Just FYI, I remember 4 row copper rads had gotten over $300 not too long ago, so I jumped on this opportunity. This has the tranny cooler, and heater return.

The Spectra CU165 is down to $150 with a 25% off code - "25PEP" - for the next few days. The Spectra catalog says it's a two row aluminum, but the thing in the box was a massive 4 row copper with Spectra CU165 stickers. Go figure.
It completely fills the core support width. The outlet is double sized and I'm having a bit of a time getting it to seal properly.

 

Thats a great deal.
https://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9488388/00722

 

AND MORE Importantly Spectra is NOT Offshore Junkneasium. Its Canadian! Unusual for the big boxes for sure, May we finally be witnessing a quantum shift? Lets hope so. Good score oddball.

 

The website has a PEP30 promo code for 30% off and free shipping. Not sure if available everywhere.

 

Out the door, shipped to Marble, $147. Done. Thanks for the heads up Oddball.

 

I will never spend one more dime at pep boys. When they folded up in Wichita how do you get your life time parts replaced.Nearest pep boys is in Topeka.We had two shops and both folded. I used to buy every thing there.

 

My closest pep boys (40 miles) states free ship over $50 but shows ship is not available?

 

FWIW, this particular unit had a "Made In China" sticker on it. The company is Canadian, at least.
I'm still having trouble getting the lower hose to seal - it's a strange outlet on that thing.

 

1 review I saw stated the outlet was. 1 3/4" IIRC the lower hose connect was 2" on 70 n earlier and 1 1/2" on 71 n up. I used a sleeve from gates hose to adapt my 2" hose to the 1 1/2" connect on my current not a cu165 radiator....IDK if they have one that adapts from a 1/4" tho ?

 

If you take the hose to the auto parts store they can somewhat match the shape and get you the end sizes you need.

 

I bought this for the '66. She runs a little warm down here in the summer.
I will get pics and see what I receive for my $. For a buck and a half, I figure
it's worth a shot. I guess time will tell if I had my sight set in.

 

That Spectra CU-165 looks a lot like the Vista-Pro 433165 that I and a number of others bought on clearance from RockAuto in June for $60.

The page is popping up for me showing Part #CU-165, regularly $194.99, with Promotion PEP30 applied, for a 30% discount (-$58.50), for a final price of $136.49.

If you've been thinking about a 4-row, this would be a good time.

- Eric

 

I do not know much about radiators, but the spec sheet on the link above states that the Core Material is aluminum and the Tank Material is Plastic. Is that good?

 

This is wrong, supposed to Copper/Brass according to everyone who bought one.

 

That is what stuck me as odd when I read the spec sheet. Did you look at the spec sheet?

 

Why bother, when it refers to a different product?

- Eric

 

So you are saying the spec sheet for the CU165 on PEPBoy is wrong or that it is not the radiator you are talking about.
https://www.pepboys.com/product/deta...0763_affiliate

 

Exactly.

The spec sheet is for a plastic tank, 2-row aluminum radiator.

The actual part is a brass tank, 4-row, copper radiator.

- Eric

 

Thanks

 

I agree with others, now would be the time to buy a copper 4 row. Just as good or better than any aluminium rad, just won't last as long.

Eric

 

Or, to put it another way:

"Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?"
— Chico Marx, "Duck Soup"

 

I just received this radiator, it looks like a joke. Definitely a joke, its a plastic 2-pass, the description is correct. Image isnt what ull get

 

The part # is for the brass one. I got a crap one. I can take a pic of the box/ radiator if anyone wants to see.
BTW i started a post on radiators a week ago, i bought the rock auto one this summer. That isnt this one....dont buy

 

So, what where you saying?

 

Tman,

Do you have a photo of what you received?

 

That's what I'm saying is weird.

The Spectra catalog calls the CU165 a two row aluminum - somewhat narrow at 1.75". If you search around the internet some sites will show pictures of a two row aluminum, some will show a copper/brass.

The Spectra CU-165 box I opened at Pep Boys had a 4 row copper/brass radiator in it, with a sticker that says CU-165.

Maybe they switched designs but kept the same part number? Dumb, but possible, if they were meant for the same applications.

Anyway, YMMV. $150 for a four row copper is pretty good (I think scrap value is >$50!). I actually wanted the aluminum version. $150 for a two row stock-fit aluminum, even if they are 3/4" tubes, is pretty good too.

I've used the CU-161 - stock fit 1 row 1" aluminum - in year prior. That one works really well for moderate output builds, but probably marginal for 455's or anything really exciting.

 

I went to PepBoys today to purchase one. They only had one in stock and it was a aluminum 2-row with plastic tanks just as the Spectra spec sheet states. Maybe oddball got lucky with the wrong radiator in the CU165 box.

 

Got mine today. I can work with it, no problem.
Thanks again Oddball. :cool

 

Is yours metal Adam?

 

Solid copper. I just need to find the rubber plug to cap the heater return.
I think that may have been a Chevy thing, I forget.

 

Based on the experiences here, maybe they're trying to get rid of that model because they can't tell what's inside the boxes.

- Eric

 

Shows to be a Spectra, the description also shows to be one like Jeff went to pick up,
but the pic shows a 4 core copper unit, and was made in China too.

The one cool thing I thought was on the lower radiator snout, you can use either a small
or large diameter lower hose. Check it out, nifty.

 

I should have included this pic yesterday guys. Here is the Spectra label.
This is for the 4 core copper unit. CU 165, (A 165.)
Hopefully, this will clear the water.

 

Running the UPC code on the label (671607707236) gets you to Spectra CU165 radiators for sale on eBay and through other suppliers -- All show pictures of the brass / copper radiator that you have.

The plastic radiator in the CU165 box was clearly a mistake.

- Eric

 

it's definitely a 4 row and not a 3, right?

This goes back to, this is a decent replacement if you already have a 4 row, but if you have a stock 2 or 3 row, you're going to have to replace the perches and top plate, right?

 

jpc, yes 4 core. Here are some side by side comparisons with my original
Harrison IF CI EC unit from the 69 442 w/400 & a/c. Last shot with it's 4 core
top plate on the new one. Fits well. :cool

With a 3 core top plate and bottom perches, we just bent them out back in the day.

 

............. except Spectra's own catalog specifically states that CU165 is a two row aluminum.
I'm still thinking they re-used the part number for a different design, with the same intended applications. So what's in the box will be a grab-bag until all the copper ones are gone.

 

If that's the case, I wonder if the 2 row is designed differently to provide the same level of cooling that the 4 row copper will provide.

Because that, for $140 would be awesome. But it looks like 30% off and free shipping isn't available anymore. PEP30 doesn't work. Neither does POSTGREEN.

 

If you use the larger part of the double hose nipple, cut off the small end first at the step. Particularly the one at the top, where there is pressure against it, the hose will blow off if on the large part, due to the coolant pressing around the outside of the small part.

 

All the Ebay ones I looked at recently are now selling for $195 and up for the CU165