98form

I think someone switched the radiator top plate on my car before I bought it and I am looking for some measurements from a 1969 442 radiator to confirm this. The issue that I am having is the brackets underneath the radiator top plate which hold the radiator in place will not fit down on top of the passenger side tank correctly. The passenger side tank measures 3 5/16" wide where it joins the core and the drivers side tank measures 3" wide. The radiator top plate that I have has brackets underneath that will fit on top of a radiator that has both tanks that are 3" wide. There is also a possibility that the radiator has been changed, but I have seen photos of another '69 442 radiator and it looks identical to the one that I have. If you can shed any light on this, I would greatly appreciate it!

2blu442

If I'm reading your post right, the passengerside tank is wider than the drivers side tank. It sound to me like someone swapped in a full sized car radiator. I've seen those tanks on 88's, 98's and Toronado's. The Cutlass/442 should have the same sized tank on each side.


John

98form

Thanks for the info John. So, are the radiators from the full sized cars identical in width, height, and length to the Cutlass/442 radiators? If yes, then the only difference is the passenger side tank width? All of the width, height, and length measurements on my radiator match up to the measurements I have found on other posts about '69 442 radiators. The radiator that I have also fits in the bottom radiator brackets/tank cradles just fine.....

2blu442

My experience is that the full sized cars used a tank the size of a 4 row radiator on the passengers side. then on the drivers side its a tank the size of a 3 row radiator. The Cutlass/442 have the same sized tanks on each end, otherwise they are the same dimensions. Check your bottom saddles, I'm guessing that either the pass side has been pried open or the drivers side one has room that's not being used. If the car had come with a 3 or 4 row radiator to begin with the bottom saddles are different between them. Can you post some pictures? I've got a stack of radiators and have a 1969 442 with the 4 row radiator in it. I can post some pictures tomorrow if that would help.

John

2blu442

Here's a few pictures of radiators I've got.

The first is a 2 row Cutlass radiator.
P8101127.jpg

The second is a 3 row Cutlass radiator.
P8101128.jpg

They used the same tanks and they are the same sized on both ends.

Then next is a radiator I pulled from a 1967 Olds Toronado. it has the larger 4 row sized tank on the pass side, and smaller 3 row sized tank on the drivers side. This is what I think you have in your car.
P8101130-1.jpg

P8101129.jpg

P8101131-1.jpg

Here's a couple top plates, one with the rubber in it is correct for the 2 or 3 row radiator. The one in front of it with no rubber is pried open, so I think someone tried to put the wider pass side radiator in it.
P8101123.jpg

Then here's a 4 row radiator in a 1969 442. It has the same wide tanks on each end and uses the 4 row top plate which is different that the 2 and 3 row top plates.
P8101132.jpg

P8101133.jpg

I think you'll have to get a different radiator to have the correct appearance. Or modify the top plate to fit the radiator you've got. Let me know if I can provide other views to help with your project. John

98form

Thank you for your help John. For now, I am going to modify the top plate to allow it to fit the radiator I have. It won't take much to do it. That seems to be what was done to the bottom cradle.

98form

Ok....scrap the idea of modifying the top plate I have now. I don't want to destroy it in the process. I am looking for a top plate that will fit this radiator. The width from the middle of one inside tank lip to the middle of the other inside tank lip is approx 29". With that in mind, and the passenger side tank width being approx 3 1/2" and the drivers side tank width being 3", what car do I need to find a top plate from? John, I know you said that you thought that the radiator that I have now came in 67 Toronado. Can you or anyone else confirm or deny this? Could this radiator be from an earlier 442? I am looking at a top plate from a 67 442 right now on eBay and I'm waiting on measurements. The width from tank to tank seems to be right, but not sure yet if the tank width itself differs from drivers to passengers side.

2blu442

No 1964-72 Cutlass/442 used a radiator with different sized tanks. I think that's true for 1973 and newer, but I'm not as experienced with those vintages. I don't know of any factory top plates that would work without some modifications. I do have a stack of extra top plates including some from full sized cars. If your good at welding I could provide you with one of those to work with. I've also got extra 1969-72 3 row top plates if you wanted one of each so you don't have to cut yours up. Maybe you could brainstorm on what to cut and weld onto yours if you had them together on your workbench. Or.... just get the correct radiator with the same sized tanks on each end. If you can afford it that would be the simplest resolution to the problem.


John