60 radiator in a 55

[Trollhole]

Customer was having some overheating issues. Brought it to the shop. I pulled the radiator and knew immediately what the problem was as the radiator weighed almost twice what it should have. Took it to the radiator shop to have it flow tested and it had 50% flow. Had them try to clean it out but was a no go by the time it was somewhat clean it leaked in a dozen spots. Major money to recore it due it being a weird size. So I decided to try and fit a 60 radiator in. Most 60 stock radiators are two thick but I found a champion 2 core radiator that had enough room for the fan clearance. It did require modding the should a bit and drilling a few new holes but it will fit with no clearance issues.

Also customer wanted A/C so we installed that as well. Required quite a bit of modding the brackets from Nostalgic A/C but we got it to work. Blows cold.

Pics later.

 

[NikP]

Pictures of the required mods would be nice. I know this has been a curiosity from others.

 

[brisveganbj42]

Keen to see what needed to be done as I'll have to fit a BJ radiator into the pig in the not too distant future.

 

[BBQ BOY]

Cool!!!!! Lets see it.

 

[Trollhole]

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I did this a few years back. then caught a rock in my brand new radiator- it was irrepairable. I swapped back in the pig rad and a bottle of stopleak...I'm sure this is a cleaner mod than mine. if only the eyes weren't so close together...

 

[BBQ BOY]

He had one on hand.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

the griffins don't allow for the right fill and return locations...there is no easy answer on a stock powered pig...and please someone post pics to prove me wrong. I am under the impression the bolt in pig radiator replacements (re-cored) are going to be around 4-5 bones

 

[scrapdaddy]

Griffin will put the inlet and outlet where you need them.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

for the 200 bucks? Man. where have I been?

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Marshal, what year pig? when I put a stock replacement 62 rad into my pig, I had to weld a bracket to outboard the drivers side mounting tab on the support to make the width of the radiator mounts. Is the Champion radiator narrower than the stock 60/62 core? what PN are you using here? Thanks

 

[scrapdaddy]

for the 200 bucks? Man. where have I been?

Mine was $280, but set up for the chevy motor.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

guess schools still open...thanks Guys!

 

[tyama]

Hi, Is the fan shroud from a 60 as well? Also, will it fit a '79 with a narrower rad like mine?

Thanks!
Ty

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

your 79 radiator is actually wider than the rest of them- it is skinnier tho, for the fan clutch. When I had a 60 rad in my pig, it didn't allow room for the fan clutch...you could swap your water pump, pulley and fan blade to a non clutch fan type and have about an inch of daylight between the fan and the face of a 60 series radiator...

 

[tyama]

Thanks!

your 79 radiator is actually wider than the rest of them- it is skinnier tho, for the fan clutch. When I had a 60 rad in my pig, it didn't allow room for the fan clutch...you could swap your water pump, pulley and fan blade to a non clutch fan type and have about an inch of daylight between the fan and the face of a 60 series radiator...

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

well. since the rad in the fj62 decided to pee past its top seam, I am going to have it repaired, and try to stuff it into the pig. The guys at CruiserParts.Net actually reached out to me over their concerns that I had been an unsatisfied customer at about the same time the radiator started to weep(like 5 years after their faupax with my money), and offered one up to me, in an attempt to regain my trust. I was dubious at first and thought they would send me one of their 75 dollar tested but with fin damage radiators; but they came thru and sent me a pristene OEM fj62 radiator- which I had flow and pressure tested before installing it. seems those guys who are still there are trying to pull it out and do something good with it...hopefully they keep up the good work...shameless plug; over...

 

[Trollhole]

Has to be a 2 core the 3 core with be too close to the fan. It's a 2 core champion. Using the stock 55 shroud. All we had to do is drill new holes for the shroud.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Has to be a 2 core the 3 core with be too close to the fan. It's a 2 core champion. Using the stock 55 shroud. All we had to do is drill new holes for the shroud.

you guys didn't have to do anything to the radiator support or to the support side of the radiator? The OEM 6X series radiators are wider than the mounting holes of the radiator support- I had to add an outboarded tab to grab one side of the radiator...

 

[RUSH55]

Gotta be kidding me $280?? I paid $400 for a 40 radiator that I had to adapt in. The Pig sat for almost a year because of that chunk I had to cough up.