• Hello there guest and Welcome to The #1 Classic Mustang forum!
    To gain full access you must Register. Registration is free and it takes only a few moments to complete.
    Already a member? Login here then!

What's my best option?

R

RustyRed

Active Member
I am hoping to get Mustang back on the road first part of this week. Transmission guy came over today and fixed the couple of minor issues there so now we can move forward with firing her up to do the break in, timing, tunning, etc.

Have been debating where to go next with the car but I know there are several things that need attention...leaf springs and a couple of other things like I am considering adding subframe connectors come to mind off the top of my head.

One issue we had during the engine removal / install of the new one is the radiator. From what I can tell mine is the original deal. The little deal that the overflow tube attaches too came completely off so we had to take it over to the radiator shop and have it put back on. I am thinking maybe the radiator should be my next priority when I save up a few bucks.

What are my options for radiators?

I was looking at the NPD catalog the other day and they seemed to have either stock style or ones that cost the better part of $1k.

Not sure if it will run hot or whatever with the new motor...guess I'll find out after a couple of test drives.

I know I could buy an original style radiator for a couple of hundred and it appears that some of the nicer raditors are generally speaking much more expensive.

Is there any in between option that won't break the bank but maybe be a bit of an improvement over the stock style?

I found this one at the link below but wonder how it would work?

http://www.virginiaclassicmustang.com/65-66-V8-ALUMINUM-RADIATOR-AUTOMATIC-TRANSMISSION-NEW-LOWER-PRICE-P1169.aspx
 
You can get a HD copper rad from NPD for less than $200 or a "universal" Summit aluminum unit that will bolt in for basically the same price. Both should do a good job, but if you can get a cheap Al. crossflow that will fit your car, you'd probably have to be in the heart of the sun for it to overheat. Assuming everything else is in good shape, that is. :rofl

If you need a rad with opposite in/outs, you have a TON of choices, including cheap crossflows. The other type has plenty of cheap options as well, but not quite such a big/cheap selection.
 
FWIW, my brass 3-row (with shroud and clutch fan) cools my 331 just fine with regular street driving. It almost got to 215 one day when it was 107 here, but it usually hovers around 195-205.

That said, the radiator itself is kind of a piece. Most inexpensive brass radiators aren't built very well. When I swaped heads, I took my radiator in to get the top tank seam patched up, and the radiator guy showed me how most manufacturers only use one bead of weld around the seam, whereas he fills up the whole seam to keep it from leaking. Something to keep in mind.


If I find the radiator doesn't keep up with a 'spirited' back road drive, I may start thinking about one of those $200 aluminum jobs.
 
What are my options for radiators?
Click to expand...

Literally.... they're limitless.

If you're running an original 289 w/o major performance upgrades the original style radiator will likely work just fine. When the engine is upgraded to produce more HP, this is usually the time that you should look at upgrading the radiator. If it were me, I'd give your linked AL radiator a try as the price isn't much more than an original.
 
I was thinking of going with that one but figured I'd ask since the options appear to go anywhere from zero to how much do you want to spend...the VCM unit appears to be similar to what NPD has but is about $80 less. I'll have to start saving up so $80 is a decent chunk of change at this point after spending to build the 302 and get that installed.

My old original radiator is patched together at this point and realized when we pulled it out that it is probably on it's last leg. We should be getting the 302 up and running today or tomorrow and don't know if that will cause me heating issues or not. Fairly mild build...ported GT40's, Weiand stealth intake, Holley 4 bbl, etc, etc.

I was really leaning towards getting some new leaf springs but they might have to wait in line behind a radiator.
 
If I wasn't spending "blind money" right now I'd get an aluminum one for sure. I wish I would've gotten one when I bought a stock 3 core during the engine build. Tried to save a few bucks but would def. go with al. if I had it to do over again.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
Is the water pumps inlet port on the passenger side of the engine?
Click to expand...

I believe so if I am recalling correctly...the engine guy had purchased a water pump for a later model that was on the driver's side. He just asked for a 302 water pump and didn't think about what car it was going in. Apparently in the 70's sometime they switched sides. We had to spend several hours that we didn't plan on trading out the pump because the one he originally put on the motor was on the wrong side.
 
That's exactly why I asked. Later model 302's use a reverse rotation water pump and the inlet port will then be on the drivers side. This would require a crossflow radiator instead of an original downflow type.
 
We had to trade out to the correct water pump because it was causing all kinds of problems...brackets for alternator, etc wouldn't even hook up to it.

I mentioned it to him and he was sort of like "O'well"...I was kind of pissed about it to be honest. Cost me time I didn't want to spend and the money I gave him to buy the water pump is basically down the toilet but we dealt with it and moved on.
 
Red runs a desert cooler radiator (4 core) from Mustangs Plus with inlet on driver's side. Water pump bought at local NAPA being labeled as a stock '85 towncar water pump with snout on driver's side.
 
My water pump comes out the driver side, I have a standard style radiator on the passenger side and used the Ron morris cross over tube to make it work, thus illuminating a collapsable lower tube. I know it sounds weird but I actually planned it that way so I could have a hard lower tube and a slight increase in fluid volume too.
 
"RustyRed" said:
We had to trade out to the correct water pump because it was causing all kinds of problems...brackets for alternator, etc wouldn't even hook up to it.

I mentioned it to him and he was sort of like "O'well"...I was kind of pissed about it to be honest. Cost me time I didn't want to spend and the money I gave him to buy the water pump is basically down the toilet but we dealt with it and moved on.
Click to expand...

The water pump, all the power steering pump brackets, all the pullies, and both alternator brackets all changed in '70, when they went to the left side pump inlet. It's pretty much an "all or nothing" kind of deal. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I'm running a '70/later Milodon hi-volume pump on Scary. This is the hard/expensive way to run a crossflow.

The cheap/inexpensive way to run a crossflow is to keep the '69/prior pump and accessories, and run a Chevy radiator instead. Many of the Chevy radiators have the inlet on the passenger side and the outlet on the driver's side. It's very easy to get a hose to go from the t-stat housing to the left side of the radiator. Much more difficult (and ugly) to make a right side water pump inlet go to a left hand radiator outlet.

All that said, nothing beats a true crossflow. I have one in Scary, and twice had a problem with my fan. The first time was on a 90 degree day when my fan wire shorted out. I was in the process of parking the car at an MCA show and noticed the temperature a little warmer than normal. The second time was at Hot August Nights when my fan sensor wire was accidentally unplugged. That one, the car did start to get pretty hot with no fan, but this was after idling for 15 or 20 minutes on a 100+ degree day. I'm just using the generic Summit crossflow. Fantastic radiator. My only gripe is that it has no pet-cock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top