first30k69hurstolds

I have a '69 442 with a aftermarket radiator and would like to know if the car came originally with a 3 or 4 core? It doesn't have a fan clutch, just a spacer between the fan and water pump. Rear end is non posi and no A/C. Looking to replace with Harrison set up...

matt69olds

It most likely came with a 2 core, the 3 core radiators were used on cars with A/C or heavy duty cooling. The 4 core radiators were used in the big block A/C cars.

Unless the radiator mounting saddles have been modified, you can measure the mounts and determine what radiator it came with. The 4 core radiators are thicker and use wider mounting saddles.

The assembly manual has lots of relevant info on cooling systems.

Get rid of the solid fan, get a good thermal fan clutch a d 7 blade fan, install a factory style shroud. In other words, don’t try to out engineer the Olds engineers.

first30k69hurstolds

That's interesting because I was not aware that two core was even an option and the current radiator in it is a two row.

joe_padavano

The saddles that the radiator sits in are wider for the four row vs. the two or three row (the latter two are the same). If the car were originally equipped with a four row, this would be obvious from the saddles spot welded to the core support. 1969 radiator usage is shown in the PIM, Section 11, page 108. All base 442s got an FA (with manual trans) or FB (with TH400) radiator, which is a two row. V02 HD cooling cars (used with 3.42 axle only) got a three row FE radiator. A/C cars and V01 HD cooling cars (the latter used with 3.91 or 4.33 axles only) got the four row EC radiator.

brotherGood

Am I understanding correctly that all A/C cars had the 4 row?

Toocool

Joe, its good to see you use the correct terminology when talking about radiators, I don't see that very often, not just here but on other forums too. Of course radiators have only one core but can have several rows of cooling tubes inside. No offense to the OP, Just a pet peeve of mine.
OK, back to the subject at hand. My Vista cruiser came with a 2 row that barely cooled it, I replaced it with a 2 row aluminum that is much thicker, I had to modify the saddles to make it fit. Are your saddles modified?. I really prefer the look of the Harrison set-up better than the aftermarket. Good luck with it.

joe_padavano

That's what the PIM shows for the 442s. Same radiator code and P/N for V01 and C60.

joe_padavano

There are aluminum radiator vendors selling units with stock-appearing end tanks. Hit it with some semi-gloss black and they look pretty good.

first30k69hurstolds

My 442 is totally stock. That aluminum unit certainly looks very nice but my car is a nice survivor so on this one I'd like to stay with a Harrison radiator. If anyone has nice side tanks for a two core, I'd be very interested.

RocketDevo

Did you ever find a Harrison radiator?
If not I should have one available.
Thanks

AK71CutlassS

Which brand is this one joe?