MomsDuster
Well-Known Member
Thanks, guess I’ll throw the hood on and measure just to be safe. I was looking at this radiator. 26" Big Block Mopar Radiator Says 23” but then gotta add the cap. Thinking that might be a bit tight.
Radiator choices 26" or 22"
- Thread starter Penstarpurist
- Start date
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The cap shouldn't add much, if I remember right other folks have used radiators that end up being 23-1/8", which is probably what that one will be. It would work on my car, but I would definitely measure before I pulled the trigger.
MomsDuster
Well-Known Member
Thanks again, I appreciate your input. I will definitely do some measuring! If your ever in the Vacaville area with your car I would love to check it out in person.
Mark
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
That's not a bad radiator. I have one. It's just not a bolt in. If I'd have looked closer at the drawings they use I would have caught it.
Before you drop your rubles on that, spend a minute and look at the radiators that are advertised here on FABO. I can never remember the name but it's Cold Case or some such thing. They are in the advertisers section.
MomsDuster
Well-Known Member
What type of modifications did you have to do?
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
The biggest thing that pissed me off was the way the core for the frame. IOW, if you go by their drawing, all the bolt holes are where they should be, relative to each other. But not to where the core is. I didn't want to drill any more holes in my core support to make it fit. And Frank (I think that's the name he gave me) said I should have looked at the drawings closer. We yes, I SHOULD have, but what I measured was correct. Had I had the OE radiator drawing, I would have caught the deal.
So I had to drill some holes in the core support I didn't want and I had to trim their brackets. Come to think of it, I had to move some holes in their brackets too.
Nothing hard. It just pissed me off. I told him I don't want any ne wholes in the core support. He says check the drawing. Fat lotta good that did.
I *THINK* that Cold Case radiators makes a drop in. The guy posts here sometimes. I'm just saying the ECP radiator isn't a drop in for the 26 inch A body part number. If the rest of the cooling system is correct, the ECP will cool your engine.
MomsDuster
Well-Known Member
Thanks, that’s good to know. I pretty much figured I would have to do some drilling somewhere. I’ll check out Cold Case. I appreciate the info.
On mine when I installed the 26” radiator I drilled the 4 mounting holes in the radiator support where they would have been for a 26” factory radiator, then drilled the holes in the mounting flanges for the radiator. The champion’s don’t have the mounting holes drilled in the right spot for the factory mounts (or at least mine didn’t), but drilling the extra holes was no big deal and there was plenty of room on the flange.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Was that with the ECP radiator? My car was factory 26 inch radiator. Never mind. I reread your post and it says Champion.
That's weird. After I bought my ECP I looked at a local guys car with a Champion. Damn thing dropped right in.
Yeah, that was with the earlier Champion CC374. They updated it to a CC374B and they may have changed the mounting holes at that point, not really sure. They weren't that far off, a decent sized washer would hide all of the mounting holes.
Plus who knows, I used a factory 26" radiator to locate the mounting holes in the radiator support, but my car was converted from 22" so it's entirely possible the difference was on me locating the holes.
Zcuda68
Well-Known Member
Hi, 72bluNblu
I've got my engine mocked up in my 68 cuda with 408 small block, the car dynoed at 520 hp and 520 torque. I'm in the process of figuring out a radiator, going to be running a mechanical fan with fan clutch. I'm looking at a champion 26" 2 row radiator rated for 650 hp. Is this the same radiator you have? Where radiator mounts to core support, how much radiator is in engine side?
bluefish
mopar dave
ECP makes a very nice one very affordable.Mopar BIG BLOCK Aluminum Radiator 1967 - 1974 Mopars - 26" - Scratch + Dent SALE | eBay
bluefish
mopar dave
ECP advertises 1" tubes and they have them, others don't. ECP is the real deal. I have one in an A body with a 511 with hard block within 3" of the deck, mechanical fan and pump. Runs 195* most of the time. 206* highest in 90* 80% humidity. Very nice quality radiator that keeps thing cool. My coolant capacity is only 2gallons and this thing cools. You must have a shroud as well for it to work this good. Very happy.
383Scampman
Well-Known Member
There are hundreds of opinions about cooling on this forum and I will add mine . With modern cooling systems of today there is no reason to butcher your car to make a 26" radiator fit . It DOES matter if you have a track car or a track/street car . A track car needs enough cooling to get into staging , make a pass and return , so , weight is a factor . A street/track car is more complicated . You need a good radiator , a good water pump/thermostat and a good fan . Electric fans require upgrading your electrical system as they require 30 amps. each to operate . Electric water pumps require 30amps. as well . any of these may work but they may not . I suggest that you start with the least expensive item first and go from there . High flow water pump and high flow thermostat to start . Add a shroud and 18"mechanical fan . If that doesn't do the trick , then, go with an extra capacity radiator . In my case it's a matter of capacity (not enough). You can also add 50/50 coolant with water wetter too . Many small things together will get it done .
I actually have a Champion 26” 3 row in mine, not a 2 row. From where it mounts on the core support it’s about 3” into the engine compartment to the end of the tanks.
No “butchering” required either, just 4 new mounting holes. On mine I even welded nuts on the back just like the factory. Works great, I use a Ford Contour two speed, dual electric fan set up on it. Never had an issue, and I’ve sat in traffic when it’s 108* out.
Zcuda68
Well-Known Member
Thank you, that's the measurement I needed
I'm planning on using a 27 inch, 2 row radiator from a Cordoba in my Duster. I had a radiator shop move the outlet on the lower tank so it lined up with the hose on the driver side but other than that it is basically a bolt in. The Cordoba radiator has a nice big shroud so I can use a 19 inch fan blade. I tried a 20 inch fan blade and it was close to hitting the shroud so I decided to stick with a 19 inch fan. There is enough room to use a clutch fan so I don't need an electric water pump or an electric fan.
cannucky
The Guy With No Birthday
Your probably not getting a clutch fan in there unless you switch to the old style watwr pump but my 410 runs nice and cool with a champion rad and a stock mechanical fan .
Zcuda68
Well-Known Member
I hope your wrong. Lol. If not I'll just bolt the fan on
stroked340
Well-Known Member
I've got a 22" Champion in my duster along with a electric fan and stock water pump keeps the engine nice and cool!!
cannucky
The Guy With No Birthday
69fastback the 410 came with the newer longer waterpump with the passenger side inlet , I had to swap pumps {which I had on hand } and fabricate a custom hose to cross over to the passenger side rad outlet in order to fit a clutch fan in , I'd bet a FABO sticker from my collection you will too . The cheap easy answer is no clutch fan
Zcuda68
Well-Known Member
Are you running a shroud or nothing at all, I'm going to run the 18" derale fan, need a shroud for the 26" champion
Put the biggest effer in there that'll fit between the frame rails.
cannucky
The Guy With No Birthday
no shroud on mine so far I haven't needed one ,I've been stuck sitting with a hot starter but the Champion has never failed me even in the insane prairie heat
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