Classic Cooling Upgrade NEEDED...Radiator Style??

Needing to upgrade the stock 2 core radiator in my 67 mustang, I began looking on the web to see what different offerings there were. First I considered the difference between aluminum or Brass/Copper material...What is better to use?? The car gets to 250-260 degerees on the freeway at traffic flow speeds, (60-80mph) after I have been cruzing for a while (over 15 minutes @ constant speed). Ive been told that it is beter to stick with the stock material for longetivity if the car is going to be used often (it will).

After choosing the right material:

I noticed that my 67 mustang's radiator has the coolant inlet and outlets inline on the passenger's side of the veh. I wonder if it is advisible to get a (alum. or Copper) radiator with staggered inlet and outlets? Could I do this as easily as ordering the below 1969-70 staggered radiator and matching coolant pump? Is the space in the radiator support different? **THANK YOU**
.
.Ive got a rad. shroud and 5 fin flexalite engine driven fan
.
.

http://www.mustangsplus.com
4-Row Radiators
------------------------
1969-70 250/302/351W Bolt In Staggered Outlet 4-Row Radiator Code:00777 Price:$219.95
------------------------
1967-69 289/302/351W Bolt In Inline Outlet 4-Row Radiator Code:00779 Price:$209.95
-------------------------
(the below is FOR using aluminum, but dosent address longivity...?)
Brass/copper radiators are thermally more efficient than aluminum. However, aluminum is stronger since the tubes are brazed rather than soldered as in brass/copper radiators. Aluminum radiators also use larger-diameter coolant tubes, which allow more heat-conducting fins. That means the aluminum radiator can be thinner than a brass/copper radiator and offer the same effective cooling. Modine says that radiator core thicknesses over 2 inches can result in increased pressure drops across the radiator that decrease airflow, which will reduce cooling efficiency. ::taken from:: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/54879

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 67fastback on 12/12/04 10:37am ]</font>

Griffin makes a good AL rad. Lot's of folks around here running them...Griffin is based in Greenville, SC.
[addsig]

A water pump from an early 70's 302-351 will have the outlet on the driver's side and is a direct swap. Only problem I had with the swap is that the 60's timing pointer found on the driver's side would then be hidden. To fix that problem required a 70's style timing cover, harmonic balancer, and the proper 4 bolt crank pulley.
[addsig]

One of the best and least expensive radiators available is from a company in Kingman, AZ named McCulluoch Racing Radiators. The web site is www.alumrad.com.

Talk to the owner, Brian, and discuss your needs; he will set you up. I've been using one their units for a couple of years now and it couldn't be better. My car is a 65 Mustang, daily driver, with a 331 cid and A?C. Summer temps here are in the 95 to 105 range.

Give him a call; you won't be disappointed.

Sorry. The previous post contained some errors. The owner's name is Bryan and the company is Bryan McCulloch Radiators. The web site is correct, however.

Geronimo,

Did you have to enlarge the shroud to house the new rad? I don't want to cut the surround on my classic but will likely need extra cooling capacity with a 393 so I'm looking for a heavier capacity rad with the same H x W (obviously the depth will change.

Ideally I'd like to use an electric fan with this...
[addsig]

Yes, I did enlarge the radiator support opening. The rad I'm using is a crossflow type unlike the original design like yours.

Give Bryan a call and tell him what you want. He can probably fix you up with a standard size core that might even be a crossflow.

Have you considered a Doublepass radiator? There's a baffle in the core that the coolant has to flow around. It'll keep the inlets on the same side so you won't have to change to a drivers side inlet pump. AFCO, or anyone else who sells them can make it any size you want.

If you do switch sides on the lower hose, I think the water pump for an '89 Crown Victoria with a 5.0 will work. I'm pretty sure that's a standard rotation pump. It's aluminum, too.

Robert

I would go with a 4 row brass/copper radiator that will bolt in to your radiator support. Do not fall into the aluminum radiator trap that alot of people fall into. Aluminum DOES NOT dissipate heat as well as nice brass/copper rad. I know people will tell you that they are running an aluminum rad, but I bet that they had to cut alot of the core support away to fit the tractor size rad they installed,What does that tell you? The huge 28, and 31" radiators in Mustangs look like crap. A 22" aluminum radiator will cool a 302, or even a 331, but I do not think that it will do anything for a 393. Look at a Be Cool catalog, and the radiators that will bolt in to the core support of a Mustang will tell you that they are for max 350 HP.
[addsig]

I live in Phoenix where the summers are HOT. I have a 2 row Griffin Al radiator. Works Great! Prior I lived in LasVegas,Hot there too. The radiator was a direct bolt in. I use the stock shroud. Looks good too. I need to get an electric fan (Maybe Hot Rod Air?) because in the winter I have to put a small piece of cardboard in front of the radiator so it will get to operating temp.