Expansion tank repro question

[Richard F.]

When the "68 C" on my car gave up the ghost, I called the repro manufacturer for a new one. When it arrived I noticed that the date character spacing was different than on my original tank, and on my original radiator. I called the guy and explained, and sent him the old and new tanks. He looked at them and said that he has made tanks for many high-point cars, and that my new tank was fine. He offered to give me my money back, but not to replace the tank. I've never seen a tank of any year with the spacing like this repro. What do you all think?

[Greg L.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Well I wouldn't be too happy with it either. My 69 tank is 68L and not 6 8 L.

Where did you get it from? I'm getting ready to order one for my car and want to make sure that I don't get one like the one you just got.

[Richard F.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Greg, Thanks for the reply. I got it directly DeWitt himself. I always wondered if I had got it thru somebody like Volunteer Vette or Paragon, who values customer satisfaction, if they would have got me better treatment. By the way, I have been meaning to tell you how much I enjoy your questions on the forum. They always seem to get lots of interesting comments.

[Dick W.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

I do not think that all the original tanks were stamped the same. The manuals do not specify character spacing. The only deduction you might take is for the engraved information and date. The originals were stamped, a process very hard to duplicate.

[Greg L.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Ahhh I should have said my tank is 68 L and not 68L...sorry. Anyways the Dewitt one is one that I'll try and stay away from...I just hope they don't supply all the vendors or I'll be looking at getting mine repaired. I'm surprized that they would want a repop like that with their name on it. They must all be like that or he would have swapped this "blem" out for a good one.

Funny that you mentioned "Paragon, who values customer satisfaction" I must have got ole David on a bad day a couple years ago because his "customer satisfaction" has since cost him a few grand in lost sales from me and I will only buy from him as a last resort because of what he said. This isn't the time or place for that story but some things you don't forget.

I'm glad you like my questions. I look forward to all the answers, opinions or what have you from the members. It's amazing how much knowledge is here!!

Let me know if you find a quality surge tank and I'll do the same if I find one. I think Doc might have a good one and I have an order that I'm getting ready for him but I'll ask him about it before I order it.

[Dick W.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

There is ONE source on the tanks. I do not think that you would take a deduction for the character spacing.

[Richard F.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Dick, Thanks for the reply. I never realized that the repro tank is engraved until I blew up the picture to post it here. It's always something. The really great thing is that now I've discovered how slick it is to post pictures using the new software.

[Dick W.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Richard years ago I used to restamp NOS tanks. It is a whole lot easier to engrave them. It would take 2-3 hours to remove the old date, fill the tank with packed dampened sand, and VERY carefully restamp them.

[Kevin M.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

It is a whole lot easier to engrave them.

Then why can't he get the spacing closer to original? Plenty of examples to go by.

Kevin

[Dick W.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Hollywood, if my memory serves me correct, the originals varied in spacing. The tanks, like most other parts on the cars, were not works of art by any means. I do not have access to the drawings, but it would be my guess that there is no spec for dates other than to be there.

[Alan S.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

I've been looking for a GREAT '70 H' tank for years. I've been amazed at the stampings I've seen. They seem to be very consistent, even and straight. I've even wondered if the tank was put in some kind of a fixture that controlled the characters, location and depth of the imprint?
Regards,
Alan

[Dick W.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

It is my unlearned opinion that they were stamped before the two halfs were welded together.

[Joe L.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

Hollywood, if my memory serves me correct, the originals varied in spacing. The tanks, like most other parts on the cars, were not works of art by any means. I do not have access to the drawings, but it would be my guess that there is no spec for dates other than to be there.

Dick----

I agree 100%.

[Richard F.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

I'm gonna guess that these tanks were manufactured in batches. At the beginning of March 1968, I would assume that a guy put a "6", an "8", and a "C" into some kind of a gang holder. I would further expect that every "68 C" tank was stamped the same, and would look like my original tank. Am I to assume that the 3 characters were stamped separately, and that spacing is random? Has anybody ever seen an original tank of any year where the year characters are not close together with a bit more space for the month? Has any judge? I certainly haven't.

[David P.]

Re: Expansion tank repro question

1970-454ExpansionTank.jpg
Here's my 1970 454 "70 C" tank to add to the mix.