ragtop442

I am installing a new radiator in my 67 olds 442 with turbo 400 transmission. The old radiator had bigger line connectors than the new radiator will except. Do they make adaptors to down size to the smaller female size needed on the new radiator? I can't seem to get any help from the "box" autoparts stores. Should I go to a transmission shop? I would go to a radiator shop but they seem to be going exstinct like the good ole auto parts stores!

2blu442

I've seen all kinds of adapters so I'd think they make such a creature. Last time I needed a brass fitting I went to the local NAPA auto parts store and they had little bins with different sized fittings in them. The counter guy went through them with me until we found the right one. Any parts stores like that near where you live? A different idea, the local LOWES has fasteners of just about any size shape or form. I've no idea if they have the fitting you need, but I'd give them a try if you have those nearby. Sometimes you can spend an entire Saturday dealing with a small detail like this John

joe_padavano

You can get inverted flare adapters at most auto parts stores. You'll need to dig through their bins until you find the right one (and they'll be out of those). Even the big box stores have them, just the idiot untrained counter people don't even know they have the bins in the back.

InfoJunkie

Awww Joe, that's what I do for a living. I will agree with you though because we do have at least one working there that fits your description. I usually blame the idiot untrained customer who has no idea of what the part he wants is called. I read the posts on here and shake my head wondering if the people that have these nice cars actually have a clue. I don't profess to know everything about every car ever built anywhere in the world (seems counter staff must) or be able to diagnos every problem (again a must know) but it is nice when a customer knows about what he wants to buy. Thanks for the rant this morning. I'm off to work in about 15 minutes and should be vented enough to deal with the "" customers.

2blu442

Infojunkie, sorry if we generalize too much. But many of us old farts remember a time before the big chain auto part stores. I remember the counter guys who themselves were old farts and it was amazing what they knew. Sometimes they would help me diagnose what my problems were, then pull a rabbit out of a hat by taking the right part off the shelf without use of a computer. Now many of the chain stores are staffed with young people who know the computer well and can search for the parts. But haven't got the experience to know if the part they pull from the shelf is correct or not. I don't resent them having a job, but that minimum wage job may be one of many jobs they try before settling down on a career. The family run parts store where the counter guys made it their whole career may be from a different era, but I miss it Again, no offense for the young people trying to make a living. We just miss the good O'days. John

69442C

About a year ago, I went into a local auto parts store that has several stores in the Baltimore MD area. I was trying to get a 69 Cutlass running and I was looking for set of points and condenser as the originals were toast. This was just to get the car to run and that was it. The guy at the parts store was a younger guy as was his co-worker. I asked him if he had a listing for ignition points and condenser for a 69 Cutlass with a 350. He looked at me and asked what were points and and if the AC system was factory or aftermarket. I politely told him I wanted ignition parts and these were the items that went into the distributor and they had nothing to do with AC. He asked his co-worker if he was familiar with these items and he had no clue either. I just went on my way and stopped at my local NAPA store who had them in stock and the counter person was a woman. So yes, while there are probably many customers who are not quite as informed as they need to be when tackling an auto repair, some of us "seasoned" guys (and I'm just over 50) struggle with the younger parts store people out there who have no experience with these older cars. Plus, many of these younger guys seem to have bad memories. EX: Needed a right rear caliper for my 04 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4. Walked into another local store telling them what I needed. Parts guy: 4.7 or 5.7; A= 5.7. Parts guy: 2 or 4 wheel; A= 4 wheel. Parts guy: Std Cab or Quad cab: A= Std. Parts guy: Front or Rear: A= Right Rear. Parts guy: 4.7 right? A= no, 5.7. Parts guy: Left Rear? A= No, RR. Parts guy: you said 2 wheel? A= No, 4 wheel. Parts guy: What was that again, a rotor? A= Never mind. This is no BS. Another store needed a week to get a reman so I tried the dealer who had it in stock for less than a reman. Go figure. And, the RR caliper is the same on all V8's, 2 or 4 wheel and all cab styles for this year.

InfoJunkie

We therefore agree that it no fun dealing with someone on the other side of the counter who only has a small clue of what they are doing. The best line I like is when a customer says "they're all the same".

At work I have a pad and pen to write things down so I can remember them. I'm not sure if the younger generation knows how to use those things. They don't have a keypad.

You asked for the caliper just perfectly. My customer would have said " 04 Dodge caliper " leaving the psychic behind the counter to figure out the rest or ask a lot of questions. I wish all my customers were like you.

InfoJunkie

They have only added a few million part numbers since the newest of your cars listed rolled off the assembly line. I know people who could do that. I can only remember the ones that I sell the most and then it's only a few.

69442C

Don't get me wrong, I have had plenty of great experiences over the years with Parts Stores and people who really knew their stuff and who cared. It just seems today that some of the owners of these stores are hiring on the availability of a person and offering on the lower side of the pay scale. There are still good ones and I gather you must be in that group. I worked as a licensed inspection mechanic in my late teen years ago it was painful at times to deal with people who thought they knew it all. I still remember the guy who came in with a flat tire that we repaired. He came back the next day claiming his wipers didn't work and wanted them fixed for free since in his mind, we damaged them in the couse of repairing the tire. And he was dead serious. Yep, the wipers are integral to the tires. So, I feel your pain.

joe_padavano

I understand and agree completely. We often get posts like that here. Sometimes I might get a little, ah, snippy when asking for more info...

69442C

Ragtop442, sorry, we seem to have left you by the side of the road here other than Joe's suggestion about the parts stores. I see Dorman products at a lot of the parts stores around here and Dorman will have those fittings as long as the store keeps the drawers stocked. If that doesn't work out, Parker makes these fitting and you should be able to find a Parker distributor in your area. You may find them with companies who are Fluid Power Distributors. These distributors sell Air and Hydraulic equipment such as the industrial filter/regulators and quick disconnects for hoses. McMaster Carr is another source if you want to shop via the internet. If your cooling line fittings in the radiator do not have a flare in them but is rather just a threaded hole, you will need a pipe X flare fitting. Play around with other fittings you can find such as a pipe plug to figure out the correct size pipe fitting for the radiator you need. If it has a flare but is just the wrong size, you will need a flare X flare reducer.

joe_padavano

Thanks for getting us back on track. I have to apologize, however. The last time I needed these adapter fittings was in the 1970s when I did a disk brake swap. My local auto parts store (one of those dirty, dark mom & pop stores with the crotchety old guy behind the counter) had a bin full of them. No problem. Today it took me about 15 minutes on Google to find them. Dorman does NOT list them, apparently. Here are three sources I found. The first appears to the the most comprehensive and lists cross reference numbers for other vendors as well. NAPA might be able to cross the numbers for you.

http://www.plews-edelmann.com/brochu...cation_id=2516

http://www.paragonperformance.com/ADPTRS7.html

http://www.fastfittings.com/master-cylinder-adapters

InfoJunkie

I actually sold a pair of these yesterday at work for the same reason. They were from a company called FMSI but they are located in Burlington On and I don't think the number works in the USA.

You beat me to it Joe. I type very slow.

ragtop442

Well, I ended up going to a radiator shop and they gave me some. Then it got worse! The lower conection for the lower hose was not at the correct angle to allow the hose to hook up. Bought this "dirrect replacement" from a supposedly original equipment catalog. Ya right. Ended up having the old one, which isn't correct, recored. Now I need to buy a flex hose but at least I can clear the frame now. Holly crap! A 20 minute job is taking 2 weeks. This Olds is haunted. everything has been a fight with this one as the original 4 speed drive train was swapped out 30 years ago and nothing is right. It does look nice in the garage though.

69442C

I feel your pain. These cars often present challenges like this especially when things have been swapped out or modified over the years. Glad you got it worked out to the point of making it work. Keep an eye out for the correct radiator, even one that may be in bad shape as long as the tank for the lower hose is still good. You might be able to get that tank installed onto your recored unit to make it more "correct". Make sure you know if the tanks will interchange before you buy anything.

Where are you located? I just had a radiator recored and the shop that did it has been around since the 60's. They have a lot of old radiator tanks laying around and might have what you want if you want to try to make it original and to get rid of the flex hose. I'm sure they would just sell the tank if they had it. If you're not close enough, I can give you their phone number. Nice guys.

Brian

ragtop442

I am located in Mass. I will have to get the part #s and keep an eye out at the swap meets ect. I'm real currious as to what the lower tank connector looks like. There is not much room with the position of the frame rail. I am going to hit a few more parts stores and see if I can match another hose with the correct angle and cut it to fit before buying the flex hose.