I am having to replace my heater core and when I went into the Service Manual to see what I needed to do to remove it I looked at the photo and noticed the clamps they were using pinch style clamps (see first photo). These look similar to the clamps (see second photo) that Inline Tube sells. Then I went into the Assembly manual and saw a different photo which showed they were using the Corbin style clamps (see third photo) which are the clamps I currently have on my hoses which I bought from Fusick. So as you can see, it looks like the two Oldsmobile Manuals show different clamps for the same application, so I’m not sure which is correct. Does anyone know which of these two styles of clamps are actually correct for my 1968 Olds Cutlass S?

 

The assembly manual photos are in my opinion, an artists rendition of what he believes that the part will look like, from viewing engineering drawings. Problem is that many times, even the engineering drawings get changed, as reflected in the updated notes in the assembly manuals. I believe that when it came to common hardware, that the assembly plant more often than not, used what they had available at the time. If your car was built during the initial build period, of August/September, they might have been using up old stock. During that time period pictures of the prototype vehicles would be used in the production of the service manuals. I would suggest that the most reliable information will come from people that own a low mileage vehicle similar to your, and built during the same time period, at the same manufacturing plant. There were variations in production methods at the various manufacturing facilities. I look at the assembly manuals as a "guide" as to how it was supposed to be done, but plant managers didn't always follow the manuals. This has been an ongoing discussion with owners of 1960's Chevrolets that were manufactured at the various Chevrolet plants. They were building transportation for the masses, and speed on the production line was paramount. They weren't about to shut down a production line because they were running out of hose clamps, so they substituted what was called for in the manual with whatever they had available at the time, to keep the production line moving.

 

The ones in the middle pic are correct for your 1968 Cutlass. It's pretty much what junkman said...the 1968 Chassis Manual would have a lot of pics from 1967. If your car was very early 1968, I suppose it could have left over clamps from 1967. Never say never......

 

Good points Junkman. My car was built in April of 1968. And thanks mrolds69 for your input. I'll be going with the pinch style clamps as shown in the middle picture.

 

Nice research on this age old question.