Which radiator for a worked 65

[Dingo80]

Have a slightly worked (alloy heads, hydraulic cam, weiand stealth,750 vac sec) and have always had issues in traffic getting hot. Had a 3 core copper radiator with separate tranny cooler, big thermo fan, then went back to 7 blade engine fan with factory shroud but still had issues. I then bought a big aussie desert coolers one but have decided it is way to much work to fit with fact I am fitting A/C also so means modifying the bonnet latch to condenser installed. So have sold that radiator. Once car starts moving temp drops back down.

Was hoping to go one that will fit original  mounts and bolt in. Are there particular ones to go for that you guys can recommend as doing a search comes up with so many options I get a bit lost?

Thanks in advance

[GLENN 70]

I would think a 67 three core would do the job . 67/68 depending on the out lets for your engine .

[GEOFF289]

Still need to cut the radiator panel to use a 67/8 one don't you, as with the Desert Cooler?

Suggest you verify what your temp is getting up to with a heat gun or engine watchdog rather than relying on the dash gauge before you spend money.

[shaunp]

68 24" AC rad, same as big block but with the hoses on the same side, or a bigblock one and water pump with inlet on the left.

[Dingo80]

I have a dakota digital dash and temps would be getting close to 100 degrees C. I have the radiator outlet on the LHS and inlet on RHS. Was hoping not to chop the radiator support as I have already done so for ADC radiator. Have a new radiator support to go in as old one was a bit rusty also.

Are the griffin ones any good? Frank from Frank's classic garage told me of a brand they use in their targa car but I can't remember what it was. Northam or something? It was a US brand.

Cars in pieces and just been media blasted so won;t get to test temps again for quite a while. Just want to get all my bits together ready to go when finally reassembly can take place

Love the maier strut brace shaunp. I just got mine the other day with my rear springs.

[GEOFF289]

Others will know better than me but 100C seems like its up there all right.

I have an engine watchdog which measures block rather than coolant temp and it runs in the mid 60's most of the time. Real hot weather, aircon on and stop start traffic will put it in the high 70's. I have the alarm set at 85 and it's never gone off. This is with a 3 core but otherwise standard size copper/brass (whatever it is) radiator, shroud and 7 blade engine driven fan.

[Dingo80]

Yeh all the research I could find said 100 was peaking for a alloy headed motor. Would sit on 65-70 all day except when hit traffic and move slow would rise to 80-85 reasonably quickly. My dakota dash alarm is set at 90 to start to flashing. I usually pull over then and let it cool

[shaunp]

You only have to trim the first step out of the opening in the support to use the factory big block rad, and then you use 67 clam shell mounts to hold it in, looks factory works like charm and unlike an alloy ones you can repair them a clean them.

[Dingo80]

You only have to trim the first step out of the opening in the support to use the factory big block rad, and then you use 67 clam shell mounts to hold it in, looks factory works like charm and unlike an alloy ones you can repair them a clean them.

Is there any chance you could take a photo shaun of what you cut out and the clam shell mounts? I think I know what you mean.

[USA066]

Spoke to Frank on the weekend, and he uses Northern radiators 2 core in his targa cars. He swears by them. He has just built a 65 with 331 stroker and A/C and has installed same radiator with thermo fan. I am running a big ADC 2 core radiator with twin thermos, 66 with 331ci, A/C and PS. Had to cut the radiator support but fits and works well.

[Fitzy1980]

I have a Northern 2 core works great.

oh and an

ENGINE FAN !!!! 

Barn loves it 

[Dingo80]

Does anyone know what cfm the factroy ford 7 blade flex fan does. Seems most thermos are around 1200 cfm in this application so was wanting to compare.

[shaunp]

5 or 6 blade with factory shroud is all you ever need. With the right rad it will support 500hp unless the blades fly off and come through the bonnet at high rpm

[GEOFF289]

I don't know any cfm numbers but my 7 blade engine fan pulls serious air. It'll just about stick the car to the garage wall.

[shaunp]

You are over thinking this, its not hard to keep these cars cool even with factory type parts.

[GLENN 70]

The 65/66 radiators were and are too small and you are running a 347 cu in engine not a 289 . The 67 on radiator is a bigger radiator and does the job .

[Dingo80]

You are over thinking this, its not hard to keep these cars cool even with factory type parts.

Just interested in the cfm difference. I would prefer to probably run an engine fan for reliability with shroud so just need a radiator that will work.

Will look into the 67/68 radiators and see how radiator support needs to be modified.
Are these the brackets you are talking about Glenn?
http://www.cjponyparts.com/radiator-bracket-upper-1967-1968/p/RADB3/
http://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-lower-radiator-bracket-pair-1967-1970/p/RADB11/
http://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-lower-radiator-bracket-insulator-pair-1967-1970/p/HW3211/

If these are what you are talking about, then from what I can see you are just trimming the flat section of the radiator support that the factory 65 radiator would bolt to. Is that correct? So the radiator doesn't sit any further forward that the factory 65 one?

[Dwayne]

Have a look at the 67-68 radiator supports and you'll see the difference for where to trim yours.

[barnett468]

that is most likely an air flow problem

start with a 16 lb rad cap and setting your timing to the optimum level . inaccurate timing will cause an engine to run hotter than normal . if it is still unhappy, you can do some or all of the following.

original used taurus or lincoln MKVII or contour fans

DCC fan controler

high flow water pump

milodon high flow 180 t stat

30% coolant, 70% demineralized water, 1 bottle of justice brothers or royal purple coolant additive

high density 3 row rad . the tubes will be 5/16 center to center . you can also get a multi pass type
.

[shaunp]

Is there any chance you could take a photo shaun of what you cut out and the clam shell mounts? I think I know what you mean.

Yep looks almost stock mate, if you didnt know what it was not like it from new you'd assume it came with the big block rad. I used the matching shroud and fan. Ill get some pics to tomorrow, 

[shaunp]

You can see the clam shell mount on top of the rad in the center, and there are 2 on top of the caster bar mounts on the bottom so the rad is rubber mounted like a modern car. 2 extra bolts on the hood catch hold the mount. Standard big block shroud and 6 blade fan. This car is pretty trick, has Cruise control and lots of other goodies 351, roller cam trickflow heads, AOD, 4.11 Truetrack, AC , Borgeson Dakota digital dash etc etc etc. I think Jon needs to change is login to "Was a ruffcoupe" You want the 67 lower mounts they are different to 68 on and fit a 65-66 car better due the angle of the caster bar braces.  http://www.mustangautoparts.com.au/rbk67.htm

[shaunp]

[shaunp]

[shaunp]

Use to look like this, only original panels are the roof and sills

[Dingo80]

So still looking around and doing more research on this and as to which way to go. I am thinking of going down a Northern Radiator path maybe (pending an email response) but still undecided.

My other question and I hope it doesn't open a can of worms but wanted to find out am I better to keep engine fan or go say a 14" SPAL thermo? I know a shroud is a given but all the reading I have done still hasn't cleared my vision. Not concerned about gaining or losing HP more just the airflow. I am thinking stick to the engine fan but await your educated responses.

Thanks in advance