I have a 375 h.p. 1965 car. My car is early and I seem to be hitting a brick wall looking for a correct (non-dated and original) 326 water pump. If anyone has a core, a rebuilt or NOS pump that would like to sell or if you know of one, please let me know.
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
Thanks Joe. I'll give him a try.Comment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
Martin,
These water pumps are really hard to find, especially one that does not require I believe a 5/8 inch diameter bushing for the bypass hose fitting. I needed one for my '65 327/350. I had good luck by running an ad in the Drive Line Magazine and purchased one from an NCRS member out in California. I tried Bill Mock before placing the ad; he had none for sale and will tell they are scarce. He did rebuild the pump I bought and it works great.
I would recommend that you not buy the ones off of EBay that are advertised as new reproductions. If they are the same ones that I bought by mistake they are a POS, don't waste your time or money. Ask me how I know. Wait it out and buy a good used one.
Best Regards,
James WestComment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
i'm pretty sure i have a 326 no date core in my parts pile. if you are interested i can verify and take pics.Comment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
James and Martin-----
Two things to keep in mind:
1) A later "326" casting with a 3/4" NPT bypass fitting can be bushed to 1/2" NPT as was used during the C2 era. If this is done carefully and cleverly, I would challenge ANYONE to discern it once the waterpump is painted with the engine;
2) I don't think the casting date is visible with the pullies installed on the engine and I don't think that it's judged.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
The first Corvette pump with external bypass provision was the '609 casting. It's upper boss was SO small that it could be drilled/tapped for either a 3/8" or 1/2" fitting but there simply wasn't enough 'meat' there to accept a 3/4" drill/tap.
A later version of the water pump exists ('175 casting) that HAS enough 'meat' on the upper boss to be drilled/tapped for 3/4". But, current NCRS judging literature does NOT recognize this version of the pump as being legitimate even though it's clearly a transition part between the '609 and '326 versions...
The '326 is virtually impossible to tell from a '175 casting beyond reading the casting number. Both, have enough upper boss surface area to be drilled/tapped for 3/8", 1/2" or 3/4" external bypass nipples. The 'rub' is the lion's share of '326 pump housings were used on Chevy vehicles with 3/4" external bypass nipples vs. the Corvette/Camaro 1/2" application.
So, as Joe Lucia mentioned, you have essentially two alternatives: (1) find a 'truck' water pump and cleverly sleeve its 3/4" bypass hole back to 1/2" (understand, judges are going to look at the boss surface surrounding the bypass nipple CLOSELY), or (2) be a purist and wait for that real McCoy Corvette/Camaro version of the '326 housing to appear. If you go route two, expect to pay a healthy price from a savvy seller who understands the relative rareity of the part he's got...Comment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
Anybody know where I can get a 1/2 in bushing for my pump bypass. Thank you.Comment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
Also some well stocked plumbing/hardware stores have them they are called bushings I have several left over from when I'd get a water pump for a customers car.
It also could be made from a solid 3/4" pipe plug by cutting the top off and drilling and tapping the internal 1/2" pipe thread (done that on many occasions.
RichComment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
As Joe said, most of the catalog houses have them (like Paragon's # 1207 part). But, these are typically either steel or stainless steel which makes it a bit tough to cut the excess flush to the upper boss and then hand texture the exposed surface to 'match' the natural cast iron of the pump housing.
But, if you look around various hardware and plumbing supply shops, you CAN find this reducing sleeve made from cast iron...Comment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
Thanks for the reply, I will check the plumbing fitting first.Comment
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Re: Looking for a 326 Water pump for my early 65
I have just read through this thread, and have a couple of questions (in addition to a couple of pumps) that maybe someone can answer for me. In my pile of cores I have both a dated (L145) and non dated 326 pump, but both of them have the larger hole in them (3/4" pipe). Did the early (non dated pumps) come with both the larger and smaller boss? The actual boss on both of my pumps appears to be the same size with the larger tapped bore in both of them. I know where the dated pump came from as I had to replace the pump on a car I just sold (65-365HP that was built in july 65 #20070). I assumed this may have been a warrantly replacement dated only 4 1/2 months after the build date of the car. I thought it would have been quite a coincidence that it would have been replaced with the correct number pump dated only 4 1/2 months after the car was built. The non dated pump was in a pile of cores that I have just put together and was considering selling the whole lot to a rebuilder, so I have no idea what it was in originally. It does not appear to have been reworked to this larger size, but one never knows I guess. Did the early pump (non dated) also come in a version with the larger boss?
Thanks!!Comment
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