cue487023

Hi All,
I am working through the rebuild of my C3 and I took the stock radiator to the radiator dude for a pressure test and clean out. Long story short, he said that the core has bulged and is only a matter of time before it fails. Not exactly the news I wanted. Quote to recore it is $800 or I can get an aluminium replacement unit for $500-$600 from another retailer (probably Chineese, but what isn't these days). When completed the car will run a 383 stroker (to replace the stock 350). I am not too concerned about originality, rather functionality so what do you think? Go the aluminium path or rebuild the original? I would appreciate your input.
Thanks, Colin.

PhotoVette1

Aluminum. I'm sure you're about to hear that alot.

capevettes

Go Dewitt's aluminum. It's the only way to go. I have them in all 3 of my older Vettes and the Dewitt's brought temps down an average of 25 degrees under most conditions.

CFD E59

I agree Dewitts: I always ran Hot. The BB won't go over 210 degrees sitting in traffic at 90*.

Indiancreek

I agree Dewitts: I always ran Hot. The BB won't go over 210 degrees sitting in traffic at 90*.






If you go Chinese, and there is a problem with fit, you'll be adjusting. If it doesn't cool you're stuck.
Get the Dewitt's and it will fit or they'll take care of it. ( It will fit though) Most of all it WILL cool. I have three C3s and they all have a Dewitt's in them.
You only have to buy right once.

Phil Zell

DeWitts, Only way to go. Plus you get to destroy that useless fan shrowd that has always been a PITA.

Your 383 will love you, mine does.

dar322

with a regular $250 radiator and a 160 deg stat, my car rarely goes over 190 deg. But I did notice it hit 200 on a long freeway drive. What's with that?

Tim H

Go to Autozone, OReileys ETC and get a stock 4 core replacement for a couple hundred bucks and be done with it.
As long as you got a good shroud, fan and thermostat you will be fine and have more money in your pocket.

PhotoVette1

2 reasons.

1. Your fan clutch freewheels at 2500 rpm. So your fan is doing nothing but blocking air.

2. The front end of the C3 sucks in getting air into the radiator. 80-82 Vettes don't have this problem because the nose was redesigned to address this. To fix: either add a Pace Car type spoiler or add one inch of hard rubber or plastic to the bottom of your existing spoiler.

ruby76

Ditto. That's what I did and I have absolutely no complaints with the radiator I received (I ordered from Oreilly's)

cv67

800 for a recore thats a joke

If I were to buy a "numbers" car and it had a DeWitts that wouldnt bother me a bit! A warmed over motor will create more heat.

Those Chinese ones...might work for awhile but lets see in 5-10 yrs which one is holding up.

Put a DeWitts rad/fan package in my old 90 Z night and day.
Had a 160 stat in there before..with a perfectly clean in/out rad, low temp fan switch it still ran avg 20-30deg warmer
With the Dewitts its 170-180 ALL day in Summer traffic. When the fans are on you KNOW it. Very very satisfied.

In my 67 A body have a crossflow 3 row done up like new. With a stout stroker I needed to make a shroud as the spal would run all the time, just doesnt hold much either. When money permits will be getting a DeWitts or Alumitech.

TedH

If they are reusing your radiator tanks and just re-coring, I would get another quote. I had my C3's radiator re-cored with 1-year warranty for under $200 in 2007. It should not be that much more 5 years after.

Mine runs between 160-190 regardless of in/out of traffic. I've also replaced all of the radiator seals with items from Dr Rebuild so more air is going through than around my radiator. My '80 also has much-improved breathing so it may not be apples-apples with your C3 (not sure of the year of your C3).

flyeri

I have an alum Griffith and I never see anything over 180 degrees, even on 100 degree days.

BKbroiler

That works with my 383. The key thing is 4 core, as in the L82 type replacement radiator.

cue487023

Thanks for the great advice. I forgot to mention that I live in Australia so I am not sure how I get access to Dewitts? I guess I would be able to source something similar here otherwise it is mail order.

Cheers, Colin

Tim H

5-10 yrs. You can't guarantee Dewitts will be in buisness in 10 years, but Autozone is a life time warranty.

0Tom@Dewitt

You can't guarantee Autozone will in business in 10 years either, but our warranty is Life time too.

http://www.dewitts.com/pages/warranty

cv67

I think lifetime warrantys are worthless as youll be replacing that part for your lifetime lol. I see your point but depends how much you like working on the car. Im tired of it really

Better to pay more up front for the best you can and not worry about it.

PhotoVette1

I'm bettin you don't have to honor your warranty very often. your rads are so well built they're like a work of art.

Shark Racer

The radiator I bought from DeWitt's reflects a pride-in-workmanship that I wish I saw in a lot more stuff and a standard that I really haven't seen reflected in much else I've bought for the car - anywhere.

Beautiful tig welds and it dropped right in. Just a single 11" spal fan is enough to keep my 350+ hp small block cool. That + electric fans has been a great modification for me.