I had the idea of using an early 60s corvette overflow tank on my '32 3W. Note that on the original Corvettes, these tanks are mounted high so the upper inlet is roughly level with the overflow vent on the radiator. But I'd like to mount mine down low and nestled in by the frame rail and radiator. Have any of you ever done something like this? would the flow dynamics of the tank allow it? A big thanks in advance for your thoughts on this!! Picture of tank in early Corvette attached for reference.
Here's an alternative part that you might consider. I used an overflow tank from an early 90's Geo Metro in my '32 Ford. It should be much easier to come by and a lot cheaper than a Corvette unit. If you decide to use one, be sure to cut the mounting bracket out of the inner fender panel, as they have a unique mounting scheme. Good luck on your project.
The aluminum tank pictured is actually an expansion tank and is where you would fill the cooling system since a corvette radiator is angled down in the nose and the fill needs to be the highest point. It's also meant to be pressurized and not really suited for use as an overflow.
land and sea nailed it , there is no tube inside the tank it basically is a air trap or what we call a surge tank on trucks , if your going to mount it lower than the fill neck you need to have a siphon tube in the tank and a vent to the atmosphere or the fill on the bottom and the tank positioned atleast halfway up the side of the radiator and a vacuum /pressure cap is a must and the neck of your radiator must also be made for the different cap .
If you want a tank designed to be fitted lower than the radiator (it has the correct pipe work to only draw back water from the bottom of the tank) and still look like it was made in the 60's try a Range Rover Classic overflow tank. I use one on an LS3 and it's mounted 12" or more lower than the highest point in the cooling system and works very well.
Zuffen, can you post a picture of it in its new home? I'm using one of the long SS tube types mounted below the top of the rad level, and I can't seem to get it to work consistently.
They don't care if they are high or low they are receiving from a pressurized system and feeding a pressurized system when it gets drawn back. They don't even need to be close to the rad. I made the one in my old galaxie from a 2 gallon fuel can and had it right up against the firewall mounted on the frame rail. it fed and bled real well.
make sure you have the correct radiator cap for a recover system, and that the outer seal is in good condition. The difference is that recovery type caps have a rubber seal around the outside, non recovery systems don't need it and may or may not have it.
Cap pressure is important as well. if your cap pressure is too high the system won't work. Well I guess it wouldn't overflow either. I usually run a lighter cap on one with a tank then I would on one without.
Thanks for the comments. If I put too much coolant in the "tube" while cold, it will puke out some after it sits after a long drive. I have found it dry, on occasion, so am trying to find that place where the coolant will go back and forth. Right now, it is cold, and there is a bit of coolant in the bottom, so figure I might have found the right level. Just didn't know, if there was a way of getting the right level from the start; without trial and error.
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