Complete aluminum radiator assembly with no plastic end tanks or rubber gaskets
Two row radiator design with dual 1-inch-wide core tubes for maximum cooling
Press formed aluminum tanks fully welded with no gaskets or epoxy
Factory-sized cooling hose inlet and outlet connections
Direct Fit® upgrade means just that, no modifications needed to your Corvette
Radiators are assembled in the U.S.A. with a lifetime warranty
Radiator features factory style mounting brackets
Serpentine cooling fins deliver optimum airflow across core tubes for cooling
Optional transmission oil cooler available on select models
Pre-mounted 16-inch electric cooling fan package option
Electric fan temperature switch mounted in top tank to minimize wiring
Black Ice two-part epoxy coating available on all aluminum radiator models
Controlled atmosphere furnace brazed core with TIG welded tanks and brackets
Full wiring harness kit included with the pre-mounted fan package
COOL YOUR 1955-1960 C1 CORVETTE WITH A DEWITTS DIRECT FIT® AND DRIVE WORRY FREE
The first generation Corvette, built from 1953-1962, is often referred to as the C1, but some call them the “straight axle” generation due to this first generation of Corvette featuring a solid or “straight” rear axle versus the more commonly found independent rear suspension that came along in the C2s in 1963. One thing most can agree on is that these first gen Corvettes are much sought after, making them one of the most popular generation of Corvettes for owning.
The C1 Corvette is a great entry model into classic Corvette ownership and has seen a lot of interest in the “restomod” crowd. Restomodding a vehicle is when you modernize the drivetrain, suspension, and more while keeping the overall look subdued or stock appearing. To that end, the ever popular small block Chevy engine platform remains an extremely popular engine to power these cars. Being a factory engine fitment there are little to no issues with building a nice small block and it dropping right in. With various engine stroker kits, modern cylinder head designs, and such, the small block Chevy engine can make plenty of power to motivate your C1 Corvette that we’re here to help keep cool with our Direct Fit® C1 Corvette radiator packages.
BUILT TO FIT YOUR C1 CORVETTE WITH ZERO MODIFICATIONS TO INSTALL
Our Pro Series Direct Fit® C1 Corvette aluminum radiator for 1955-1960 models is built using the highest quality aluminum materials, assembled, furnace brazed, and TIG welded all in our Wixom, Michigan facility (just 30 mins up I-96 from GM’s corporate headquarters at the Renaissance Center). Each radiator carries a limited lifetime warranty, is pressure tested, and carefully double wall boxed with insulation to ensure it makes the trip to you and keeps your project moving forward.
Our press formed top and bottom tanks provide an OE appearance and mean you won’t have any fitment issues. Flat plate welded tanks that our competitors use rarely have this luxury, requiring modifications to your car to fit the larger tanks and/or additional bracketry or adapters. Using a two-row core built with 1-inch-wide core tubes and serpentine cooling fins maximizes air flow contact through the core to pull away the most heat, no matter the demand on the system.
Our Direct Fit® radiator allows you to easily bolt in the best aluminum radiator for your C1 Corvette with an increase of 33 percent in cooling efficiency compared to the stock unit. Not only is our radiator a hassle-free install but we have properly fitted our radiator with the correctly located and sized inlet and outlet radiator hose fittings to allow the use of factory-style reproduction or aftermarket cooling hoses. Automatic transmission-equipped models feature a factory style internal cooler with 5/16-inch inverted flare fitting ports for your original transmission cooler lines.
C1 CORVETTE PRO SERIES DIRECT FIT® RADIATOR OPTIONS
This C1 Corvette radiator is for the 1955-1960 model years of C1 production. DeWitts also offers our 1955-1960 C1 radiator in our HP Series with a 2.75-inch-thick core featuring larger 1.25-inch dual core tubes for even more cooling, which is perfect for high horsepower builds or track use. The optional SPAL 16-inch cooling fan solution comes preinstalled when ordered together with the temperature switch pre-fitted in the top tank. A complete fan wiring harness with relay is included as well. Our Black Ice two-part epoxy coating option is a semi-gloss black finish that provides an OE-like look for those that want to keep things low key under the hood. Be sure to add some DeWitts High Performance coolant to your order to protect your cooling system and help it achieve maximum thermal capabilities along with a new DeWitts 15 psi radiator cap for your radiator as well.
Fitment:
- 1955 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1956 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1958 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1959 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1960 Chevrolet Corvette
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