Installing a BIG radiator in a 68-69 torino/montego chassis

Hello everybody! I've been doing some upgrades over the past few months to get my car to survive the hot weather we get down here in AZ.

The Radiator that I chose for this was the largest universal radiator that summit offers. The dimensions are 30.875" by 19" tall

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1∂=SUM%2D380431&N=700+42 94924500+4294839040+4294810996+4294891681+400304+4 294883120+4294883114+4294792670+4294883015+115&aut oview=sku

I bought the universal mounts that they recommend for the kit and Used the lower ones (with some bending) to have the radiator securely snugged down at the bottom. The radiator sits on top of the framerails.




For the top mount I used some simple angle aluminum.




The top radiator hose is from a 5.0 mustang, and the bottom one is a universal type that they sell for a stock Torino application. (If you ask for a lower hose for a Torino with a smallblock this is the hose they'll give you but on the computer theres a disclamer that some cutting might be involved).


Anyways here are a few more photos of the install:








Works great, car doesn't go much over 10 degrees of the thermostat even when its 100 degrees out.

Good job. BTW, what temp thermostat are you running? If you've got the time and inclination pick up a 160* Tstat and pop it in there, or for more cooling carefuly drill 3 evenly spaced holes measuring 1/32" in the diaphram. This will allow a very small amount of coolant to keep moving through the motor.

Right now the car has a 180 degree thermo and when it idles when its really hot out (100+) the temps will aproach 200, but thats mainly because of the unshrouded misaligned flex fan currently on the car. I have been thinking about swapping in a 160* or 170* thermostat, as the car seems to run a lil stronger when its at those temps.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that I had to do a little cutting of the core support in order to get the entire finned area open up to the oncoming air.

One final note is that the rad sits about a 1/2"-3/4" too high. Someday I'm gonna take it out and notch the tanks on the radiator to get it to sit a little lower as about 3/4" of the upper heat exchanger are is covered by the core support.

Man, pretty nice install, I'd suggest fabbing up a shroud thought to aid on the cooling...but nice job IMHO

I was thinking about that, but I think I'll wait to upgrade to electric fans and make a custom shroud for those.

I had the same idea about upgrading my radiator to that same one, havn't got around to doing it yet. My AFR headed 302 gets hot at 6500 rpm, with the stock radiator.

You know I used a bottle of Water Wetter and it actually works, decreased temp a few degrees, I was supprised. Actually it was the royal purple equivlant stuff. Anyway, good write-up.

Go ahead and get the 160* thermostat, it's money well spent as the windsors like to run colder than some other motors.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna get my wideband 02 sensor installed and grab a 160 degree thermo and try and make this car run a lil stronger.

I really need to find another 8" 3rd member with some lower gears so i can drive around town with out those stupid 2.79's in the back

Originally Posted by Jeffhynes

Yeah, I think I'm gonna get my wideband 02 sensor installed and grab a 160 degree thermo and try and make this car run a lil stronger. Actually im too cheap to pay for the wideband stuff....

I really need to find another 8" 3rd member with some lower gears so i can drive around town with out those stupid 2.79's in the back

Dont mess with a wideband, learn to read your plugs. I have a 160 in mine and it still runs hot, in fact my car really notices the different between 160 and 180, after 180 my lil 302 gets cranky.

And I feel you on the 2.79's!!! I finally grabbed a 69 stang 9" im building up w/ 3.50's and posi, should be a bit more fun to drive!