[BobCal]

I own a '63 Lemans convert with the 326 and auto trans. The upper radiator hose mounts on the driver's side, which seems contrary to most pics and viewing of other cars. Passenger side seems almost unanimous. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light. The car was restored some years ago by Dick Lackey, and at that time converted to four barrel, dual exhaust HO spec. I have a Pontiac magazine ad from 1963 which shows the standard 2 bbl 326 next to the new 4 bbl 326. Oddly, the water neck on the 2 bbl points to the right, while the 4bbl points to the left (driver's side). Did they use differents rads maybe? As the car was built in the California plant, perhaps they used different suppliers? Maybe HD cooling/AC apps were different? Anyway, its no big deal, just a question for post Thanksgiving! Pic attached, thanks

[tom s]

63s 326s have the alt on the pass side.4 cycs I believe are on the drivers side.The pic looks correct.Tom

[63Banshee]

Unless you have a/c, but what you have is correct alt placement. Now, I do have V8 cars with rt/rt hoses. Can't say I remember any having a lt upper hose. Checking.

[63Banshee]

Of the 2 63 V8 cars at my shop and the other 4 I've sold/parted that I have pictures of all have rt/rt hoses. All are non-a/c 2 bbl. I don't know if I have pictures of the 2 a/c V8 cars I've had, nor the HO car I had. I'm sure someone here has pictures. Side note: you'll see lt upper hoses on SD cars.

[Poncho_Villa]

I dragged this Smoke Signal article out of my archives and scanned the two pages. Mine is the same as in the article.

[tom s]

As you can see that is not a factory upper hose.Curious what the radiator is.Is it a A?C car?Tom

[BobCal]

So, is the inlet on the driver's side for an A/C equipped car? Maybe my hose neck was just reversed and an A/C rad used? Just curious.

[Doug]

Hollander interchange book lists only one radiator for 63's. However, the listing has an A, B, and C version listed with a notation thusly:

A, B & C interchange, but watch cooling capacity, Auto. trans. rad. fits man. shift. To use man. shift in auto. jobs switch lower tank.

A. stpd (stamped) 3155251-Tempest '63 4cyl w/o air cond.

B. stpd 3155252- (4cyl), 3155554 (8cyl)
service 3158054 Tempest '63 4cyl. w/air cond., Tempest '63 8cyl w/o air cond.

C. stpd. 3158357, service 3158857 Tempest '63 8cyl w/air cond., Tempest '63 8cyl. air cond. or H.D.

Pictures in old magazine photographs show upper hose on the right. CAR LIFE (Jan-63) has a 2bbl 326 auto (non-air) coupe with hose to right. MOTOR TREND (Feb-63) has a 2bbl 325 3-spd stick (non-air) convertible with upper hose to right.

The '63 Tempest Chassis Shop Manual (page 6A-3) has engine cooling sketch drawings showing the 4cyl upper hose going to the right and the V-8 going to the left. Please note that the V-8 sketch may be in error because the drawing is the same as the drawing of a 1962 big car V-8 system in the 1962 big car Chassis Shop Manual.

I don't know anything about the Hollander book's reference to a "stamped number" and if a radiator indeed has a "stamped number" on it, then perhaps you can try to find it and let us know what it is. That would enable us to "confirm" the applications/designs of the various factory radiators.

[lemans63]

Just for the heck of it I checked to see what my radiator had stamped on it and it clearly is 3155554. However it came out of my car which was originally a 4 cylinder. The 3155554 is for an 8 cylinder supposedly. Oh well, maybe the factory used whatever was available at the time. Just thought I would throw this into the mix. The inlet is on the right.

[BobCal]

Where is the stamped # located on the rad?

[lemans63]

It is stamped horizontally about 3" from the top not quite in the center. I don't have the radiator here right now so I'm not sure if it is on the engine side or other side.

[c5farmer]

I have never parted or owned a 63 Tempest that had the top hose on the driver side(left). Don't think they ever came that way. The Chassis Shop Manual states that 4 different radiators were used on the 63 Tempest cars. They may be identified by the radiator code stamped on upper inside right corner of top tank.

Code 151--195 L-4
152--195 L-4 A/C
154--326 V8
157--326 V8 A/C