68 Air Conditioning -Sealing

[68L30]

Ok,Here's some new info......I spent the day Sat. working on a unrestored 68 RS/SS 350 car. This was a 04D car with 1700 orig miles. Totaly UNRESTORED. No seal across the core support,no side baffles...The core support had no evidence of ever having a seal.This car had some other neat stuff as well, quite a textbook of what was happning and what wasn't in April of 68. Total time machine!     


Steve

[bertfam]

Steve, can you get me information on the car for the database? Things like VIN, Trim Tag, Seal Belt Codes, Engine stampings, carb code, axle code, etc... Any paperwork?

Ed

[68L30]

Ed....It is all documented. This is the 68 Dana Camaro discussed on the sYc site.


Steve

[68L30]

Ok.I did some more research this weekend and found a few more cars....First a 11B 68 w A/C  that has no seal/dimples or baffles in it.The underhood/car was mostly untouched.....Found two other 06D non A/C cars that both had there orig core supports. Both had dimples for a seal..I see a pattern starting to form here.....I like the TSB date more and more...


Steve 

[lakeholme]

OK, Steve, you are slowly winning me over --except for one thing: the seals do help the temp when running the AC.
I do have to admit that my 12D (undocumented) came with no seals/dimples/baffles.  I think the dimples and baffles have already been explained.  But the seal is still a bit of a "mystery"...

[bertfam]

I now have a few more cars in the database and I'm starting to see some indications of late radiator supports with holes. Here's a picture of a 05E Norwood car. The seal is long gone, but you can clearly see the holes for mounting it.

Ed

[mark x22]

do reproduction supports have dimples ?

[rat pack]

Mark, no the repro core supports do not have the dimples......RatPack........

[lakeholme]

Ed, Steve, Mark, John, and anybody else who will look:

OK, in light of Richard's recent find of the Dealer Service Technical Bulletin: "AC Hoses Rupturing Or Blowing Off --1968 Camaro", dated December 20, 1968, take a look at page two, which includes seal repairs.  It clearly shows seals with adhesive backing, etc.  On page one it suggests these seals in the repair and says they were released for production in June.  (Granted, it completely ignores the support seal other than showing it...and thus not answering my biggest question...)

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=2558.0;all

I'm not going to say this gives any more "support" to the original seal issue (the June date pretty much eleimnates it in earlier cars, except as a dealer repair to fix the problem), but it does at least establish that by 12/20/68 some 68s may have had them --tape adhesive and all.  In fact, I think it may well add more creedence to Steve's theory and at least explain why few can be found...

I guess my question is "Doesn't this give some validation to the 68 AC seals --at least in terms of a repair?"

Would really appreciate opionions!

[bertfam]

phil,

The TSB was released as a "fix" that the dealer would have done on finding problems, and an official announcement that the seal was to go into effect on 6-19-68. In terms of a repair, I would say yes. In terms of "factory", I'm not sure. The cars I've shown in the database are very late and have the holes for the seal like the 69's. I guess it's possible that the seal with the tape was a short term "stop gap" until the engineers could come up with a better way of attaching it (clips).

John would have to weigh in on this one!

Ed

[lakeholme]

Ed,
Thanks.  BTW, I was modifying my post above, as you posted yours.  I forgot that June date, at first.
Steve pretty much has me sold on his theory, basically as you describe it:

...In terms of a repair, I would say yes. In terms of "factory", I'm not sure... I guess it's possible that the seal with the tape was a short term "stop gap" until the engineers could come up with a better way of attaching it (clips)...

I, too, would like to hear from John and others, not just about the theory itself, but how these dates line up, as well.

[68L30]

Sorry, I've not been logged in for some time...

Remember by releasing a TSB.... Chevrolet was aware of a problem that they were having with a particular item.This one was hose rupture due to underhood temps......"IF"... The seals were present....They would not have issued the TSB to add them.Another fix or "check" would have been mentioned in the article.This TSB was about adding seals to a car that was manufactured without them.The easy fix was to retro fit the cars as quickly as possible.Remember the motor mount recall Cables   That means screws were used instead of staples ( the dealer had no way to install staples) and tape to install the seal ( no drilling of holes).The cars produced after the June date were manufactured with the clips and all seals present....Hence the listing of the production date.


Steve

[lakeholme]

You da man, Steve!
Reading your notes above and the TSB, it all adds up...

[68L30]

Hardly the man......Just persistant sometimes..I wish my computer skills were better. I'd have posted the TSB for all to enjoy...

FYI....I have them all (TSB's) from 1968 production and some for early 69... 


What's next on the list....LOL..


Steve

[lakeholme]

Richard scanned the ones he bought....
Would you post a list of the titles of the 68 TSBs you have?

Next for me is deciding whether to remove those seals... By what you figure, my 12D wouldn't have any seals.  Fortunately, the glue comes off relatively easy --if you know what you are going.  Of course, with the weather we are having, anything that helps get cooling may be worth keeping on a driver.