'71 C body - where to add radiator overflow bottle?

[Rubatoguy]

I have a '71 Chrysler with 440 and this came without a radiator overflow bottle. As far as I can tell, this was not factory installed until 1973. In my haste, I bought a c-body overflow bottle on ebay for a '73 thinking that I would just be able to copy what they did in '73.
To my surprise, the sneaky engineers moved the A/C Dryer to the other side of the radiator bulkhead to get enough room to place the overflow on the passenger side. I'm not seeing any other place to put it, so I am now wondering if I will also need to move the A/C receiver dryer and copy the '73 layout - or is there a different place I can put it. I'm not seeing anyplace.

It is just sitting there in the photo as I try to find a place for it.

thanks,
Todd

 

[Big_John]

I put one of these in front of the radiator support on the battery side. You can find them on eBay for about $20. Mount it right and you don't notice it.

My car was tending to puke just a little coolant every once in a while on very hot days and I didn't want one of my dogs to get sick if it sampled the puddle.

So, really the question is why do you need it? Is the car running hot and dumping coolant when parked? They added the overflow in 1973 when the emissions standards made the cars run hotter and the radiators would overflow.

 

[Rubatoguy]

I put one of these in front of the radiator support on the battery side. You can find them on eBay for about $20. Mount it right and you don't notice it.

View attachment 725603



My car was tending to puke just a little coolant every once in a while on very hot days and I didn't want one of my dogs to get sick if it sampled the puddle.

So, really the question is why do you need it? Is the car running hot and dumping coolant when parked? They added the overflow in 1973 when the emissions standards made the cars run hotter and the radiators would overflow.

Nice solution. I wanted to add it just as a precaution and to avoid having to check the coolant all the time. Plus it is more ecologically sound.

 

[Samplingman]

I have a ‘73 overflow as well. There is no bracket for the bottom of the bottle, as ‘73 support has a cut-out for it built in. I was thinking the battery side is the best option, but seeing what @Big_John has done, seems like a better option. @Rubatoguy, what is that bottle with the green top? Looks like you already have something in place?

 

[Rubatoguy]

I have a ‘73 overflow as well. There is no bracket for the bottom of the bottle, as ‘73 support has a cut-out for it built in. I was thinking the battery side is the best option, but seeing what @Big_John has done, seems like a better option. @Rubatoguy, what is that bottle with the green top? Looks like you already have something in place?

That is my '73 overflow bottle. It is just sitting there as I was looking for a place to put it.

 

[Arnoldsat]

Here's my '71 Newport, Todd

The plastic jug forms itself after a while, it's snug. 5 liters, so that's 5 quarts 'n' a bit

 

[marko]

this is my 70 U code a/c car's factory overflow

 

[edbods]

On my 67 I mounted mine right beneath that hole. Car had no AC and I figured I'd just route the refrigerant lines elsewhere so I picked that spot since it was perfect with the bottle I bought.

Dunno if your washer bottle can sit flat against the radiator support if you rotated it 180°, then see if you can lower it so the cap can be flipped open with no obstruction from the refrigerant line, and whether it'd fit between the radiator and horns, but if so, then maybe you could get some flat/sheet steel bar that's thin enough to bend by hand with moderate effort, and make some sort of bracket to hold it in place?

 

[Gerald Morris]

Hang it in front of the battery. I see room for it there, and your overflow hose won't have to go far or out of it's way. I'm glad my engine compartment isn't so crowded! One of the BIG reasons I stick with slab-sided rides. My solution very closely resembles B'rer Edbod's, though mine has a heavy wire frame which made it really easy to hang in that location. Of course, a '68 strongly resembles a '67....

 

[Gerald Morris]

I put one of these in front of the radiator support on the battery side. You can find them on eBay for about $20. Mount it right and you don't notice it.

My car was tending to puke just a little coolant every once in a while on very hot days and I didn't want one of my dogs to get sick if it sampled the puddle.

So, really the question is why do you need it? Is the car running hot and dumping coolant when parked? They added the overflow in 1973 when the emissions standards made the cars run hotter and the radiators would overflow.

I came within a pubic hair's thickness of using that same rig for mine, and like it on yours too. I just found the Dorman jug a little more to my liking, as I could see into it. It usually has just about 3/16" of fluid in it on mine, which is how I know for sure All is Cool Enough with that engine. Handy thing for adding a sip of distilled H2O or such to the system when needed.