67 GT500 Thermostat housing

[shelbydoug]

Is this supposed to be painted or natural as cast? I forgot and I am seeing both ways on engine pics.
I know I have blue paint on the intake manifold where the mask leaked right in that area.

[Bob Gaines]

Is this supposed to be painted or natural as cast? I forgot and I am seeing both ways on engine pics.
I know I have blue paint on the intake manifold where the mask leaked right in that area.

Painted in place on the aluminum intake.

[shelbydoug]

Thank you.

[acman63]

Going to start calling you Mr Concours  Mr. W

[shelbydoug]

Going to start calling you Mr Concours  Mr. W

You'll never know when I will show up. You're all safe in a group but don't wonder too far away? 

[Bob Gaines]

Going to start calling you Mr Concours  Mr. W

Who would have thought.

[shelbydoug]

So in theory, "we" can take this thermostat housing, "machine off" the cast in plug and paint it. Then "walla!" we have a 67 housing? 

[Bob Gaines]

So in theory, "we" can take this thermostat housing, "machine off" the cast in plug and paint it. Then "walla!" we have a 67 housing? 

I am assuming it has the "thumbprint' divot on the other side . If it doesn't there are others that do. I would also machine off the C8 engineering number too. Then you would have something similar not exact.

[shelbydoug]

Until someone makes some new ones, it's a consideration. The casual observer just sees the additional casting for the vacuum tree.

The casting numbers are so fine that they tend to get unnoticed.

It's just going to be the Head Judge that needs to have his glasses hidden?

At $35 vs. $500, the difference makes the consideration valid. In fact, they are so rare, I may have to buy an entire car to get the part?

I do think I remember reading of a limited run 5-7 years ago?

[Bob Gaines]

Until someone makes some new ones, it's a consideration. The casual observer just sees the additional casting for the vacuum tree.

The casting numbers are so fine that they tend to get unnoticed.

It's just going to be the Head Judge that needs to have his glasses hidden?

At $35 vs. $500, the difference makes the consideration valid. In fact, they are so rare, I may have to buy an entire car to get the part?

I thought Scott Drake made a copy of the C7AE-A thermostat housing? It was in their 2016 Scoot Drake product catalog at 24.95.  It isn't perfect but at least as good as machining the one in your picture and without all of the trouble.

[shelbydoug]

Until someone makes some new ones, it's a consideration. The casual observer just sees the additional casting for the vacuum tree.

The casting numbers are so fine that they tend to get unnoticed.

It's just going to be the Head Judge that needs to have his glasses hidden?

At $35 vs. $500, the difference makes the consideration valid. In fact, they are so rare, I may have to buy an entire car to get the part?

I do think I remember reading  of a limited run maybe 5-7 years ago?

I thought Scott Drake made a copy of the C7AE-A thermostat housing? It was in their 2016 Scoot Drake product catalog at 24.95.  It isn't perfect but at least as good as machining the one in your picture and without all of the trouble.

It is not in the online catalog. Maybe he sold out and isn't making more?

[shelbydoug]

Ah! That is the picture of the Scott Drake C7AE-A thermostat housing that I posted above.

[Bob Gaines]

Ah! That is the picture of the Scott Drake C7AE-A thermostat housing that I posted above.

What a shame . I know a couple years back they had a version without the vacuum fitting stub that was meant for 67. At least it is not expensive, so you can hack away.

[shelbydoug]

Ah! That is the picture of the Scott Drake C7AE-A thermostat housing that I posted above.

What a shame . I know a couple years back they had a version without the vacuum fitting stub that was meant for 67. At least it is not expensive, so you can hack away.

Yes.

In fairness, they are no longer listing that housing in the online catalog. It is just identified currently by the C7AE part number by his current dealers that still have a few.

I'll call 'Drake' later and see what they say about having any of the 'original' batch left. The people I talk to on the phone there tend not to know any more then I do though.

Do you have a picture or can you scan that catalog and post the picture here?

I'm wondering if that picture you are looking at is of an original they were showing before they decided how to make the 'reproduction'?

Machining off the bump on the current one, which is a $20 part, then heavily sandblasting it to get a uniform 'cast' finish seems to be a reasonable alternative?

It does depend on what the internal dimple looks like. Ideally there is none on that 'plug'.

[shelbydoug]

Bob. Jerry @ DrakeScott says the one with the casting bump IS the only one that they ever offered.
He does say that that plug is solid all the way through and can be machined off without needing to be welded up.

That sounds like Plan A at the moment.