Huh.

Well... its about $100 over budget... but the car didn't come with a rad. Hmmm... Weight reduction is a big theme in my shop. God dammit... just when i finally got that credit card paid off...

I have a Griffin in my cuda that works awesome. It is a direct bolt in just like factory. It has 2 rows of 1.25" tubes...they wanted me to use one w/ 2 rows of 1.5" tubes, but it wouldn't fit w/ my fan and water pump setup. It wasn't cheap (about $750 if I recall correctly), but it works great and I'm happy w/ it.
I was more concerned w/ cooling capacity than weight reduction.

But what makes the Griffin worth $500 more than a Northern or Champion??

I couldn't tell you, lol. I don't have any experience w/ the other 2 you mentioned. If I had to do it over, I'd try the cheaper radiator first.

I'm gunna give a cheap shot....HAHA

http://www.eastwood.com/triflow

Does anyone know anything about these?

Here are some pictures of a Griffin radiator that a friend of mine had in his '57 chevy. This was the 3rd radiator from them. Each one did the same thing. The car now has a Northern radiator with the tanks modded by me to work in his car. These Griffins were $1100 each. They come polished with an A/C condenser. The brown is from "bars leaks" that he needed to put in to drive home from a show in Minnesota.

Itis! you opened a can of information worms here with this aluminum rad thing.
Sounds like you have a huge menu to think through and it is COOL that some heads of state on here have/are already trying these various rads in real world street conditions.
I'd be confused.
Does a blown motor create more inner heat than a conventional motor?
I have an AFCO unit in mine for years and it seems to be on the edge of efficiency for my ride at least, so double check your options. IIRC the Afco brand is what the boys and girls use in stock car racing. Lots of heat, but also lots of wind speed if you're not tailing. If you're tailing in that scene, then that rad has to be a good unit.
As a side note, I also made sure to design and make a tight lip air ram system in front of the car utilizing aluminum sheet to create walls where all the incoming air can not go anywhere but through the core of the radiator.
You have time, so take your time and research.

I just spoke with Scott@championcooling.com on the phone.I'm on data overload The meow might be a cross flow GM style
Need to speak with another vendor or 2 about other brands as well.
I will have some more room now that the engine is set back.Might just wait till the engine is back in before pulling the trigger.

I had a Griffin on my T/A. It gets hot here in Socal...100+ many summer days. Never had any issues and I had it in the car for 8 years before I sold it to a guy in New Zealand. I also used waterless coolant. No need for sacrificial anodes.

Two things. You would improve cooling by moving the radiator forward and mounting the fans behind it. You lose about 20% efficiency when the fans are trying to push the air rather than pull the air through the rad. Second, anything more than 2 rows is a gimmick. I had no problem keeping my blown Hemi cool in Florida with a $200 Howe 2 row 19 x 28 rad. What helped a lot were the electric fans mounted to a sealed shroud.

I may sound inept, but what is waterless coolant?
Yeah, it can exceed 100 degrees here too... But you don't see -30 degree temps there. The problem usually shows up as a weep after winter storage, and turns into a gusher by summer. Like I said, no radiator shop around here will touch an epoxied core, and a new version of the same crappy radiator is 1100 dollars. I guess certain areas of the country are acceptable for use with these things.
The Northern radiator has been in the car for 2 years now with no failures as of yet. It cost just under 200 bux. It was a do it yourself kit as far as tank inlet/outlet and mounts etc... I'm fortunate enough to do the mods here, so if you can't do it yourself, it will cost more.
I have the same Northern radiator in my 1st gen diesel going on 7 years now, but it is corroding internally. My fault for the rubber isolation and no grounding. Perhaps the coolant you suggest would help me? I'm sure the radiator isn't long for this world after looking inside of it. Even the cap sealing area is pitted. Is this coolant rated for cold temps?

I bought an Afco rad from Mancini for my 63. It came with brackets on it but no holes in the brackets. I lined it up and then marked and drilled the holes and it has worked great for me. Ron

I went with a copper brass 4 row triple pass from US radiators for my 572 hemi, they actually have a higher emissivity than aluminum. $895 special order through classic industries.

Now to get the car finished so I can try it out.

I put in a Champion in my stroker jeep, runs fine at low speeds, but hates the highway above 60mph and 105 outside air temps...may go back to copper brass on it too

Several of you posted pics of what appears to be e replication of the stock rad just made in aluminum.It's now my belief that the 1 inch tube is better than the stock 5/8th tube.2 row works as my 4 row copper/brass.
They said they have a 3 pass that will put the hose positions in my desired locations for about $350.

On order to have a crossflow,they said to use the triple pass in order to have the top on the passenger side and the bottom on the drivers side.The 2 row 1 inch will supposedly out cool my copper/brass 4 row with high efficiency core.
They are in the $200 zone.I must fabricate mounts to hold the rad in each corner.