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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
[Re: syleng1]
#1420626
04/16/13 03:03 PM
04/16/13 03:03 PM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Just curious - is there a reason you can't recore your old radiator? I know it's getting harder and harder to find a radiator shop that can do that, but unless your tanks are too rotten to use (and I've never found that to be the case) it's not hard as hard to find a replacement core as it is to find a correct replacement radiator.
As for a three row core, a radiator shop put one in the radiator in my 63 Valiant convertible, but they had to use a Jeep bottom tank, as the original bottom tank wouldn't take a three row core. They put the slant six lower hose neck into the Jeep bottom core, along with two fittings for the trans lines. No big deal for a shop that knows what they are doing. Paint it black and no one will know it's not a factory stock radiator.
Last edited by 413coronet; 04/16/13 03:11 PM.
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
[Re: syleng1]
#1420632
04/21/13 08:38 PM
04/21/13 08:38 PM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Wow, can't believe $700 for a recore. Doesn't seem like it has been that long since I had one done. . . .
As for hitting the fan, I'm not sure what your radiator looks like, but what I've had to do in the past is move the mounting brackets on the radiator. Assuming you have a conventional old-style radiator, all it takes is a Home Depot type propane torch to melt the solder, move the brackets, and the resolder them. In effect, you are moving the radiator itself forward in the brackets. Whether that will work for you depends on how far the radiator needs to be moved.
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
#1420633
04/21/13 11:32 PM
04/21/13 11:32 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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DO NOT pay $700 for a recore. The Dak rad in the above pic has the bottom nipple on the pass side if that helps
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
[Re: syleng1]
#1420635
04/22/13 12:00 AM
04/22/13 12:00 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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Quote:
I will order the Dakota radiator
post how it looks/fits/quality when the time comes. EDIT Is the nipple/hose dia correct for your /6?
Last edited by RapidRobert; 04/22/13 12:02 AM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
[Re: syleng1]
#1420637
04/22/13 10:22 AM
04/22/13 10:22 AM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anyone can run whatever radiator they like in an older A body, and if the Dakota radiator is the least expensive option, that may be the way to go.
However, for whatever it's worth, the older radiators can be repaired if they leak, and rebuilt if the core is corroded too badly to clean out. The newer stuff is un-repairable; if they even start leaking, they can only be replaced. I kinda think the newer stuff is junk, but - your money, your choice.
As for what fits, if you want a V-8 radiator, any A body V-8 radiator through 1976 will physically bolt into a 64-6 A body. The top tank on the later versions will look different, and the lower outlet will be on the passenger side instead of the driver's side of the 69-earlier V-8 radiators. So if you have a V-8, you will either have to move the lower outlet, or run a later type water pump. If you take the latter route, you won't have room for a fan clutch in an early A body; if you run the older iron water pump, you will have room for a fan clutch.
As anyone with a slant six should know, the lower radiator outlet slants upward. No V-8 lower outlet does that, nor does any Dakota radiator. I'm sure you can rig something up that will work, but the factory lower hose won't work as is, no matter which V-8 radiator you choose.
As for a 67 radiator in an earlier A body, I actually have a 67 Barracuda slant six radiator in my 63 Valiant convertible. I had to trim the passenger side bracket because the 63 opening is smaller than the later A bodies, but otherwise it pretty much just bolted in. If I had had an original 63 radiator, I could have just swapped brackets, but my original one was long gone. Even with a three-row core, there is plenty of fan clearance (see attachment), so I have no idea why the OP had a problem with that.
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
#1420638
04/22/13 10:29 AM
04/22/13 10:29 AM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Here's my 65 Barracuda with a three-row core put in the original radiator. Note the clutch fan.
I ran a 71 Duster 340 radiator in it for a while, just because my original one needed to be rebuilt and I had the 71 sitting around. It bolted right in, except the lower outlet was on the wrong side for my old-style water pump. Changing to the later pump took care of that, but now there was no room for a clutch fan. Finally got around to re-coring the original and went back to the older style water pump setup.
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
#1420640
04/23/13 08:07 AM
04/23/13 08:07 AM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 765
Franklin CT
syleng1
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 765
Franklin CT
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Quote:
Anyone can run whatever radiator they like in an older A body, and if the Dakota radiator is the least expensive option, that may be the way to go.
However, for whatever it's worth, the older radiators can be repaired if they leak, and rebuilt if the core is corroded too badly to clean out. The newer stuff is un-repairable; if they even start leaking, they can only be replaced. I kinda think the newer stuff is junk, but - your money, your choice.
As for what fits, if you want a V-8 radiator, any A body V-8 radiator through 1976 will physically bolt into a 64-6 A body. The top tank on the later versions will look different, and the lower outlet will be on the passenger side instead of the driver's side of the 69-earlier V-8 radiators. So if you have a V-8, you will either have to move the lower outlet, or run a later type water pump. If you take the latter route, you won't have room for a fan clutch in an early A body; if you run the older iron water pump, you will have room for a fan clutch.
As anyone with a slant six should know, the lower radiator outlet slants upward. No V-8 lower outlet does that, nor does any Dakota radiator. I'm sure you can rig something up that will work, but the factory lower hose won't work as is, no matter which V-8 radiator you choose.
As for a 67 radiator in an earlier A body, I actually have a 67 Barracuda slant six radiator in my 63 Valiant convertible. I had to trim the passenger side bracket because the 63 opening is smaller than the later A bodies, but otherwise it pretty much just bolted in. If I had had an original 63 radiator, I could have just swapped brackets, but my original one was long gone. Even with a three-row core, there is plenty of fan clearance (see attachment), so I have no idea why the OP had a problem with that.
413, as I appreciate your pictures and quotes sadly in my case with the /6 and the stock fan the 67 radiator won't fit due to offset of the brackets and prxy to the stock fan. As for the stock radiator outlet turning upwards vs. straight out... yes you are correct but the hose does make the compensation up quite well. I am not sure if your idea is keep it stock appearing or modify the heck out of it. I'd prefer the stock look, but the cost of $700 is the issue. Can I afford the $700... "YES!" the issue is because the smaller shops are out of business now I'm left with a large shop in my words "raping the car community" because they think they have us by the short hairs. My radiator could be pinched off and solder. I own a welding and equipment repair company I do this all the time. My nature is to find something to upgrade this car where I can for care free driving. If a Dakota radiator would fit I want the upgrade to aluminum. It will make all the tuner guy think I have some bad boy air cooler for the car when they walk by with the hood closed. I guess it comes down to preference and how adventurous will you go.
As for the Dakota radiator: I will not fit with out MAJOR modification and shoe horns. The issue after you trim the mounting brackets to slide between the frame rails is the radiator is too long and the radiator cap hits the hood before it even closes. It is about 2" too long. The width is about 2" too wide but the trimming of the mounting brackets with a cut off wheel can fix that. Last night I pulled a "fast and loud" or substitute your favorite car show where they have no issues cutting into a 47 year old car and I cut out my lower radiator support cross bar. Today we are going to lower it and reinforce it the needed 2" to clear the hood but anything below that... and the fan hits the top tank. This is not for the faint hearted for sure. Especially since the engine is still in the car. 413, you have a v-8 which in the picture looks really cool. I will end up swapping up to a v-8 but after this car sat for over 20 years just on my watch (78k on the original clock) it is time to drive this thing and enjoy it for a bit. I p[aid $700 for it in 1988 on a payment plan from the original owner and have put less than 3k on it since then.
I will let everyone know how I make out. I don't recommend this for anyone who gets squeamish cutting factory sheet metal. I am a train professional and a side note... My car was hit in the front and this lower rad shield was crumpled. So worst case I drill the spots and weld in a new one. I'm not hacking the rest of the support as it is cherry.
Joe
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
[Re: syleng1]
#1420641
04/23/13 11:42 AM
04/23/13 11:42 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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Ahh the plot thickens  so the Dak rad wont fit with ease after all. Thanks for the timely info as I was going to get serious about locating one. I might just have my OE one recored but that is going to cost an arm & a leg but I do like the looks of the original radiators
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: 64-66 A body - need a radiator
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1420642
04/23/13 01:46 PM
04/23/13 01:46 PM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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I just looked in my 63 Valiant records. Cost me $326.35 to recore my radiator with a three-row core, plus switch to the Jeep bottom tank, plus put in the trans cooler and fittings plus add the slant 6 lower outlet to the Jeep lower tank. But that was in May of 2001. One thing going on here is that stuff we have been doing for years that once was common as dirt is getting more and more difficult and more expensive. What was once routine is now the domain of specialists, whether it's finding someone that can do radiator work, work on drum brakes, tune-up a carbureted car with point ignition etc. etc. etc. I have a Studebaker radiator that I am going to have to recore soon. Guess I should be prepared for sticker shock. 
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