63 radiator petcock question

[Bob R.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

I called Tom DeWitt earlier today to ask him about the pet cock and his response was the following. DeWitts pet cock is made exactly per the original it is aluminum however as per the original it has steel wings to open and close it. and because of the steel wings it will be detected by a magnet.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

I find it ironic that no one mentions the problem all the aluminum pet cocks present, I.e. They will not open without striping the wings from where they are peaned onto the center plug, or what ever you want to call it. I went through many of them over the years until I started treating them like just another pipe plug and removed them by threading them in and out using a wrench on the hex portion. I found that however much I tried to close the pet cock just enough to close it and stop the drips, it would still seize and strip the wings when I next tried to open it.

Stu Fox

[Joe L.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

I have a petcock that has aluminum threads on the part that screws into the radiator and metal on the winged ends, is the correct petcock suppose to be all aluminum? during my last judging this was brought to my attention, that its should be all aluminum and not magnetic.

Edward-----

Aluminum petcocks were used for aluminum radiator Corvettes at least through 1969. Sometime after 1969 I believe it changed to aluminum plug. I believe this may have been in the 1971-72 period. Aluminum radiators were not used in C-3 Corvettes for the remainder of the model run.

On original aluminum petcocks the entire assembly was non-magnetic, presumably aluminum, including the "ears" and the central barrel. On some reproductions I have seen, the "ears" and central barrel are magnetic and, thus, obviously steel.

There is another tip-off for the reproductions versus originals: on the originals, the threaded (pipe fitting) portion of the assembly appears to be die-formed with rolled threads. On the reproductions, this portion of the assembly appears to be machined with cut threads. While the threads cannot be seen once installed, the appearance of the hex portion between the two is slightly different. Am I hung up on a nuance like this? Of course not. But, I thought I'd point it out for the benefit of others who might be.

[Edward J.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

Here's what the aluminum petcock looks like.




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John, have you found someone that make the 63 Drain plugs?

[John H.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

John, have you found someone that make the 63 Drain plugs?

Ed -

Nope - my focus is '57-'67, and use of aluminum plugs didn't start until early in the C3 era; 63's didn't use plugs.

[Jim T.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

I saw one not long ago on a C3. As you might expect they're not common this many years later.

My original owner 1970 still has the plug. Learned in 1972 to use a back-up wrench to remove it to change coolant.

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

Ditto on the aluminum version. It may be correct for judging, but forget about regular maintenance. I just went through two, neither of them would seal using the wings. Turned it into a plug real fast by removing the wings and tightening the threaded portion that would have opened up if it had worked properly.

[Frank D.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

My '63 has the petcock; I believe its original on an original radiator. I've used petcocks on all my muscle cars - never stripped one...
You can't crank on them too hard - they just need to be snug...

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

Maybe the original aluminum ones were better made. My 63 had the petcock but one of the previous owners had twisted off the wings. It was aluminum. I anticipated a failure with the repro so i purchase two. Both went in ok but they would not seal. I never had issues with brass versions but that wasn't an option since the radiator is aluminum.

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

Here is a good source for the aluminum plug

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

The plugs are nice, but why not just use a replacement aluminum Petcock, only when you drain the radiator, remove the entire peacock with a good open end wrench. Never use the wings to open it as they always will strip out (round out if you will) and you'll have to remove the entire peacock anyway. I stopped playing that game about 30 years ago and got smart. Continuing to use a correct peacock makes it always look right and removing the entire piece with a wrench will give you complete draining without wrecking it.

Stu Fox

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 radiator petcock question

I bought two aluminum petcocks from Paragon. They were very nicely made. I bought two because i read elsewhere in this site to buy a spare because the wings don't hold up because of the soft aluminum. The first one i installed leaked through the petcock opening even when tight. I opened it thinking there might be something blocking it but no luck. Removed it and the inside top seemed to be seated fine. So i then hooked up the second one to a garden hose using an adapter of sorts and that one leak as well.

I used a pair of pliers to tighten the petcock in the second one, broke off the ears and it stop leaking. So i put that one back for now and it's functioning as a plug. At $17 a pop I'm not going to waste any more money. It's not a show car but i am restoring it slowly as if it were going to be. I can always buy another petcock and fill the opening with epoxy and be done with it.