1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
I'm trying to figure out what the bracket looks like that should attach my fan shroud to the bracket on my radiator baffle. From what I've read, the radiator for my car should be the brass radiator shown on page C60 B3 of the AIM (Part #3935570). The shroud bracket on this page shows a single bolt passing through the shroud. My shroud has two bolts as shown on UPC 11-13 B5 (Part #319752); perhaps my installation is a combination of the two (C60 and UPC 11-13). I'm further confused by a seller on ebay showing a bracket the seller says is a 3935570, but it looks like a 319752. I found an old thread discussing this topic but not naming part numbers or showing pictures of the parts. I believe it was Joe who said in this thread that there may have been a third bracket. FWIW, my car is a December build. Thoughts?
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Jeff-----I'm trying to figure out what the bracket looks like that should attach my fan shroud to the bracket on my radiator baffle. From what I've read, the radiator for my car should be the brass radiator shown on page C60 B3 of the AIM (Part #3935570). The shroud bracket on this page shows a single bolt passing through the shroud. My shroud has two bolts as shown on UPC 11-13 B5 (Part #319752); perhaps my installation is a combination of the two (C60 and UPC 11-13). I'm further confused by a seller on ebay showing a bracket the seller says is a 3935570, but it looks like a 319752. I found an old thread discussing this topic but not naming part numbers or showing pictures of the parts. I believe it was Joe who said in this thread that there may have been a third bracket. FWIW, my car is a December build. Thoughts?
I cannot be of a lot of help with this because I'm not really all that familiar with this, particular 1968 configuration. However, I will say this much:
First of all, note that the AIM drawing prominently displays the notation "CANCELLED". So, one should not expect it to accurately depict any PRODUCTION configuration. However, the M-40 section of the 1968 AIM describes the radiator and shroud configuration as "same as L-36". The L-36 section includes a drawing of the radiator and shroud and it's substantially the same as that shown on the "CANCELLED" sheet you pictured. Both sheets do show the bracket attaching the shroud to the support as being retained to the shroud by a single bolt. However, I do not recall ever seeing such a single bolt installation. Maybe I missed it because it's certainly not the kind of thing I'd focus on. So, I really think that the bracket you pictured is the correct bracket.
By the way, the configuration you show from UPC 11-13 was NOT used for any M-40 equipped 1968's.
Settling this should actually not be too difficult. All 1968 Corvettes with 427 (except L-88) and all 1968 Corvettes with M-40 should use the same radiator and shroud. So, let's hear from someone with such a car. It's pretty easy to check for this.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Thank you very much, Joe. I appreciate your help. Hopefully someone has a small block with the copper radiator and can guide me to the correct bracket.
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Does anybody have a 1968 with a small block and copper radiator? I will appreciate your help.Comment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Jeff
I believe the bracket you show can be used with both steel and fiberglass fan shrouds. If it is used with a steel shroud two bolts were used to hold it in place. If used with a fiberglass shroud only one bolt (driver side) was used.
If not sure of what the difference between Part #3935570 and #3935572 was, but it was probably minor.
JohnComment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Now THAT is interesting. One part. Two uses. 'Still interested in hearing from someone with a '68 small block with a copper radiator and the original bracket. It would be installed on a car with air conditioning, automatic transmission, or both.Comment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Jeff - I believe John Carlson is correct in his answer.
I spent 2 years researching this topic as I restored my 68 L71 with a copper radiator and a fiberglass fan shroud. I also looked longingly many times at the one you pictured on ebay and just couldn't bring myself to hit the $500 buy it now button. After much research, I finally purchased what I thought was a small block bracket & metal fan shroud with the 2 bolt holes as I have never seen one in person or on an internet picture that has the single fan shroud mounting hole as pictured in the AIM. I figured I would cut the 2 weld nuts off, weld them shut, drill and weld a single weld nut in the center as pictured in the AIM to get my fiberglass shroud to bolt up correctly. Before doing that, I installed everything to do a test fit, and make sure of the location to drill. Much to my surprise, there was no way my single centered hole shroud would line up if I modified the bracket as shown in the AIM. So, I did what I h ad seen done on many other big blocks, which was use just the 1 hole on the driver side, and the fan shroud fit perfectly.
Skip ahead 1 year, and I find an unmolested 1968 L79 327/350 4 speed A/C car that had not started or moved since the late 1970's. It is a December 1967 build. As I suspected from inspecting other original cars, this one had the same 2 hole mounting bracket and a steel fan shroud. Although it is impossible to say it had never been apart, the bolts appear with original markings, the steel shroud had the rubber weather strip stapled around the area where it contacts the radiator core, and the original brass Harrison radiator was installed along with the original lower radiator hose. You do not say if you have a steel shroud or not, although my suspicion would be that for your car, you should as that is what my L79 a/c car has.
I uploaded 2 pics of 1968 survivor type cars, the first one is a big block with fiberglass shroud. The second one is a 1968 small block 4 speed with aluminum radiator and steel shroud. My 1968 L79 327/350 with copper radiator and steel shroud is configured exactly like the second photo although my car has copper radiator and steel shroud. All three cars used the identical shroud mounting bracket with slotted holes in the top for adjustment of the shroud, and weld nuts for the shroud to bolt to.
So to answer your question, you do not need to buy the $500 one on ebay as I have seen them pop up on forums in the $50-75 range.
Any more questions, dont hesitate to ask,
Brad
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Thanks, Brad, for such a thorough response and for the photographs. My shroud is indeed metal, like you surmised.
Another friend from another forum posted the photo below from his '68 with an automatic transmission.
Brad, can you suggest a forum where I might watch for such a bracket? Do you suggest I search for the part number or simply 'shroud bracket'?
Best regards,
Jeff
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Jeff - I think that if anyone figures out the GM part number for this shroud bracket, then they google it and the one on ebay for $500 comes up. Then they think their rusty junkyard find is worth $500 also. I eventually found one attached to a metal fan shroud that the seller would not separate, but wanted $60 for everything. I would just search 68 fan shroud bracket and wait until one comes along in your price range. There are also some corvette junkyards that may have one also.
Just so I understand, you have a metal shroud, the core support brace, but no bracket to attach the shroud to the core support? I may have a line on one for you.
BradComment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Will do. Yes, I have the shroud and the radiator support. I also have the bracket on the radiator support. I am MISSING the bracket that attaches to the metal shroud. As you can see in the photo below a prior owner fashioned an aluminum replacement. (I have no idea why this imaged flipped over on posting.)
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Jeff -
Are you NRAROX on CF?
bradComment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Brad, do you know that Jim Croce lyric from "You Don't Mess Around with Jim"? "You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger". But, yes, that is me. Am I in trouble now? What is your 'handle' on CF? (Are we allowed to use to use those letters here?)
Amazing. I cannot get that photo to show up correctly. It appears right side up on my computer. I flipped it and saved it using the Msoft editor. When I upload it, it flips back upside down. I did the same with Photoshop. Same result. I quit. Folks will just have to stand on their heads.
JeffComment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
I responded to your post last week with the photo of the 68 & 69 bracket side by side. I think I have found you a correct 1968 bracket. other name is bigredbrad. And yes, out of respect to the NCRS forum I abbreviated it so I hope I have no offended anyone here.
BradComment
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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.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1968 Fan Shroud Bracket - 327 w/Manual Transmission and Air Conditioning
Small world, Brad. Many thanks.
Joe, although my radiator has been replaced, given that it had AC I presume it had the copper/brass radiator. Mine also has a steel shroud. The rest of my car is very original. December, 15, 1967 build. It was probably also like Brad's at the time of assembly.Comment
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