Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

[Paul B.]

Hi,
I'm at Carlisle, and I can't remember who is reproducing the 378609 pump? Hopefully the manufacturer is here and I can pick one up.

Thanks,

Paul

[Jack H.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

As I recall, 'reproductions' are being offered by Zip Products with the pumps made overseas (Turkey?). The copy I saw of their repro '326 pump was VERY rough and I'd expect substantial deduction(s) during Flight Judging... But, it was cheap compared to the cost of a properly rebuilt original!

[Paul B.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

Thanks Jack. I didn't know that they were reproducing the 326? I always thought that they were relatively easy to find, unlike the 609.

All the best,
Paul

[Page C.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

You might try a search of the archives. Someone posted on this subject sometime back. The reproduced #609 pump was not a very good reproduction. It was not configured like the original #609 pump in the area of "boss" near the bypass fitting.
Regards,
Page Campbell

[Michael S.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

Paul -

I bought a reproduction 326 water pump. It was very rough in a number of areas and the machining was not very good. I ended up sending it back and getting a refund.

I called Bill Mock and he told me the reproduction water pumps were being made in Turkey and were not the best quality as compared to the originals. So I had Bill find me a 326 pump and then he rebuilt it for me. It took him quite a while to find one, so I know the 326s are hard to find for whatever reason.

Mike Sparr

[Jack H.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

Undated '326 pumps are DARN rare items. By late '65 and beyond, they're a resonably common item with the lion's share having been bored for a 3/4-inch NPT bypass elbow vs. the Corvette/Camaro 1/2-inch NPT external elbow....

[John D.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

jack,
I bought an undated 326 pump at a local swap meet a few years back and there is an "S" (saginaw ?) cast in the body. The bypass fitting is also different (sits higher) from the pump body. Does that make it a pre 65 pump ?

thanks

[Jack H.]

Re: Who is reproducing the 378609 water pump?

The 'S' should be on the back side of the pump body and, yes, that denotes Saginaw as the casting source.

I can't comment on the bypass fitting being different (sit higher)....how is it different and higher than what?

Date coding is believed to have begun approximately 11/65 ('66 model year) for this pump housing cast from the Saginaw foundry...