Aluminum Radiator mounting help... What size?

[sonoranfun]

Okay, my radiator went yesterday so faced with buying a new one or spending $100 to get the old one fixed I've decided to buy something new as I wasn't happy with the old setup anyway. So I bought this one on eBay and don't know what size to run. I could get the 22 inch and try to stuff it in the factory mounts or go out to a 24 or 26 inch and fab something.

Have any of you done this or do you have any strong thoughts on it or how to mount it if I go with something bigger.

Main reasons I would want to re-do the mounts is to move it forward as I have a SBC and the electric fan is a little tight. I would like the added clearance of it being in inch forward.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

My guess is you will need to fab up a new mounting system on whatever one you buy. That said go as big as you can more volume better cooling. You can go as large as 30" wide without cutting sheetmetal.

Mounting can be made simple by rubber pads mounted to the frame rails. Run vertical uprights in front of the radiator off the frame rails. Top clamps bolt to uprights holding radiator in place.

I just finished installing a new AC condenser in the picture but you can get the radiator mounting idea. The radiator in the picture is 29x18 running AC and zero cooling issues here in AZ without an electric fan.

Note: My radiator is not alm. but the mounting would be the same.

HTH

 

[Poser]

Pretty sweet Phil!


Have any more pictures of that set up?


Thanks!


-Steve

 

[freightdog]

Hey Phil - do you have a shroud - gettin the flex-o-lite for the 60! Might get two / one for the 40!

Nice setup!

Sweeeeet motor!

 

[LC_Hamma]

That's the one I got too! The 22" X 19" fits with a little bit of fabbin' req'd to the rad. frame. If you're gonna use the stock shroud, you gotta cut some & reweld in new metal, it's doable. I had to buy an extra piece of bent & swaged alum. tubing. I would add a drain cock to the bottom also.

 

[dgangle]

That's the one I got too! The 22" X 19" fits with a little bit of fabbin' req'd to the rad. frame. If you're gonna use the stock shroud, you gotta cut some & reweld in new metal, it's doable. I had to buy an extra piece of bent & swaged alum. tubing:

So the 19X22" is adequate to cool your 350? I have always heard a 19X26 was needed. If you are using the 22" wide, does it fit down between the frame rails or does it set on top? The reason I ask is that I want to run a mechanical fan and I'm concerned that a radiator that is too wide to fit inside the frame rails will be too high to line up well with a mech. fan. And then there is the issue of interference witht he Saginaw steering shaft. Any info is appreciated.

 

[LC_Hamma]

Nope, not running a 350. The rad. is a snug fit & almost looks like a factory option....... somewhat. I'm using an electric pusher in front, it barely clears the grill. I have a body lift, so no issues with the Saginaw shaft.

 

[Vortec_Cruiser]

Get the 26" wide one, since it's the same price. Mounting is easy, by just splitting the stock mount at the bottom. Use 1" steel angle to bridge the two halves of the mount at the bottom. I lined mine with strips of 1/4' thick rubber bed mat material. For the top of the mount, I drew the two sides together using a piece of 1/2" steel angle. The Mark VIII electric fan/shroud fits the 26" wide radiator like a glove. This is the ideal setup for a 350 V8.

 

[dustin]

I have a 350 tbi and a 22" x 19" aluminum crossflow with a Taurus puller fan and it does fine crawling in the heat and speeding down the highway. Actually- the fin surface area is only 18 x 19, and the pots on the sides take up the rest of the space. I would go wider next time though, just for insurance sake. But the headlight buckets and the way I am mounting it take up room on the sides as well. My radiator is like the stocker one with tabs on the sides. If i do it again, I might take the sandwich aproach since it allows more room on the sides since you dont have brackets there.

-Dustin

 

[Vortec_Cruiser]

26" is as wide as you can go without covering up the connectors on the back of the headlights.