74-78 Radiator Comparison

jason99

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I've spent a lot of time with my 74 Monaco's radiator so I figured I'd post some stuff in case it was useful to anyone else.

I have a 74 Monaco coupe 360. When I got it the radiator core was shot and both tanks were damaged to the point of having cracks. It is labeled 3692946 59538 on the top tank. It didn't seem to have been replaced at any point and the first number comes up here as being original for a 74 C-body with a small block. http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/reference_radiatorguide.php

It has a 2.5in tank width.
3692946-59538-tankWidth.JPG


Transmission cooling ports are 12in apart.
3692946-59538-coolingPorts.JPG


CCEGR port is on the passenger side. There are four 'bumps' on the rear of the core frame, one for each radiator shroud bolt.
3692946-59538-rearView.JPG


The radiator overflow nozzle is at an angle compared to the axis of the tank.
3692946-59538-catchPort.JPG



I picked up a radiator core from Murray Park for this car. It is labeled 016946 59538. I cannot find reference to the 016946 anywhere but the 59538 matches the car's original.

It has a 2in tank width
016946-59538-tankWidth.JPG


Transmission cooling ports are 15in apart.
016946-59538-coolingPort.JPG


CCEGR port is on the driver's side. There are six bumps on the rear of the core frame, one for each radiator shroud bolt and one that used to hold a metal rod, now gone after re-coring.
016946-59538-rearView.JPG


The radiator overflow nozzle is parallel to the axis of the tank.
016946-59538-catchPort.JPG


The mounting brackets are identical for both.

I hope this helps someone dealing with a "formal" smallblock radiator.
 
What about the number of "cores" in the orig vs replacement radiator? Reason I ask is that the narrower radiator might have one big slot, whereas the wider one might have two smaller slots.

When I needed a different radiator for my '80 Newport (not a formal, I know), I found one out of a former police car that had two wider slots than my orig one with two narrower slots. The trans cooler connections were bit wider apart, too. When recored, it all fit correctly with a slight reforming of the atf lines by hand.

I know we normally refer to "2 core" and "3 core" radiators, but apparently there were some "High Capacity" single cores out there, back then, which would work as well as a normal 2 core.

Just curious,
CBODY67
 
I'll check the core/slot count on the original 3692946-59538 tomorrow. The 016946-59538 has been recored with a wider core than it had it reworked and now the core width is the same as the tank. Neither of these radiators had a core that is/was the same width as the tank originally.
 
3692946 59538 has two slots that are offset toward the rear of the car
3692946-59538-cores.JPG


016946 59538, which has been recored, has three slots evenly distributed.
016946-59538-cores.JPG
 
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