Harrison Radiator Question

[69L89396]

I have been looking for an original Harrison radiator to go on my 69 Camaro 396/375 with a manual trany and been told that I need a "ZD" coded tag, 3 core with a straight neck. I have talked to quite a few people and everyone seems to tell me something a little different as to what is stamped on the tanks. I didn't find any information in any of the books I have so I figure this is the place to get the answer. I have found a source that has original Harrison tanks but I want to make sure I get the correct one I need. I'm sure someone on this site has the knowledge of the correct answer.

Does anyone have a photo of the radiator I'm looking for?

[Nova Research Project]

69L89396;

No picture, but this may help:

69 Camaro (396) (exc. C.A.C., H.D. Rad., T.H. 400) . 3017837 w/o oil cooler. (Ident No. 3017837 - Code letters ZD)

So the radiator should have a metal tag with both the part number and ZD on it. It should not have oil cooler holes. If I remember it has a straight vs. curved neck and is a 3 core radiator. I believe that Harrison should be raised on the tank. It was also used on the 68-70 Nova 396, but only on the 69 Camaro.

If you interested the tag is reproduced and runs about $75. It also means that some one could put one on an incorrect radiator. Hopefully someone has a pic for you. There is a 307, 350, 6 cyl VG radiator on ebay if you want to look at it for comparison. Item 1855504595.

Good luck, Greg

[69L89396]

Thanks Greg,
That's exactly what I don't want to do, put a tag on the wrong radiator.
Alot of radiators I've seen have stamps on the tanks that seem to match the tag. I hope someone here on this site has one that can confirm this. There seems to not be very much information on this subject in any of the books I've seen.
Do the COPO tags match the tanks? There must be some pattern to the way they did this.

[Stefano]

There is a rasised I and O , Full and Harrison stamped from the inside out so that it is raised on the filler tank if I remember correct and the Right tank brace has an "R" for right side.
I have never seen Tag info stamped into a Camaro radiator tank.

[69L89396]

Thanks Stefano,
Not to dought your memory, but does anyone here on this site have a '69 Camaro 396/375 manual that has the original radiator that can confirm this? I have called several sources and nobody seems to know what exactly this is supose to be. Everyone I talked to said the only way to know for sure is to find an original car and get the information off it. I have called Jerry MacNeish but have not heard back from him yet. He might be able to confirm this.

[JChlupsa]

We have a big Cruise night this weekend and I now of 2 BBC Camaros that are orginal that make it to most of them,and Ill take a look at them. If I find anything Ill take some pics and send them your way

[69L89396]

Thanks,
If you can't get pictures, just make a note of anything on the tanks.

[Stefano]

I can't vouch for it being original to the car, but my L78 Manual has a correct three core Harrison "O" A "O" raised on the filler tank While the 4 core original Yenko radiator looks like "O" K "I" and they both say FILL ^ COLD and have an "R" on the Driver side tank Brace.

Of course both have "Harrison" Raised on the Filler tank.

I have seen one low milage original L78 4 speed 4.10 posi Camaro with a Curved neck COPO style 4 core radiator as well.

[69L89396]

Stefano,
Is that "OO" or "OAO"? I don't understand the way you are using " marks as to what you are saying. Also, what is on the drivers side tank?

I talked to a friend who knows of an original untouched 7,000 mile L78 and I'm trying to get intouch with the guy.

[Chevy454]

Just curious, 69L89396, what color is this 7,000 mile L78?

[69L89396]

Chevy454,
I'll let you know when I talk to him. I do know it was originaly from Tennessee.

[Stefano]

Big 0 on the raised portion of the tank and smaller but Cap A on the recessed portion of the tank and a Big 0 on the next raised portion , then the tag blocks the rest of the tank and no more letters.

Does anyone know what the letters signify?

[69L89396]

HawaiianCamaro,
Any luck with those BB radiators this weekend?

[Stefano]

A list member has informed me that the letter on the recessed portion of the tank, in between the O O or O I is a letter date code and the 00 and IO are stamped on the radiator tag.

So "A" would be January and "K" would be November of the Model Run (November of 1968 for a 1969 Model Camaro).

Can anyone confirm this information. I had no idea that the tanks/radiator were date coded.

[69L89396]

This is very interesting. I would not dought the date coding.

From what I can tell, the letters on the raised portion of the tanks denotes the tank size for the core size, core length and whether it is for an automatic or 4 speed application. It is hard to get the absolute correct information just by looking because you don't know if some time in the radiator's history the core has been changed.

If these are really date coded, I wonder how far ahead they made them of the car build date. I would think they would be fairly close considering how many cars were being built.

[1969L78Nova]

For what its worth the markings on my 1969 L78 Nova (4 speed) Harrison radiator are: "O" "M"(recessed)"O" . I therefore doubt the "M" designates a date code. Looking forward to other responses as to what these codes mean!

[69L89396]

There may be a letter or two that wasn't used.

Check out this link from the same subject over at the Team Camero website. Does anyone know about the other tag that was found?

http://home.pcmagic.net/bertfam/misc.htm

[Kurt S]

M is December for half of GM parts. What's the date of your car?

On that tag, didn't realize it was in the airflow. I think rebuild......

[1969L78Nova]

Kurt
Its a March 69 built car.

Martin M.

[Stefano]

Does your "M" look like the "E" that is posted? It would be correct for a March built Car.

[1969L78Nova]

Stefano
It's definitely an "M"

Martin

[69L89396]

Over at the Team Camaro site it was brought up that the application tag also has the letters of the tanks.

Does anyone have the information on all the application tags that includes the letters of the tanks to verify this?

As for the date coding, are both tanks date coded or just the fill tank?

[JoeC]

here is a picture of some Harrisons. The top one has a tag with the tank letters in small size but different letters in big case. I notice the location of overflow tube differs as well as diameter of rad outlet.

[69L89396]

Do you know what these rads came from?

[JoeC]

Three are from Chevelle and bottom one Camaro but not sure of engine. You will have to only go by low mile cars to see original letters. One of them does not have the "fill level" stamped and I think it is a later model.

[69L89396]

From what I can tell, the "OO" tank is used on the 68-69 BB Camaros & Novas with four speeds. Does anyone know what was used on the 67 BB Camaro?

[RonNova396L34]

Guys,
I went out and checked my 70 Nova BB 396/350 4 speed which I know has the original Harrison tanks on it and my code on the tanks was "OO" with a small F between the O's. My car was built August 69.
Ron

[ssl78]

This is a picture of the radiator out of my Camaro.

[ssl78]

Here is the other tank. There is a K between the 0 0

[ssl78]

If you notice in the last picture I posted, at the bottom of the radiator tag there are numbers stamped. Any idea what they are?

[RonNova396L34]

ssL78
My other post should have read I checked my tank not tanks. I checked my radiator again. I found the driver's side had "IL" on it. "OFO" was on the passenger side tank. Unfortunately, I'm missing that small tag on my passenger side. Looks like the tag lists codes for both radiator tanks. I'm looking in the Ground Up catalog at a better picture of that small tag and this is my guess. The bottom number appears to be a part number for the radiator?? It looks like the last number is 9? When was your car assembled?
Ron

[ssl78]

My car was assembled in May. If the middle letter is K that means that is not the original radiator for my car, or it was assembled late in 68. Anybody else with a 427 curved neck radiator know what the date is on thier tank is. What should be the code on the radiatir tag.

[CJP_69]

Glad to see this question is generating some interest. I posted a similar question in my "possible copo" thread asking if these smaller letters were date codes. The car is an 05E but the 4 core curved neck has an F between the O O.

[rpoz11]

Hi! I cruise thru here from time to time. I am definately interested in this topic. I have a 69 PaceCar with the original drivetrain and this radiator. My car is a 325/396 4-Speed car built with an 02B trim tag, drivetrian is ALL matching #s and seems to all be within 4 weeks on casting dates/run #s(2nd-4th week Dec/68,1st &amp; 2nd week Jan/69). My radiator Tag is a "ZD" tag. Will this help? <font color="blue"> </font color> /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[rpoz11]

OK, there ya go! After many attempts, here is the Tag pic! /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[RonNova396L34]

rpoZ11
Is that a "A" next to the tag in the picture? On the right side of it? Looks like its upside down.
Ron

[Denis]

[rpoz11]

YES!

[RonNova396L34]

69L78Nova
One question, do you know for certain if your radiator or tanks are the original units?
Ron

[69L89396]

If "A" is for January, that would be a correct radiator for that car.

[rpoz11]

here is another pic... seems to be better that I email pics; this server or my pic driver isnt compatable /ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif

[rpoz11]

There has been a question proposed to me about the GM part # on the bottom of my tag; the tag has the part # starting with a 3xxxxxx 8. I was trying to get the paint off of it and being it is so thin that I need to find another way to lift the # out of it. It does end spaced with an "8", for the year 1968! /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[RonNova396L34]

rpoZ11
Would putting a piece of paper over it and then running a pencil across the paper lift the number? Kind of like tracing a penny under a piece of paper? See if that works. Otherwise maybe shining a different colored light over it in the dark like a blue light or a red light like a "laser pointer." Sometimes shining a flashlight at a real low angel across the item in the dark will work. This works nice for me at work in the dark.

69L89396

If that's the case, "F" (June) would also be right for my August 69 build date??

Ron

[rpoz11]

I would say so, yes. But, lie us all, we are all still learning! /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif