Restoration radiators are 100% correct reproduction aluminum plate type radiators. These radiators appear exactly like the original model, including the GM part number, date code, and label. Plate type radiators are not simply for show, as they will out perform any tube type aluminum racing radiator. With ratings as high as 4600btu/m, these radiators are the highest performance radiators on the market. A four row copper replacement radiator provides about 3300btu/m which usually results in a hot motor. If your car originally came with an aluminum radiator, changing to copper radiator is a downgrade in performance".
This radiator was first used on the 1965 396 cu. in. big block Corvettes. This option (L78) was late in coming out and was not available until about February of 1965. The first few cars used our (945) early version (GM 3005936), which features a straight upper hose connection from the small block radiator. The tube was changed to a curved upper neck (955) about vin. number 16000. GM then changed the part number to 3007436 and it was used on the majority of the 2,157 1965 big blocks produced.
The same (3007436) radiator returned in 1967 for the L88 option (20) and continued in 1968 (80) and 1969 (116). The small block ZR-1 option cars and the LT-1 with the heavy-duty (M22) transmission was also equipped with this radiator.
During the sixties, many racing teams used this radiator in cars other than Corvette. Penske racing used it in several Camaro’s. Due to the lightweight design, small size, and high cooling performance, this radiator was the best radiator available for many years. It was capable of cooling the 425 horsepower of the 396 and was yet only 2” bigger than the 3155316.
