I removed the heater core in my 65 Cutlass because of leaks, It is the original Harrison unit. Can these be repaired or is it better to replace it with a new one? I know the new one will be china made and probably not exactly as the original as far as fit. Anybody ever have there's repaired with luck? Thanks

 

It is just like a radiator, I would fix if it is in nice shape. If it is in real bad shape, I would put in a new one, being they are no fun to replace.

 

I never had good luck in repairing one. I go with new.

 

it appears to be in good shape other than the apparent leak at the corner. The shop said bring it in and they will take a look. I would like to keep the original if possible

 

I wouldn't assume this.

These are available at Autozone

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par.../N-ixze3Z9pd8l


Spectra-Premium is a well-respected brand especially known for making fuel tank sending units. I have one in my car right now. It might very well be made in China, I don't know. But being made in China does not automatically guarantee it will a poorly-made unit.

As far as whether it will fit, why guess when you can verify this in about 2 minutes? Autozone will have to order it in, but when they get it and you go to pick it up, bring your old one with you and compare them side by side. If it isn't a match, don't buy it.

I'm all for originality, too, but sometimes it's overemphasized. Your old heater core is now 48 years old, and it will still be 48 years old even after it's repaired. At car shows, no one sees the heater core, so no one will know what brand you have nor whether or not it is original. As noted, these are not fun to replace, so I'd put a new one in if it were me, and then I wouldn't expect to need to replace it again for another 48 years.

 

The only reason I would like to keep the original is for fit more than anything, no surprises. The parts stores want to pre pay before ordering. I'm swinging towards the china spectrum core.

 

OK, but I'm sure they would give you your money back if what they ordered turned out not to be a match.

 

Actually, it's a Canadian company.

http://narsa.org/markets/consumer/vi...um-industries/

http://www.spectrapremium.com/overview.html

 

None of the parts stores have ever charged me to get one from their warehouse, the last one I bought was from OReilley's. Napa, Autozone, or any of the parts houses should be able to get 1 easily.

 

I've occasionally been required to pre-pay for an item if it has to be shipped in from a warehouse. I think this is understandable on the part of the store because you could walk in, say you need a part, they get it shipped in, and then you never come back to complete the purchase. They've incurred the cost of shipping it to the store, and they'll have to incur the cost of shipping it back as well.

But no store has ever refused to refund my money if the part ordered turned out to be wrong for one reason or another.

 

That seals the deal if the spectrum core is Canadian. I can live with that. I'm headed to auto zone today to order the part! Hopefully it will fit like the original Harrison.

 

I just replaced mine in my 65. Got it from summit. I compared it to the original and it was thicker and the heater tubes were in different directions. It worked for me.

 

I checked on the summit website just now, and, while they apparently sell Spectra-Premium heater cores, they don't sell them for '65 Cutlass. Searching on '65 Cutlass comes up with one brand, Vista-Pro Ready-Aire. Looks as good as any of the others, except that it cost a little less than $70, about $20 to $30 more than what you would pay at rockauto or the local auto parts store for one of the other brands.

Since the OP seems so concerned about whatever he gets not being made in China, I looked a little bit into Vista-Pro, and this is what it says on their "about us" page:

"Our manufacturing facilities and strategic partners around the world help us bring quality and value to customers everywhere."

I'm never one to immediately reject a part just because it was made in China as there are both crappy parts and perfectly fine parts made there. Heck, half the parts inside the computer I'm typing this on were probably made in China. But I would take that comment above to mean that a Vista-Pro heater core could very well have been made in Chinaa, or Vietnam, or Mexico, or anywhere.

However, I would look more at the company selling the product. Summit is not a fly-by-night operation. They're not going to sell crappy parts, so if they sell a product and stand behind it, I'm likely to buy it regardless of where it was made.

 

I can find the old box and get the part number. My cars a non a/c car and i remember there being two different part numbers for non a/c.

 

More interestingly, see if it says on the box where the part was made.

 

Its ready aire part number 399064. Says made in mexico on the box.

 

Not surprising at all. Manufacturing is global nowadays, and there is no way to predict where anything you buy is made. I'll bet that parts sold even under the seemingly all-American brand AC/Delco are sometimes made overseas.

 

I ordered the heater core this morning from auto zone, it was made by spectrum the picture showed the same as original. It will be here tomorrow, I will keep you posted.

 

Yes. Ive bought AC plugs before made in mexico.

 

As a side note, Autozone gives 10% off for Vets.

 

Pick up the heater core today, made in Mexico, the 5/8 tube not positioned as the original. Other than that appears to be same.

 

With the proper swear words and an extra set of hands, it should go back together. I believe the tube is bent and not straight on your new one.