Is the 71 350 SBO with AC a 2, 3 or 4 row radiator?

Where is the best place to get a factory replacement?

I was on RockAuto and they have a heavy duty 2 row for AC cars that they say is a factory replacement but it has plastic tanks. Any comments on their replacements with plastic tanks?

The OEM was brass right?

Aluminium VS brass? any comments

Mine is original and has been repaired several times so I think it's time for a new one during the resto. I have a new fan shroud and would like to get one to drop right in like the OEM without modifications but if there is something better that last longer or makes the car run better I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks,
Gary

 

I have looked at the rock auto 2 row aluminium rads with the plastic tanks. They seem to be reasonably priced. I was considering getting one for a little less weight in my big 76 olds 350. I currently have the 3 row factory copper one in the car that I had re-cored from a local rad shop for $170. The shop has since closed as many rad shops over the past few years have. I have never had an issue with cooling after re-core even on the hot humid days with the A/C on. I Would also like to hear from others who are using these after market rads as well.
Thanks for posting Gary,
Cheers
Eric

 

A 350 with A/C would have had a 3-row, but if you check the usual auto parts stores, the replacement 4-row is usually a few bucks cheaper.

That being said, a couple of years ago, I bought a very nice used 3-row for mine at a reasonable price, but if I had to do it again, for my (non-restored) fun-car, I'd have bought the aluminum one with the plastic tanks - they're darned cheap, should cool better, and should last at least a decade.

- Eric

 

The original tanks are Brass. If you don't care about originality, Aluminum has better cooling characteristics, but the original radiators if re-cored will get the job done. I do want to say that the plastic tanks stand out like a sore thumb in my opinion.

 

I had my original 3 row radiator rebuilt with a 4 row high-efficiency core from Craig manufacturing. A local radiator shop did the work, put my original Harrison end tanks on the new core so it fits into the car without any modifications to the radiator brackets. The shop told me this 4 row was available as a core only and not as a complete radiator, so perhaps check around with some of you local radiator shops to see what they can do.

 

Thanks for the replies guys!!!