My stock 3 row radiator cooled fine with my original 330, but with the 455 I'm running now, temps start climbing past 210* after 5 or 6 mins sitting in traffic- Think its time for a radiator upgrade.

Wondering what other 66/67 folks have done. Did you have to fab up new saddles, or is there one that will fit the oem saddles?

Thanks!
Ben

 

Ben how does it do on the highway? If it's maintaining temps at speed you don't need a radiator just a way to move more air through it in traffic.

 

In my 67 I installed this radiator.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/bci-10008

Fits great and cools very well. I have a cheap flex fan the previous owner put on and only creeps up to the 210 range when sitting for a while on days that are 100+. Never creeps over 210 and cools right back down to 180 when I start moving. I did have to cut off the top saddles and move them inboard a little because they did not want to fit over the tank ends but it was fairly easy. The bottom of it sits perfect.

 

Here's how it looks, I bolted the upper saddles back on and hid the bolt heads under the rubber piece. You could weld them but I just didn't have that option available to me. Ignore my wonderful oil cap haha.

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Did you service your old radiator? A 48 year old radiator can have a lot of crap in the tubes partially stopping flow. You my also be able to recore your radiator to a 4 core.

 

Ready -Rad 433161
Its an aluminum core with plastic tanks. Cools better than anything I have ever used. I've installed these in several customers cars with very healthy big blocks and they do an outstanding job. Its not listed for the earlier A bodies but it fits just the same.
Available through Advance Auto and Auto Zone for about $100.

 

Smitty that's a good tip. Is the 66-67 core support the same? I know I discovered that when building my 64, the core support is not the same as a 65, 65's are 3 inches deeper. On my 67 I found a particular year Suburban radiator dropped right in for about the same money. I had to use some radiator hose size reduction sleeves to complete the job. In Texas heat the car will not run over 175-180 degrees. Met Lance at a car show last week and at 65 mph on the freeway, 2700 RPM the motor (455) ran a very cool 160 degrees. It was 83 outside. 20-degress initial timing and 36 degrees full advance, 93 pump gas 10.5 compression-no pings! I also think that running aluminum heads and a Torker helps dissipate heat faster or iron?? Thoughts?

 

Smitty, I use that radiator on my 67. It slips right into the saddles. The only issue I've run into with it over the past 5 years is the drain **** split where it screws into the tank. The nice part was my radiator shop had one in stock and it took me about 10 minutes to pop the old one out and snap the new one in. I would recommend that if you use this radiator to carry a spare.

 

smitty, or anyone else whos knows, if i replace my old copper radiator with this ready rad will my temps drop? my copper one seems to keep me at 200 ish with the car not moving but id like to have my cooling system as efficient as possible.

 

if itll drop me 10-20 degrees i think its worth the $100 to replace the old radiator