VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 48 engine bay

A straight hose for the upper radiator hose...? I'd like to see that...I must not be on the "same page" ...Thanks for posting my photo, by the way...Kevin

Bruce - will send you the caps for free. As I recall, they're pretty rusty, but you can either decide if you want to make your own using these as a pattern or bondo-up the tops to make them smooth.

Many thanks Dale

OK guys, I just got off the phone with Austin Ott regarding radiator support caps.
Austin has researched this support cap mystery before, so he was quite familiar with what we have been discussing here. Here is some of his knowledge on the matter:

Some of the assembly plants had them to install......some didn't. But he had no information as to which plants had them or not. He seemed to think this was the primary reason some cars had them and some cars didn't.

In many cases, if they were removed for any reason at a garage, they were never replaced.

He agrees there is no documentation (part number, etc.)for this part. It is NOT listed in any parts manuals. He has looked in many editions of the parts manual. It is not there.

He has a 1942 original that does not have them, a 1946 that does have them and has seen both 1947 and 1948 with and without them.

He said it was quite common for small parts like the caps not to be documented.

So, I guess everyone had a correct theory at least to some extent in our discussion here about the caps.

Austin and I had a very enjoyable chat. He is very knowledgeable about our 47-48 Chevys and like us here on Chat, enjoys talking about them and is very willing to share the knowledge he has. He invited anyone with a question to call him for assistance. His number is listed in the G&D in the TA section.



Bruce, it sounds like you are going to have a pair.

I would like an explaination as to why some core supports have the bolt holes an
d some dont.

This is something I would like to know myself, unfortunately I think the "workers" at the plants of those days are now 6 foot under ground

Ken,

Thanks for your diligence on this matter. You went the extra mike and it is greatly appreciated.

Your synopsis of your interview with Mr. Ott was interesting. It shed a lot of light on the subject.

As a moderator you have been "on the ball" in helping chase down this rabbit of a question on those "supports." And, fair when we have tended to stray a bit.

Good job and much obliged,
Charlie

I can't believe the number of posts and views this subject (engine bay, et al) has generated. Well, most of them were Kevin's but still...

Maybe the elusive caps could be made with sheet metal? As long as the dimensions were kept correct how would you identify an original from a fabricated part?

I guess at this point it doesn't realy matter what steel their made from..Kinda a ghost part now...To me its a very noticable piece to be left off at the plant...You think there would some type on assembly guide used for each model,etc.

Please excuse the commentary away from the topic at hand.

We youngsters forget what had just occurred in out brief history of the machine age. It is of little wonder that they may have been some confusion in the manufacturing of autos after four years of turmoil. It really is amazing when you think about it.

Also, I agree with Charlie. Hats off to Ken for using the old "grey matter". Job well done, and appreciated!

I believe we all enjoyed discussing something "new".

To end, on topic. Bruce, please post a picture of the bottom side of the caps if you will. And, yes, they do add a finishing touch.

Gene's question is a good one (although I'm not used to hearing questions from Gene.....I'm used to hearing the answers from him.)

So Kevin, since it's your car that has the supports without the holes, why don't you give Austin Ott a call and ask that question and let us know what he has to say about it. After speaking with him the other day, I know he would be very happy to field the question and help out if he can. And that way you can get the answer directly. Austin is an enjoyable gent to talk with.

I guess I need to say thanks to all,I guess I started this thing.I got a lot of good advise and lots of good conversation..Many more pics to come in the future

Thank you your kind reponse,Ken...Wish I could say more, but I'm in the middle of this House deal "with a shop" ( today ) and I have to be in touch every minute with the realtor/bank and whats going on...The property goes MLS tomorrow and I'm trying to get "first in"...It's a beautiful place in the "gold country" of the foothills of California...And the housing prices are going thru the roof...Wish me luck...Sorry, for being such a poop most of the time...Kevin

I'm sure they could be re "fabed" with sheet metal and no one would notice...Judges are too busy looking at more important stuff...If you know what I mean....

Well, we didn't find a definitive answer to the "caps" question and Gene still wonders about the supports without holes.

After reading the posts in this thread....again.....it seems that two cars were mentioned that did not have holes in the supports for the caps. Timberr and Kevin both have cars made in the Oakland Plant and both those cars have supports with no holes for the cap. So did Oakland get a bunch of supports with no holes maybe furnished by an outside contractor? Or were all the supports made by GM? From the info we have here on this thread it sounds like an Oakland problem.
Who wants to call Austin for his opinion?
Anyone else have a theory?


Kevin......I sent you a PM.

Ken as you may remember my 48 was also built in Oakland,I have the holes but no caps...I hope to have them soon though

One point that might be noted from all of this is that some variations might still be "factory correct" instead of everything being "so absolute" (correct or incorrect). And, variations can cost points!

Just another of the reasons I have never put a car in a show without a "do not judge" sign in the windshield. I'm not picking on the judges. I admire the judges and you folks who win a trophy. However, I'd prefer to simply enjoy all the cars, including my junk, and not get up tight about any contest. I happily leave that for others to contend with.

My point, if I had one, is that variations do come up on antique cars. When it happens, it can make judging very difficult which can also make it difficult for car owners.

Bruce -

Finally back in Ohio. Found my used radiator support filler caps. I think you'll like them. I must have put some bondo on the tops before painting them because they look pretty nice. The bottom/back side is really ugly, but no one sees that or else you can spend some time with bondo/spot putty and make the back look pretty too. You may just want to sandblast them and start all over. Will put them in the mail to you tomorrow. :-)

I thought it odd the direction your generator wires come off it...I've always seen them in the oppisite direction...Believe washer bottle was an "accessory" any 'o way...Who cares...I have a nice one in the box, but it will probabaly'll never get on there...

Fan belt looks a little loose, there buddy...

You used at "Eastwood" stuff on your exhaust manifold...?

This "tread" ain't ever gonna die...Hear that Ken...?

Man, I absolutely, totally agree with that!!

Trophy's...? What in the world you want with trophy's...Just more clutter to deal with...Someday, no one will give a poop about them anyway...Unless you give them away with the car...Like your gonna sell your "baby" anyhow...'till your to old to drive it...Then who'll give a poop anyway...You want trophy's there's a shop in town. Tell'em what you want written on it and they'll print a plaque of what ever you want...Trophy's...? I have them have them make for one for the "little lady" that says..."Wife Extraordinaire", for her birthday...That will score you a 1000 points...Geez, I gotta tell you's guy's everything...

Sorry, Ken...I seemed to have drifted off topic, again... Guess this belonged in the "General Discussion Forum"...I just forgot where I was...But a little advice like this never hurt anyone...And a little advise on simple matters like this will probably score you more points than your darn car...

Dale thanks I can't wait to see them

Not that I'm purposely trying to keep this thread alive, but I would like to revisit Gene's comment. I have a '47 radiator still attached to a core support (yes, I know, I have way too many things stored away and the '47 radiator is very different from my '48, but I had a '47 at one time...). It does not have the holes for the filler caps and the caps will not fit into the space on the '47 core support. It's really not even close. I have a couple NOS '48 core supports (I know, too much stuff...) and they have the holes for the caps. The caps fit very nicely into these supports, as they do on the original support in my '48 convertible. So...I'm going to go with my original hypothesis that the caps were introduced in 1948 and the core supports were slightly changed (who knows why) in production and the caps are therefore only correct for '48. Thoughts??

My 47 that I bought in 1968, second owner has the caps at the top of the core support.