Aluminum Radiators? worth the investment?

[tallhair]

That's why I got mine. I would have put in a used one if I could have found one under $250.

I imagine metal recycling has taken a massive toll on used radiators in the past 25 years ... non Hemi and Six Pak rads have not brought much $ and they are heavy, fragile, cut you or scrape your legs up when you bump into them, easy to knock over, and take up a lot of room so people probably scrapped them versus store them. I have a couple but they are not the correct numbers for muscle cars so no one is pounding my door down to get them.

I did sell a 26" 047 68 Big Block B body Rad recently though. I need a nice 22" 045 for my R/T or at least the correct straps - i have some top and bottom tanks.

Sorry for going off the rails there ... move along - nothing to see here

 

[1978 NYB]

I run factory stock radiators in both of my 1978 C-Bodies. Never ever had an overheating problem even in bumper to bumper traffic at the Carlisle show with +110 heat index with the A/C on full blast. Of course I have all of the cooling shrouds and other factory air directing ducts, dams, etc. in place too. I've driven the 1978 NYB from Maryland to Green Bay, Wisconsin and back 5 times and no issues at all.

 

[commando1]

Having all the air dam flaps on the Formals is essential I have found.

 

[1978 NYB]

IMHO....It is also part of the anti-theft engineering to make it as difficult as possible to get to the hood release cable if the hood release handle isn't working. LOL!

 

[commando1]

IMHO....It is also part of the anti-theft engineering to make it as difficult as possible to get to the hood release cable if the hood release handle isn't working. LOL!

Thanks for the reminder. I better get out to the garage while it's fresh in my mind.

 

[TheFearlessFury]

I got a champion radiator a while back, The stock one leaked like crazy and I was able to pick up the champion for around 200 bucks. Commando is right by the way, It never seems like the brackets line up right, but I had no problem drilling new holes and cutting the brackets a bit.

Anyhow, So far so good on the aluminum radiator.

 

[fury413rb]

I got a champion radiator a while back, The stock one leaked like crazy and I was able to pick up the champion for around 200 bucks. Commando is right by the way, It never seems like the brackets line up right, but I had no problem drilling new holes and cutting the brackets a bit.

Anyhow, So far so good on the aluminum radiator.

did the factory shroud fit?

 

[TheFearlessFury]

did the factory shroud fit?

No not really, It was stripped and basically useless though, So I just ended up not using it. The Fury seems to get along well without it though. That could be a problem for some, but I'm pretty sure my shroud was basically for show.

 

[Bruzilla]

I installed a Champion that was supposed to fit, but the lower mounting holes were off. I just drilled two new holes. Also, the shroud was a bit too small, so I made some mounting tabs out of 1/2" x 1/8" bar stock and mounted it using those.

 

[mr. fix it]

Thanks for the reminder. I better get out to the garage while it's fresh in my mind.

so how do you remove it if it will not wash off, melt or freeze?????

 

[commando1]

so how do you remove it if it will not wash off, melt or freeze?????

 

[mr. fix it]

LOL!!!!!