1960 290/315 Radiator question...

[David Z.]

the picture is of sn.0001 unsold at Mecum... the FI appears to be a 320 which is for Hi Horse no? ... look at the radiator... is this correct, I thought a top tank came with this config. Reason I ask, is MY 1960, same FI etc. has the same type of rad, and I was on the verge of thinking it incorrect... thoughts or info please?

Best, Dave.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

I've run into a number of early 270 HP cars - up to like #1700 or so - that did NOT have the top tank radiator and appeared to have never had one. The more interesting item in the picture is the FI unit - the car is WAY TOO early for a 7320 - it should have a 7300 unit.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Pardon my ignorance about C-1's, but is that not a top tank radiator? It has the filler neck going into it as well as the top radiator hose connection on what appears to be a tank on the top of the radiator. It certainly is not of a cross flow configuration with side tanks.

About the F.I. unit, is it still supposed to have ribs on the top of the plenum - is that what you are refering to? Otherwise, there is not a whole lot of close detail of it from which to judge.

Stu Fox

[David Z.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Stu, the "Top Tank" radiator had an attached but separate looking expansion tank set at an angle and was I believe aluminum. What is show in the pic appears to be a basic brass radiator.
Loren, my car on the other hand is a VERY late 1960, yet has the same radiator. I am making no claims to originality, merely asking if anyone hasa knowledge of other examples in the same sort of time frame.

Best, Dave.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Usage of the "Top Tank" continues on into the '61 model year; not a cause for alarm, inasmuch as for a good 35 years or so, the only replacement available for a "Top Tank" was what is probably in your car.

[Jim D.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

I've done a lot of studying on this because I have a 1960 270HP car so here is what I have and my ideas have been confirmed by years of research and Noland Adams.
Solid lifter cars were supposed to have the top tank Al. rad. but since this was the first year for the Al. rad., there were production problems and sometimes they weren't available for installation when the car rolled down the assembly line. Cars destined to have the Al. rad. had the drain opening on the drivers side of the rad. support, the others were on the pass. side. My car came with a correctly dated brass rad. with a rad. support that had the production hole on the drivers side HOWEVER there was a rough cut hole on the pass. side to allow the brass rad. to have a drain. I've seen this on other solid lifter cars with correctly dated brass radiators that should have had a top tank Al. rad..
I believe that if the Al. rad. wasn't available for installation, a brass one was put in and a drain hole was cut in the pass. side of the support to allow it to drain. Therefore, it would have a nice clean production hole formed on the drivers side and a rough cut one on the pass. side. However, this is the exception rather than the rule. Noland agrees.
If the car above has a production formed hole on the pass. side with nothing on the drivers, I would call it a fake.

Jim

[David Z.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Where would one find dating info physically on the radiator?
I will be looking at my support bracket closely tomorrow.

Thanks, Dave.

[Jim D.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Where would one find dating info physically on the radiator?
I will be looking at my support bracket closely tomorrow.

Thanks, Dave.

There should be a brass tag soldered to the back side of the upper tank that will have the part # and the manufacturer date ie. 59M etc. UNLESS you have the Al. top tank, then it will be on an Al. tag with blue lettering that is attched with 2 screws to the top tank.

Jim

[Loren S.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

The bid must have gone on for the 60 #1, as the Mecum website says it sold for $275K.

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=BG0609-81722&entryRow=246

[Jim D.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

The bid must have gone on for the 60 #1, as the Mecum website says it sold for $275K.

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...2&entryRow=246

If that is in fact true (which I doubt), PT Barnum was correct.

[David Z.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Curiouser and curiouser....this link says it went to 290K and the owner said it would take more.... maybe he got it...???

http://www.cars-on-line.com/bloom09.html

Regards, Dave.

[Ted S.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

Stu, Here's a pic of a Dewitt version which is pretty close to one version of the original. If I remember correctly there were 3 versions during '60 - '61. The variations primarily had to do with the reinforcement ribs on the top tank.

[Ted S.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

David, I used to have a June '60 270hp car and it had the top tank.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1960 290/315 Radiator question...

First variation was the hole drilled for the opaque plastic plug that could check water level in the top tank (accomplished on the Cunningham cars at Sebring by Ed Cole and Phil Passon (Reg. Prof Engr at St louis 59-61) seeking parts and hole saw at Sebring hardware stores. Lee Lilley rejected the effort for the Camoradi cars. Later change went for the reinforcement ribs.