1959 Corvette balancer

[James O.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

hi- it is 3896904. there are holes around perimeter and no step. mine is still in the box and balanced. you can have it for the best price if my correct balancer pans out.

[Keith R.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

Here are pictures of the one that came off my 1960 290 hp corvette. I am not sure if it is the same as the one you are looking for, but this balancer is off the numbers matching, original engine that came in my corvette, driven a total of 3 1/2 years total in it's 50 year life. Hopefully when the restoration is done, it will get several more years of driving!

Myron,

This is one that I have and I believe it to be correct for the high hp '59.

Large dimension 61/4" width 5/8"
Smaller dimension 5" width 5/8"

As you can see it has been rebuilt and virtually brand new. I would be willing to let it go but it would be very expensive if anyone is interested.
Garry 18531

OK, what confuses me is that Greg's high HP balancer from his original engine looks completely different that Garry's which is also shown on page 74 of the JG. Greg's looks like the ones CC and Paragon sell except they have holes around the perimeter. Can anyone clarify?

[Ian G.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

I spoke with Paul Baker at Goat Hill Classics who makes the balancer that Paragon sells, and he says he has GM blueprints for approximately four different varieties of the high horse power balancer. So it is highly likely to me, that there was more than one configuration -- aside form the larger step being on the outside and shorter step on the underside. He says he just doesn't think it would be cost effective for him to make all four. Apparently he will be rolling over in his grave before he ever shows anyone the plans though (paraphrasing)

[Keith R.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

That's interesting - maybe GM had different original balancer configurations for the 270 & 290 HP engines??

[Joe L.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

That's interesting - maybe GM had different original balancer configurations for the 270 & 290 HP engines??

Keith------


They didn't use different balancers for the 270 versus 290 hp engines. However, there were differences over the years and there may have been differences within a given period due to more than one manufacturer. It would seem unlikely that there was more than one manufacturer for a low-volume piece like this, but the same balancers were used on some other Chevrolet applications. There could also have been revisions to the specs of any of these balancers over the period of their "life".

1957-58 SHP used balancer GM #3742986.

1959-61 SHP used balancer GM #3764318. This balancer also replaced the above for SERVICE as of November, 1959

Then, there were several other SERVICE balancers, the first being GM #3817684 which replaced the 3764318 in November, 1962. That was followed by the GM #3861968 in 1964, the 3861970 also in 1964 and the 3896904 in 1971.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

I spoke with Paul Baker at Goat Hill Classics who makes the balancer that Paragon sells, and he says he has GM blueprints for approximately four different varieties of the high horse power balancer. So it is highly likely to me, that there was more than one configuration -- aside form the larger step being on the outside and shorter step on the underside. He says he just doesn't think it would be cost effective for him to make all four. Apparently he will be rolling over in his grave before he ever shows anyone the plans though (paraphrasing)

First, if someone can verify that the outer diameter of 3896904 is 6 !/2", I would submit that it is quite probable that it is the source of the "Goat Hill HP Balancer".
The blueprint for 3764318 shows an original date of 7/17/58 and bears revisions/additions/deletions (21 total), whose last entry is 10/5/62. The outer ring is to have NO HOLES because that is where a 1/2" drill bit will be used for balancing, to a MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 1/4".
It would be interesting to know how many GH units have been purchased by CCentral & Paragon since the critique of the GH unit has surfaced; ie, do they care that the piece they bought to sell is wrong as long as they can say "Goat Hill told..."

[Garry B.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

Joe,
Which part number would you say that I have? (please refer to pictures provided in my previous post). Thanks.
Garry 18531

[Joe L.]

Re: 1959 Corvette balancer

Joe,
Which part number would you say that I have? (please refer to pictures provided in my previous post). Thanks.
Garry 18531

Gary------


Just a guess, but I would say it's the 3742986.