support Finishing..and other Qs

Dewitts does still make a 67-68 copper brass radiator and its listed on their website, but that is not wide enough for your application. Its possible that they do not even make a post 68 copper brass radiator, easier to just sell their direct fit aluminum line.

Just curious...Would you mind pointing me to the copper/brass rad you reference from the Dewitts website?? I pored over the site but cannot seem to find ANY copper rads. FWIW My rad is a Harrison 26" core for a 1969 L46.

Edit to add....interesting...https://www.dewitts.com/collections/...brass-radiator

What is particularly interesting is...this "looks" exactly what I need...AND...nowhere do I read copper/brass in the description...but there is right in the URL!! The title is a 67/68 BB...and it doesn't state the core size...but me thinking if it is a 26" core...everything else seems in line to be applicable to a 69 L46...you know how it goes with specs and descriptions on websites sometimes. EXCEPT they want $1400 for it and I should come out of my recore under $500. TBD.

Edit #2...restoration gonna drive me crazy(er)....just noticed rad in the link above has petcock on the rear...petcock on mine in on the bottom.