ScottoW31

Can someone help me with this radiator tag code? I don't think it is original to my car but you never know. 1970 442

Mr Shifty Sidney

That is a common radiator found in many 71 models. I am looking for that radiator with a Dec or Jan date code. Let me know if you want to sell. I may have the correct radiator for your car if you want to trade.

Don W

GAOldsman

SS= '71 350 with A/C

11971four4two

Also w30 without heavy duty cooling

GAOldsman

'71 Inspectors Guide

11971four4two

yes sir
look down the 342 column

11971four4two

hey original poster
there should be numbers and letters pressed 3D in the passenger tank of your radiator
between the SS tag and the radiator fill

Mr Shifty Sidney

ScottoW31
Here is the chart showing the radiators for 70 models. The codes in the chart are hard to read. The codes from left to right for the 4400 series are ED, EC, FE, EC, FB and FA.

Don W

11971four4two

tonys automatic shift on the column w30 has an ss tag radiator
take that book stuff it

ScottoW31

My car is a 1970 w30. Could this be correct for my car or are you saying for a 1971 w30? The radiator looked as old as the rest of the car so it could be original or it got changed out a long time ago.

Mr. Shifty. I might be interested if I can find out what my car should have.

Mr Shifty Sidney

ScottoW31
Look at the chart I posted showing the radiator applications for 1970. The top row shows the options that determine which radiator is to be used. Follow along the 4400 series row from left to right. When you come to the first option that your car is equipped with then that is the radiator to be used. For example if the first option that matches with your car is C60(Air Cond) then the correct radiator will be an EC. As a side note your car will not be equipped with the Y72 option, it was not available on the 70-72 W30's.
What date code is your radiator? The passenger side tank of the radiator will have some letters embossed in it. These letters are just below the fill tank neck. You should see the letters C and F, the date code will be between C and F and half the size.

Don W

Mr Shifty Sidney

1971four4two
Would you elaborate on your last post. The last line in particular.

Don W

ScottoW31

Doesn't look like the correct one for my car. CF with a May date.

Mr Shifty Sidney

Thanks for checking on the date code. Did you determine which radiator is correct for your car?

Don W

Octania

"take that book stuff it"

=======================
I believe that translates to

"it seems to me that the information provided by that book does not well correlate to empirical findings in the field, and so I suggest you stuff that book (back into its shelf location) and we will pursue other avenues of part correctness verification"

In reading over the above, it appears that perhaps that person just didn't understand how to read the chart.

I am fascinated to learn that radiators had date codes stamped into them. The steel [long gone in MI] tag is the most attention I ever paid... when one of my fleet needed a radiator, whatever was available and affordable was used. This was typically NOT a factory part, bearing neither tags nor discernible dates.

ScottoW31

I guess I am not sure so I am going to need some help. I do not have the build sheet so I don't know exactly what the car came with. It is a w30 w/o AC. My car did not have a shroud when I got it but I don't know if it was always like that. Any help would be appreciated.

Scott O

Mr Shifty Sidney

Can you post a picture of your radiator top plate? What gears? What trans?

Don W

ScottoW31

I have 3:23 gears and a TH400 OW and this is a pic of my motor before I tore it down.

Mr Shifty Sidney

From what I can find out for 1970 442 models with the 4 core radiator the shroud was mandatory. If you have the 3 core radiator no shroud is called for. You have the correct radiator top plate for non shroud. You can also look at the radiator support and see if it has the mounting tabs for the bottom of the shroud to bolt to. It should not have the mounting tabs for non shroud application. My 71 W30 is similar to your car. I do not think it came with the shroud either.
As for the correct radiator, as a process of elimination the ED and EC are 4 core radiators so they are out. FA is out since your car is not a standard car. This leaves FE or FB. FE is correct for VO2(heavy duty radiator) which seems to be only available with 3:42 gears. So FB is the lone radiator left. One issue with the above is only A/C equipped 70 W30s are listed as being available with 3:23 gears. Is the 3:23 rear end original to your car? I would guess that FE is correct for your car. 507OLDS had a nice FE listed for sale a couple of weeks ago.

Hope this helps
Don W

Mr Shifty Sidney

Do you still have the master cylinder from the picture in your latest post. Is it a factory or aftermarket master cylinder?

Don W

ScottoW31

I do still have the master cylinder from the pic and I do not know if it was factory or a replacement.

Mr Shifty Sidney

Depending on code stamped on top I might be interested in buying if it is for sale. That looks like a factory piece. It should have a 2 letter code stamped on the opposite side pictured. I will post a picture later to show code location. This master cylinder is not correct for your 70.

Thanks
Don W

ScottoW31

Mr Shifty Sidney

Thanks for posting picture. I sent you a PM.

Don W

507OLDS

Don,
From what Scott and I can gather about his car,it never came with a shroud.It has the shroudless top plate,and the bottom of the radiator support does NOT have the tabs for the shroud.This leads me to believe that it came with a 3-row radiator,from the factory,and no shroud.This also tells me that it did NOT come with 3:91 gears because it would have come with HD cooling mandatory.The filler neck on his existing radiator is the straight style,found on 70,and not the angled style,found on 71-72,but it does have the SS tag.
If you think the radiator is correct,and the tag is wrong,I have the FE tag,but I don't know why anyone would switch the tag,or why they would even bother.I have the complete radiator,with the FE tag,as it was just removed from a running car,in September.They replaced it with an aftermarket aluminum radiator,and did an LS1 swap.
As for that master cylinder,I have never seen one of those original,on a 70 Cutlass,442,or W30.I have seen those on Deltas,and some 72's.It is definitely an original to something,but what? Is the Julian date before your car?

Mr Shifty Sidney

Brian
I found that on a 70 442 (W30 or not), that if your car came with a 3 core radiator then a shroud was not included. If the 442 came with a 4 core radiator then the shroud was manditory. I agree, I do not think Scotts car came with 3:91 gears. I do question the 3:23's, as they are shown only to be available in a 70 W30 with air. I would think that his car probably came with 3:42 gears. This is why I think he needs a FE radiator. If you look at the radiator chart from one of my previous posts showing the applications for 70, reading left to right, FE and FB seem to be the only options for Scotts car. I really do not think a 70 W30 would have an FB coded radiator. A/C gets EC, 3:42 gets FE, and 3:91 gets EC. With 3:23 gears not available on a non A/C W30, the radiator options are satisfied before the M40 column is reached.

Scott's radiator is correct for a 71. Look at the picture he posted showing the date code. You can see the CF embossed code which is correct for a 71 SS radiator. The FE radiator for 70 should have a CA embossed code on passenger side tank. All of my 71 SS coded radiators have the straight style fill necks. The 70 and 71 non-4 core radiators have the straight style fill neck. I think they changed to the slanted style in 72. It was 71 4 cores that had slanted necks. I do not have rock solid proof but early 71 4 cores may have had the straight style fill neck. There was a change in mid Jan.

I think that STYLE master cylinder is correct for 71/72 non power disk. The date code is a little early for my car. From the information I have been able to gather, that casting number is correct for 71/72, but the stamped code is wrong. It is my understanding that the -1 after the casting number translates to 1 inch bore. Power disk master cylinders for 71/72 had a larger bore?????

Don W

507OLDS

Good info about the necks in the 3-row radiators. My original 4-row,for my black W30 4-spd,has the slanted neck,and the original plugs for the cooler ports.
Scott's car very well could have come with a 3:42 rear,but never say never about a 3:08 or 3:23. About 12 years ago,I bought such a car.It was a complete,matching 70 W30 automatic,without AC.Bamboo with white stripes,white bench interior,column-shift,standard steering wheel,clock,AM radio,SSI's,and came with a 3:08 rear.I was skeptical at first,thinking it was swapped,until I found a very clean build sheet under the carpet,and sure enough,the 3:08 came in that car from the factory.I think it must have been ordered by an old woman.

Mr Shifty Sidney

That bambo 70 W30 sounds really odd. Did you by chance document the radiator or was it called out on the buid sheet?
Don W

507OLDS

Back then,I wasn't thinking about radiators. I don't remember what it had. That car was real basic.

Octania

I vaguely recall reading that my '68 W30 with HDC would have come with no shroud.

Assembly manual perhaps?