Witteck Tower Hose Clamps

[ko-lek-tor]

Did a search, came up empty.
I am trying to figure out hose clamp dates. Specifically, would a clamp with this date, 3-68, indicate that it is 3 rd quarter of 68 and that would be correct for the early 69 model year? Or, does the 68 mean it was the 3 rd quarter of the 68 model year?
There are some parts on a GM car dated starting with the model year and then, some parts dated by the quarter of the year, IE: plug wires.

[bertfam]

They're dated the quarter of the year they were manufactured. In your case, 3/68 means it was manufactured the third quarter of 1968. My car was built the 4th week of May, 1968, and all the original clamps that were still on the car were dated 2/68 (second quarter of 1968).

Ed

[ko-lek-tor]

That was fast Bert! I mean, Ed. Would these, in your humble opinion, be acceptable correct for my 12B (69 model year) car?

[bertfam]

Yes, by all means use them. The 1968 and 1969 NCRS judging guide states that "All dated hose clamps should fall within a year prior to vehicle build date", so I would assume the Camaro would be the same.

Ed

[Mike S]

Bentley...where are you getting the clamps from? I bought dated clamps (repro) and 3 out of 4 failed. Just curious who you are getting them from.

[BULLITT65]

I find good used ones on eBay, but I have also gotten many of them from parts cars over the years. Wittek made them for many manufactures, I have even seen clothes washers with them on the hoses. You just have to pay attention to the sizes. I have way better luck with the original clamps than the repops.
Repops you can tighten one time (maybe) and then they are done. They tend to tilt and bend very easily.

Finding nice originals on older 4 door cars, is fun. Any time I run across a 60's car that is getting parted out, I can always find little nuggets
There is always A little treasure there, could be bolts, fasteners/clips, an original radiator cap. Many great finds.

Bentley is the King though, that guy has found some great scores lately.
For example while I am finding bolts and clips, and feeling good about myself, Bentley is finding rear ends, intakes. His finds dwarf what I come across....

[Mike S]

 I have found the best Witteck repro clamps from AMK but they are not dated. AMK's have thicker bands and stronger towers whereby you don't need to use pliers to hold then while tightening. If I get ambitious I will get a set of stamps and stamp dates on my clamps.
I have some old ones to get the correct font sizes from.

[169INDY]

Finding nice originals on older 4 door cars, is fun. Any time I run across a 60's car that is getting parted out, I can always find little nuggets
There is always A little treasure there, could be bolts, fasteners/clips, an original radiator cap. Many great finds.

Bentley is the King though, that guy has found some great scores lately.
For example while I am finding bolts and clips, and feeling good about myself, Bentley is finding rear ends, intakes. His finds dwarf what I come across....

1965-1972 Trucks (GMC & Chev) are another fabulous resource for these little items!

JIM

[bertfam]

You guys are lucky. Here in Southern California, there are VERY few wrecking yards now, and the ones we DO have don't have anything in them older than the 1990's! The California EPA got rid of most of the yards starting back in the 1980's. The ones that are left are the "pull your part" type of yards.

Before that, there used to be some REALLY good yards in Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego where I would go get parts from cars as far back as the 1950's. Boy, I really miss those days.

Ed

[ko-lek-tor]

Bentley...where are you getting the clamps from? I bought dated clamps (repro) and 3 out of 4 failed. Just curious who you are getting them from.

I find them in rooting through old timers junk drawers and buying box lots. Don’t do the junk yard because not too many that would even have cars over 10 years old and if they do, the cars are picked over like a monkey picking fleas off another. Repop? I would have to be hard up to use repop anything. I try to use only GM.
There is a guy in Oklahoma that has tons and tons of real witteck nos clamps. I have used him, as well. Ask Tim, (ZLP), got him a set from that guy. I think he liked them.

[ZLP955]

Bill Mock is the source of the NOS clamps Bentley is referring to, he also does water pumps.
Very nice clamps (thanks Bentley!), worth noting many of the NOS items aren't dated, but otherwise correct in appearance.

[HOT3O2]

I hear you Ed, I spent many hours going through those yards in the 70's and 80's. They've gone the way of the drive in theater.

[262jp]

I found out spraying with wd-40 helps when righting them.

[Stingr69]

Picked up a number of tower clamps myself at the boneyard.  I always look for vans and commercial vehicles.  Not too hard to find if you keep your eyes open. 

Some smog check valves are common across the other lines.  Luxury GM cars frequently still have original smog stuff and some of that works for Chevy too.

[firstgenaddict]

I have great luck buying boxes of fasteners removed from GM 60's 70's era vehicles.... Usually find boxes for $5-$20 at flea markets, quite a few times there are RC15 rad caps and Stant Assembly line Gas Caps thrown in, last box I bought for $10 had 2 original Cowl induction relays along with really nice rear spring shackles with bolts and the original mardsen nuts.