Hi All,

I am planning to install a 22-inch wide aluminum 2-core radiator in my 1971 Charger to (hopefully) drop the coolant temp in warmer weather. It has a flow cooler water high flow pump, high flow 180 degree thermostat, mechanical fan (non-clutch) with plastic shroud, and the original 22-inch 4-core factory radiator. It's a 440 with headers.

My two realistic choices appear to be the Champion from Mancini ($200, but the tubes are only 3/4-inch), or Wizard Cooling ($540 but it has 1-inch tubes). I would rather spend $200 than $540, but I don't want to go cheap and then regret it either. I am planning on sticking with my mechanical fan and shroud, and only upgrading to an electric fan if it still needs help.

I also looked at a crossflow generic radiator from Summit, but to get a 22-inch wide core, I need the 26-inch wide radiator and then I start to run into fitment issues (mounting it, redoing the tranny cooler lines, making the cooler lines fit with the battery tray right there, what to use for radiator hoses, etc.). I am not really a fabricator, although I could probably make it work if I had to. That one is $215 (https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-381425) plus $30 bucks in mounting hardware, plus new hoses, etc. For $275 or so, I would probably have a better radiator than the Champion for a little more money and half the price of the Wizard, but with a lot of potential headaches. I could get a smaller radiator, but not taking full advantage of the 22-inch core width that I have seems foolish.

I know there are a ton of radiator posts, I have read all of them. If anyone has any specific advice they could offer me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

Greg

I have a 3 core 22" champion in my 600hp hemi cuda and it cools great. Only had to drill one lower hole the other 3 were perfect.

ECP is what I have & works great 2 1in rows.

I got a 26 inch from auto city classic (autocity1958 on ebay). It's a two core with 1-1/8" tubes. Looks pretty factory for a aluminum radiator and cools my 600+ hp 440 with a mancini hi-volume pump, MP housing, milodon 160 hi flow stat, stainless steel flex fan and plastic mopar shroud. It bolted right in my coronet with no mods or drilling. I'm very impressed with it. I cruised at stop and go traffic on a hot an humid day and on the freeway at 70mph and havent seen anything higher than 180-185 degrees I think they offer 22 inch rad's as well.

the rad I bought

Is that shroud a Champion piece?

From personal experience, the 3/4 inch tubes on the Champion radiator are too small and plug easily.
Once they're plugged, there's no way to unplug them so you end up buying another radiator.

Go with a radiator with a larger tube size from the start.

There are plenty of vendors on ebay that sell the larger tube size radiators for the $200 price range that are direct bolt in and resemble the factory radiator.
Factory shrouds bolt directly on them and they cool perfectly.

I have had a couple of the Champion radiators. They were both twisted. One was so bad I couldn't use it at all. The other I got to work with some mods.

It did cool okay.

I went from a stock 383 22" in my car to an aluminum 2 core- 1 1/2 tubes,
It was fine with the 440, but when the stroker went in, it was not keeping up with the thermostat setting
. I would get up to 190 at a light, and take 5 or so miles of highway speed before it would cool back down.
I went to a 4 row Champion, huge difference. Do it once and go 4 row,

I had to send my 22" Wizard back twice. I got it and noticed that the billet neck was cracked on the sealing surface for the rad cap. Was told this can happen from the heat of welding.

Shipped it back for repairs. When I got it back put it in and it leaked badly from the seams on the upper tank. They had to pull the top tank off to replace the filler neck and didn't weld it right. You would think it was pressure tested but nope. Sent it back again for repairs and its been good since then. However I should have gone with a Glen-ray or Griffin direct fit instead.

My 22" Wizard has been perfect since I bought it three years ago on sale with free shipping

Even the factory fan shroud fit perfect

383/432 Stroker

I've never had a problem with a Griffin or a Champion (both in non-stock cars).
But I prefer the more stock-looking ones if not going strictly OEM.

HI

AUTOCITY 1958 E BAY ! look them over , got one for my 1966 belvedere hemi , fan shroud from a an e body bolted right on !

This is actually what I ended up going with, thanks for the help everyone.

Greg

No it's an aftermarket half shroud. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/spe-4348?rrec=true

I really liked my 26 Champion I had in my old 1970 Dodge superbee clone. It really cooled well. I have not had experience with Wizard.

I went with the 4 row triple pass US copper brass US radiators, I wont know how it runs because my body guy screwed up and welded the core brace too shallow and the radiator wont fit. Its a little on the expensive side at $980...but they are supposed to be the best.

I also went with the US Radiator... two 1" rows of aluminum, 22" width for my opening, triple pass.... will be running my new SB engine soon this summer... hope all will be A-OK.

Price wasn't bad... around $550 shipped.

I put my EBAY "Autocity 1958" 22-inch aluminum 2 core radiator in my 1971 Charger R/T and went to the track yesterday in 82-84 degree ambient air temp and the car ran 180 degrees the whole way down (50 miles), in the lanes, after passes, etc., etc. Two weeks ago with my stock radiator I tried to go in the same temperature air and never even made it to the track, was running 220 degrees and climbing on the drive down.

I have never been happier with a $250 purchase! Thank you for all of the help.

Greg

happy to hear it worked for you !
thanks for the update.