C2 Radiator support

[Rob M.]

I just unmounted the radiator support of my late '63. Since this car never had any front damage I would suspect the radiator support would have been original to the car but it doesn't have the typical humps where the horn should be mounted.

Does anyone know what the origins of this radiator support is and any suggestion why it would be in my car now?

regards,
Rob.

[Harry S.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Rob, the humps are there, look again.

[Harry S.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Rob, as I recall all replacements came with the hole for fuelie cars.

[Rob M.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Rob, as I recall all replacements came with the hole for fuelie cars.

But the question is why would it be replaced? The rest of the car isn't in to bad shape so I don't think the original rusted out and as I stated before no major front damage or signs of replacement front end (all the seams matches my expectations after stripping and sanding the car and all the bonding strips are there)...

Is there a chance this late car (July 2, 1963, #18658) used a 1964 rad support and would that explain the fuelie hole in the rad support (did all the 1964 cars have the fuelie hole or should a non-fuelie car in 1964 also not have the fuelie hole)?

[Dan H.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Rob, the service replacement for 63 to 65? was with the 'hole' for FI. Probably your original rusted out on the bottom (common) and the replacement would have been the 64 style service part.
Dan

[Sydney G.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Hi Rob,

My '63 also had the same replacement rad support in it and I know it was there dating back to at least 1980 or so. The original probably rusted as Dan pointed out. I've since replaced it and sold the FI support.

If your going to replace it with the correct support, I think that there might have been an 'early' and a 'late' version for '63 but I was never clear what the difference was between the two??

Hopefully someone knows the difference or can correct me if I'm mistaken.

Syd

[Loren L.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

You can't miss the '63 humps I think you're referring to - 2 inches wide, 4 or 5 inches tall on both sides at the bottom of the front of the support. If memory serves, I think the rods that make the "X" also have "straps" over each of the ends on originals and the straps are not there on service replacements. I'm told, however, that the new repros are quite good.

[John H.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Here's an original '63 radiator support - the "hump" on the side where the horn mounts is quite prominent; the small horizontal rib is for horn orientation. Note the welded "strap" over the end of the cross-rod, and typical rust-out at the bottom.

[Rob M.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Did '64 models also had these humbs and if they didn't could my late car have the '64 model support fitted and therefor lack the humbs?

[Timothy B.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Sydney,

I believe the early, late difference in the core support has something to do with a hole for the auto transmission lines.

[John H.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Did '64 models also had these humbs and if they didn't could my late car have the '64 model support fitted and therefor lack the humbs?

Rob -

As I recall, the large "humps" were a '63-only feature; as Dan noted in post #6, it's likely that your original support rusted out and was replaced, and the replacement parts were the later "non-hump" style, with the F.I. air intake hole.

[Sydney G.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Aha, then I didn't understand what to look for. My car doesn't have the emblem holes which would be expected for a fuelie and had a low rev. tach so I don't think it was ever a fuelie car...

Rob, the humps are there, look again.

Sorry but confused,

Harry points out that Rob's recently removed 'service replacement' support has the '63 Humps.
From what I can see the picture shows it has the straps too.
The support I removed and then sold years later from my mid-May '63 had the same features and my coupe is also a non fuel (300hp).

Would the service replacement supports, circa 1970's, have these '63 features or did the 1963 production line install them 'by mistake' ??

Syd

[Timothy B.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Sydney,

I think Harry may be mistaken when he identified the hump refered to in this post. There are humps for horn mounting but 1963's have a large hump in the front as shown in John's picture.

[Paul J.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

This an early 64 showing the small humps for the horns, but no large raised area like John's picture. This is also an FI support.

[Jim L.]

Re: C2 Radiator support

Sydney,

I believe the early, late difference in the core support has something to do with a hole for the auto transmission lines.

This is true, however "early" and "late" are relative terms. My October-built '63 has the "early" support without the trans cooler line holes. My December-built '63 (RIP) had the "late" support.

Jim