Pigs Fly Garage

Howdy all,

Looking for input.
1968 442 Convertible
455 transplant
Th400
No a/c
400296 Water pump
6 blade clutched fan

I have What I believe to be a Harrison 2 Core currently. I believe it came with the 400 originally in the car. The 455 has the 400269 HD water pump because it came out of an a/c car.
1st: Does the 2 row radiator have enough capacity to handle the flow requirements of the HD pump?
2nd: Will this 2 row keep the car cool?
​​​​3rd: How can I tell if the radiator has already been re-cored?
4th: Should I have a shop "rod" the 2 row for $150, or just buy a new aluminum rad?

Thanks smart fellas,
Pigs

no1oldsfan

Just my two cents. A 455 runs warm. My 70 442 came with a three row and a non clutch fan. It couldn't even think of keeping up with the heat from that motor. I went four row. Two row on a 455 sounds like not nearly enough.

Pigs Fly Garage

Appreciate the experience. It was certainly running hot. Had been sitting for several years before I bought it. Power flushed everything. Took it out and threw some vinegar in there over night and flushed it again out of the car. Straightened all the tines. After all of that work, I wondered if it had been wasted effort. I understand these big things run hot. Car has the Rally Pac gauges, and it runs 3/4- full hot(wonder what temp correlates to the needle gauge positions). I think I'll throw this radiator back in there with a new hd water pump, new non a/c hd pump pulley, new non a/c crank pulley, and see what happens. My gut says it's still going to run too hot. Fortunately the mornings and evenings are cooling off, but days are still hot enough to test the new and refurbished equipment. I want to be able to drive this thing all year...minus snow days.

Did you use a 4 row Brass/copper set up, or a fancy new aluminum job?

69CSHC

I would assume no.

Even the little ones run hot.

My first car a 67 Cutlass coupe ran warm to hot as long as I had it. Which was parts of 3 decades, NYC driving. (Often in heavy traffic and sweltering heat.) She was a babied 2BBL 330 with 42,000 original miles when I got her, I was 2nd owner. She came with a 2 row 4blade no clutch no shroud, factory correct setup.

My 69s, 350 has a 3 row Harrison, 7 blade with clutch and shroud, factory correct. Have never had an issue with her running hot yet, knock on wood. Coming up on 9 years of ownership. Which includes plenty of spirited driving and plenty of 1/4 mile passes at the track in brutal heat. I believe above all else the shroud is the key.