'67 L88 Radiator Support

[Lowell Maitland]

I'm building a '67 L88 clone, or tribute car. I bought from Dewitt's their #955 radiator for the '65 396, which was used on the '67 L88. I also bought the '65 396 radiator support.

My problem is that the radiator support sits up too high to allow the hood to close. Did I get the wrong support? Should it be sitting vertical in the car like it is now?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Wayne W.]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Yep the 65 support sits upright.

[John H.]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Lowell -

The '66-'67 radiator supports were laid back at a greater angle than '65 and earlier.

[Joe L.]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Lowell-----

Although most 1965 L-78 and all 1967 L-88 used the same radiator (GM #3007436), the 2 applications did not use the same radiator support.

Also, GM only cataloged, for SERVICE, one radiator support for all 1967 big block applications. However, because of significant mounting differences and other issues between the radiators used for most 1967 big blocks and 1967 L-88's, I can't imagine that the same support was used for all. No radiator support for 1967 L-88's is shown in the 1967 AIM, so we get no help there.

So, what radiator support was used for 1967 L-88? I don't know. However, it was probably similar to the 1967 small block support with, possibly, width reducing plates modified to increase the opening from 19" for the small block radiator to 22" for the 3007436.

[Lowell Maitland]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Thanks for the info. I wonder what support they used for the '68 & '69 L88s.

[Joe L.]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Lowell-----

1969 L-88's (as well as all 1969's) used a completely different radiator support than any earlier models. However, the 1969 L-88 radiator support was identical to the small block aluminum radiator support EXCEPT for the width between the side plates limiting the width of the opening.

1968's used unique-to-1968 supports. They were kind of a hybrid between the 66-67 and 69+ supports in that the lower mounting brackets were essentially the same as earlier while the frame was basically the same as 69 and later. The 1968 L-88 support was, basically, the same as the 1968 small block with aluminum radiator support except, once again, for the width of the opening. This is exactly why I POSTULATED that the 67 L-88 support might have been the same as the 67 small block support except for the width of the opening.

For your information, others have opined that the 67 L-88 support was the same as the 1965 L-78 support. However, I have no information to substantiate that. I won't rule out the possibility, but I can't confirm it. I've never carefully compared the 63-65 style supports with the 66-67. However, I always understood that there was some difference between the 2 that prevented interchangeability.

[Richard F.]

Re: '68 L88 Radiator Support

I'm going back 20 years to when I had a 68 small block support and a 68 L88 core support sitting around. My recollection was that though they were very similar, the lower radiator mounting brackets were positioned differently laterally, so that the wrong radiator would not be lined up in the core opening. Also, the holes drilled at the top of the support for the center radiator mounting bracket did not line up the same way.

[Joe L.]

Re: '68 L88 Radiator Support

Richard-----

I'm glad that you brought that up and your memory is very good. In fact, it's caused me to confirm as INCORRECT my belief that the 1969 small block and big block aluminum radiator supports were the same except for the width of the opening. There's really a "bitter irony" (and interesting story) here:

For years, I wondered whether the 69 big block and small block core supports for aluminum radiator were the same except for width of opening. I tried looking at some 1969 L-88's, trying to discern, as best I could, the cup bracket location measurements. Based upon what I (rather crudely) discerned, I came to the belief that they were the same. I held that belief until this day.

Now, here's the ironic part: several years ago, I purchased an NOS GM #3966597 1969 L-88 radiator support FOR JUST THE REASON TO CONFIRM THIS BRACKET LOCATION ISSUE. I already had several of the small block GM #3966591 supports. However, I NEVER ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO COMPARE THE TWO. So, these supports have been sitting side-by-side for about 5 years and I never bothered to compare them (after, as I say, I purchased the 3966597 JUST FOR THAT REASON and at no small expense). Well, now I have and you are correct---there is a small difference in the spacing of the brackets between the small block and big block supports. However, the holes and weld nuts for the upper bracket are in the same location.

I realize that you were referring to a 1968 radiator support. However, since the radiators involved were the same for both years and since the basic FRAME of the 68 and 69 supports are the same, I would expect that everything that I've described above would apply to both years. I can't say it with absolute certainty, though.

Also, I now expect that the same difference in lower bracket spacing would apply to the C2 big block and small block aluminum radiator supports (i.e. the 1967 L-88 support would NOT be the same as the 1967 small block support except for width of opening); the bracket spacing difference would likely be the same as the 1969 support differences I described.

A photo of the 2 supports is included below. The support in the rear is the GM #3966591. The one in the front is the GM #3966597. I realize that the photo does not show the fact that the upper bracket holes are in the same location. I will try to post another that shows this.

[Patrick H.]

Re: '68 L88 Radiator Support

At least I'll know why that core ended up in the collection.

Patrick

[Mark #28455]

The L88 support was drilled at St. Louis

If I remember correctly, the L88 support was drilled at St. Louis for mounting the top bracket. The support from my early '69 L88 (#6249) had two new holes drilled about 1 1/2" to the side of the original holes with the weld nuts (a crappy job with a hand held drill from the looks of it). Then they just slapped a few bolts through and "voila" - instant L88 radiator support!

Mark

[Richard F.]

Re: The L88 support was drilled at St. Louis

I never noticed before, but my 68 has extra holes as well. The two unused ones are nicely stamped ovals (for adjustment I suppose), and the correctly placed ones are unstamped circles. The correctly placed ones don't have weldnuts because the weldnuts are on the bracket. I don't remember if the holes are particularly sloppy.

[Lowell Maitland]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Thanks too all for your input -- very interesting and informative. Thanks again.

So, to sum up, can anyone say for sure exactly what core support came out of St. Louis on the '67 L-88s? A modified 396? A modified '67 327? Something else?

The vendors aren't much help. LICorvette shows the 396 and L-88 core support as being the same support. Docrebuild showed one separate from the 396, but has discontinued it. Corvette Central doesn't show one that I could find. Dewitt's says that's why they stopped selling supports. Volvette doesn't say.

If anyone has seen one, or owns one, or has info on one, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Best,

Lowell

[John H.]

Re: '67 L88 Radiator Support

Lowell -

Try calling Coffman Corvette, (419) 522-2246; they are the manufacturer of all the reproduction '63-'76 radiator supports.