69 - 350/350 Which one is Right?

[John T.]

A friend & I both have early 69's with 350/350 4 speed NON AC Vettes. Mine has a metal shroud with an aluminum radiator and the seperate Harrison expansion tank.

His Vette has a plastic shroud and a radiator that has an expansion tank on the passenger side of the radiator & no Harrison tank.

Which one is right? Or is that a trick question???

John

[Dick W.]

Re: 69 - 350/350 Which one is Right?

Could be a trick question... Manual calls for aluminum 350/350 w/o AC, BUT it is debateable if some did not come with copper/brass radiators. It is an area that needs more research.

[Terry M.]

Re: 69 - 350/350 Which one is Right?

It might be handy to have the VIN and build date of the two cars as well as a photo or two of the engine compartments -- for the JM update file. If you don't want to make the VINs public a PM or private email through the board will work.

[John T.]

Re: 69 - 350/350 Which one is Right?

It might be handy to have the VIN and build date of the two cars as well as a photo or two of the engine compartments -- for the JM update file. If you don't want to make the VINs public a PM or private email through the board will work.

I will get the info & post.

[Jack H.]

Re: 69 - 350/350 Which one is Right?

On later Vettes ('70 Etc.), the aluminum radiator + metal shroud and inner fender mounted expansion tank only went on the base engine. When you added heat producing options (A/T or A/C), OR bumped the base engine HP (in '70 the base engine was rated at 300 HP and it took an option/upgrade to L46 to get 350 HP), the radiator changed to a Harrison brass unit with fiberglass shroud and no external expansion tank.

One of the problems that plague owner is the difference between the car's factory original configuration and what prior owners did or may have done to the car... Adding factory A/C isn't something that's very common due to the time, labor, and necessity to run down all the myriad parts.

But, it's pretty tempting to change engine internals when it's time to do an engine overhaul and go from 300 HP to 350 HP! It's also not that uncommon for prior owners to switch a factory original A/T equipped car to a 'racy' 4-spd manual transmission. And, I will tell you, guys that do/did this, probably didn't bother to bite the extra expense bullet to go change out their 'perfectly good' existing radiator!

Things like this result in a foggy picture of how these cars were originally built/configured at the factory. Often, you'll get mixed signals when you do the forensic exercises to determine how a given car was really built when it originally went down the assy line...

Best, Jack Humphrey

[Erik S.]

Re: 69 - 350/350 Which one is Right?

I have the same 'issue'

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...59849&uid=3481

The book written by Rick whateverhisnameis on the 69 model has some pages with observed cars, VINS and related specs.

Erik