Mac before you get going on your firewall.... hey have you got a spare fire extinguisher? We need one over on Isle one.

 

Actually I picked up an extra this winter when I got the wood furnace going. You know, just to be safe

 

That saved my garage and 2 cars one day. Smart move.

 

 

Progress...

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I dropped the evaporator, condenser, and radiator at our radiator shop for testing. $50-$60 to test all three. Not bad. The dude took one look at the radiator and said I would need it re-cored. About $250. Or should I get a new aluminum? Opinions welcome.

 

I would get an aluminum without the plastic tanks if you have the $$$ myself Mac, although I purchased a 3 row copper rad just because it was cheaper at the time for me. I hope your heater core is ok after you removed the hoses but I think it will likely leak ( nasty job ). I got a 3 row copper for 265 up here. I hope its a 3 row for that price it will work great but only last for bout 8-10 years if you flush and fill it every few if it sits a lot. The brake booster looks awesome!!

 

Lol, saw that peaking out from behind, eh? Thanks for the advice Eric.

 

Working OUTSIDE!

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Opinions?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-1985-CH...dfcd56&vxp=mtr

 

This one is cheaper with the 20% off coupon I have...

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/t...165/12012778-P

 

Tough choice on the radiator, I'm leaning towards the one from advanced as the capacity is a correct 4 row. If anything, just for the convenience and the warranty.

 

X2. But more because of the price, I didn't know all that other stuff. Glad I asked.

 

You can't beat that I would go with that one as well Mac, Geez a 4 row would even keep the wife cool in the passenger seat if she got heated over you lighting up your tires. That's it I'm ordering all my stuff from the U.S of A from now on. Nobody can beat the prices up here. I wish I had of joined CO prior to doing most of my car, the guys are so much help here!!!

 

Yeah, I've belonged to other forums but never one like this.

 

Mac, from a different thread, depending on your concerns about appearances and durability, Advance also sells this one for half the price:



Should be the equivalent of at least a 3-core.

- Eric

 

These rads with the plastic tanks and rubber gaskets have been made better over the years, I don't really like them myself . I can remember when they first came out I believe in around 1986.... Eric will know for sure LOL. A friend of mine owned a rad shop here, they were always coming back with leaks. Chrysler type rads mainly. They are a lot lighter than the copper thou. I guess for that price even if you get 5 years out of it would be worth the $$$.

 

FWIW I bought a nice huge 2 row radiator which is stock style but almost too wide to fit in the stock location. I bought it from summit it was a summit brand made by a company here in the us. 4 years later its leaking. Im tempted to use bars stop leak because it has worked in the past on many of my other cars. After seeing another thread with what smitty said it might just be worth buying one of those radiators. For 50 bucks more than to re core you could have shiney aluminum. I think my radiator is leaking because my core support got loose and it shook pretty bad so I think its due to the shock / core shift that my rad. is leaking.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...model/chevelle

 

I think I'm going to have to go with Eric-chanic's recommendation on this one. My goal right now is to get this gal on the road so anywhere I can save money, as long as it's an easy swap later. And I need to consider the fact that someone used stop leak in the original and I didn't have the block hot-tanked so who knows what kind of crud could get into the new radiator.
Thanks Eric, you've saved me some cash-ola..........again

As for today; I picked up some "Restore-Black" for plastic surfaces so I'm going to have a go at the wheel wells. Oh, and will I be shunned if I use rattle can paint on the AC box (same stuff I'll use on the firewall)? It looks kinda' crummy with the bare fiberglass. My plan is to make the engine bay as clean and perty and unnoticeable as possible. I want the visual focus to be on the engine

 

For what it's worth I have a radiator similar to Eric's picture on my car. I don't recommend them only for the fact is most don't like the looks. It works in my car, but on really hot day (100+) here in Texas it struggles if the car idles for an extended period of time.

 

It's really Smitty's recommendation - I just fleshed out the details after he brought it up.

I'd have used one last year had I known about them, instead of buying a very nice used one for a great price, then having it shipped across the country, adding up to close to the price of one of these.



Eric, not to nitpick , but, if it works pretty well for your big block in Texas, it'll probably be great for Mac's small block in Illinois, AND

If you've got problems with prolonged idling on hot days, but it cools fine on the highway at the same temperatures, then the problem is not the radiator, but the fan / fan clutch / shroud system.

I put a Hayden heavy duty clutch on mine (spec'd for trucks, mostly - I forget the model number bur could find it) and it'll sit all day on a 100° day and stay cool. It also roars like a nor'easter for the first five minutes after you start the car, and some people wouldn't like that.

- Eric

 

Eric I may need info on that clutch unit a pic if possible would be sweet

 

Again, if I don't like the looks I will probably upgrade later anyway......unless we have record high temps this summer and electricity quadruples in price.

So what's the current thinking of summer temps after a brutally cold winter? I'd like to think that the cooling trend will continue but somehow I think that 20 degrees below average will equate to 20 above this summer

And just for the record; we've had many a summer when the mercury topped 100, and that's with a good 90% humidity.

 

Lord tunderin geez , good thing I don't live in Texas, I would get pulled over for indecent exposure with the wife blown on me in 100+ weather.

 

I agree with needing a different fan setup, not much room in there. I'll worry about it when the 455 goes in someday.

 

The important thing for idle air flow is the shroud. I ran a cover just for the top of the fan and it aways crept up towards 200 at a long light. I added a shroud and stock style fan and clutch and it kept things cool. Never went past 190 at a light which I think was great for my set up .

 

Mac, have you looked into the northern radiator they are aluminum.I think they are only two or three core. They claim they cool as well as a four core prices are between 150+.
I know that gene (64rocket) has one in his race car and said there not bad for the price

 

My radiator was made by northern.

 

I cannot put my hand on the actual receipt right now, but I believe it was the Hayden 2797, with a 7-blade fan.
Don't use it with a smaller fan, or it will just act like a solid connection.

This thing will roar and blow your hair back.

- Eric

 

You could open a salon in that car it's so big.

 

Damn it. I just bought a nice 6 blade . The clutch unit is fine but hd is hd lol.

 

The Restore-Black seems to work pretty well. It dries fast and claims to soak in. It took about three coats inside and out but goes on smooth. The label says to wear a respirator but I didn't smell anything when I pulled mine up to scratch my nose. What I did notice was that it smelled like artists' acrylic paint.
When that was dry I used black shoe polish on the rubber flaps. They're kinda' torn up but look good enough with the polish.

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Left with restore, right without...

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After three coats...

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And the shoe polish...

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Now, to get at that firewall....................or maybe take a nap

 

I got a call from the radiator shop today. The radiator is indeed spent. $300+ to have it re-cored. I went ahead and ordered the el-cheapo plastic that Eric recommended. HOWEVER, my evaporator and condenser tested fine. Yay! I do need a new dryer (that was the plan) and a new expansion valve. But good news. Good news is good

 

That's great news I guess copper and lead is getting expensive. Those wheel wells look gooood.

 

Copper jumped in price a few years ago. I was in the middle of a sculpture and it tripled! Lol.

 

So I thought $6.75 for a complete O-ring set for my AC was a great price....until I saw the shipping. $16.75?

http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalo...reme&Year=1971

 

No kidding lol, I had my powermaster starter, aluminum water pump and a couple ignition parts shipped up here to Canada and the shipping was almost as much as the parts. Not to mention all my rear end parts shipped as well at Christmas. DAM SHIPPERS!!! But it is still cheaper than buying them here how crazy is that !!!

 

Now that IS crazy!

 

Yeah copper is expensive I don't work for free LOL Im cheap but not free. haha couldn't help my self. Mac work looks great. Might have to take a few pointers since my heap is coming off the frame and im doing some smoothing of the firewall and other little detail things.

 

Dude! Time for a frame-off resto?

 

When i first did my car I was 17. I wanted a decent looking car that went fast lol. I turned out much better than anyone anticipated. 6 years later those little things I couldn't afford to do are creeping up. Im tired of chasing my tail so. Im fixing my rotting body mounts one which collapsed. If I cant paint it then im rocking the primer for a bit until I can afford the paint I want. the main focus this summer is fixing my frame and doing a little detail work on the firewall cleaning up the front frame again like you did and stuff like that which all that got painted 6 years ago but years of putting engines in and out and spilling fluids are making it show its age again.