72 fitment aluminum radiator into a 1974?

[72bluNblu]

I'm under the impression the 26" radiator wasn't offered on A-Body cars until 73. If it was offered before then, please enlighten me...




73 Dart Sport or do you have the 1 & only 73 Demon produced??

I think you're right, I think it was a 73+ deal. Not positive. The '74 Dart I had with a 318/904 and AC had one.

'74 Duster. I dunno about the only one, but it's definitely a '71 Demon clone now.

 

[moparmandan]

I defer to your knowledge. 1973 here also.

 

[72bluNblu]

Here's the info, looks like '73 was the first year for 26" radiators in A-bodies. Unless I missed one.

MyMopar.com - Radiator Specifications

 

[AJ/FormS]

I nabbed a 26" A/C rad from a 73 Dart and installed it in a my 68 Barracuda, and used the 70up style aluminum pump and matching timing cover. One side bolted directly to the core support where the slanty had been bolted to; I think it was the driver's side.
As to the opening IIRC, I just slotted the top and bottom and folded the sheet metal forward. I know I was gonna do that, but cannot recall if I actually did do that, I'm not sure.
I also brought along the recovery tank and the shroud. To fit the recovery tank, I had to drill a locating hole in the top of the frame-rail,like the Swinger it came out of had, and some creative mounts up top. The shroud was a carry-over so fit the rad fine; and also the 7-blade fan was reasonably centered.If the rad was higher on the support I never noticed.
I liked the angular appearance of the later rad better than the rounded bulbousness of the earlier style.
It cools my manual trans HO 367 fantastically.

 

[Ccas]

I can tell you for a fact, in my case.
An aluminum 2 row 22" champion will not cool as good as a factory brass 22".
I punctured my brass radiator, and replaced it with a champion aluminum one, it constantly runs 20 degrees hotter with the aluminum radiator vs the brass factory one.
No other changes.

What motor? stock? or mods? a 2 row Champion is a very small radiator. Not sufficient for many v8's.

 

[sireland67]

Stock 318

 

[Ccas]

None huh? Same thermostat, water pump, fan, fan shroud, coolant, etc?

I would bet that the 2 row Champion uses the same tube dimensions as the Champion three row. Which means the 2 row Champion probably has smaller tubes than the original brass 22" 2 row did, which is why your car now runs hotter. It's just cheaper for them to produce all of their radiators with the same tube size. Which is probably the same reason that Cold Case, the company being repped by Ccas, doesn't sell 3 row radiators. They only use one tube size because it's cheaper to do that. Well, that and they'd have to change their entire sales gimmick if they came out with a 3 row radiator. In your case I would bet that one of those 2 row "big tube" radiators from Ccas would probably work better than your current 2 row Champion. Bigger tubes, more surface area.

Look I'm not a Champion rep, I really don't care. My argument has not been for Champion. They're a cheaply produced radiator and absolutely have the quality control and fit issues that come along with that. The 3 row, 26" Champion radiator that I have has worked flawlessly, but not everyone has had that experience.

My particular beef is the perpetual shlock about 2 row "big tube" radiators and how 3 row radiators are inherently worse. It's a marketing gimmick. Same as the competing manufacturers that say 3 or 4 row radiators are inherently better because they have more rows. Big tubes aren't inherently better. More rows isn't inherently better. In general more surface area is better, but even that depends on the details. The cooling capacity of a radiator depends on a whole bunch of things, and those are only two of many variables. You can have a 3 row that cools better than a 2 row, and a 2 row that cools better than a 3 row, it just depends on the design and construction of those individual radiators. Which is why I keep pressing for more information, so we can actually see which is better based on the DATA.

But since we can't get past the marketing gimmick to real information, we won't know if the 2 row "big tube" radiators that Ccas is trying to sell us actually perform better than the competing 3 rows. All of these radiator companies make sales pitches, most of them count on the buyer not actually having an understanding of thermodynamics.

Well I think you'll be shocked to hear that I agree with almost everything you are saying here. This is your assessment of the industry. I think we're both saying pretty much the same things. I was taking this a little to personal. If occasionally it sounds to you like a broken record, remember that I've made around 30 total posts in this community. I don't think any of them were irresponsible. Don't forget that you have been on these forums for eons. You've watched advertisers come and go. You've listened to countless claims. You've watched members waste money on radiators they didn't need. So here comes Cold Case with more of the same. So perhaps I'm paying for all the past frustrations? The difference with me is I am not a salesperson. The buck stops at me. I've built a couple of pretty successful companies. I am still doing this because I enjoy it, not because I need the $. These companies were built on the ability to create value for customers. I'm here because I have pride in the value we have created but to those that have seen my posts on various forums, they know I'll be the first to compliment another brand or another product when I think that product deserves it.
I'm on here for two reasons;
1. To share my knowledge of the automotive industry and in particular the cooling side of the industry. (but if anyone wants to talk about exhaust technology, I happen to know a bit about that also )
2. To recommend our products in situations where I think they create value for the member. We do have a money back cool guarantee. It makes no sense for me to recommend a product that I'm not very confident about because I'm going to get it back on my dime if it doesn't improve the situation.
Over time, when appropriate, I will provide supportive information. 'Proof' as you call it. Until then I'm ok with being guilty until proven innocent. ;)

 

[yellow rose]

I'm under the impression the 26" radiator wasn't offered on A-Body cars until 73. If it was offered before then, please enlighten me...




73 Dart Sport or do you have the 1 & only 73 Demon produced??

I detest the name Dart Sport. Good old Pat Robertson was one of the big kooks who protested the demon name and force the cuck snowflake pussies at Chrysler to change the name.

I was also the second owner of a 1972 Demon. When I bought it, everything was dead stock. Down to the OE exhaust. When I originally rebuilt the engine in 1981, that car came with 2.02 valves. I called the previous owner to verify he never replace the heads. He never had a valve cover off. So technically, I could have run Stock eliminator and used a 2.02 valve.


I was young and dumber back then. That car went away when I bought a race car. Race cars are pretty much useless to me anymore.

BTW, that car had a factory 26 inch radiator.

 

[AJ/FormS]

I also despised that name, and the geeky beak nose they put on the second gens. I drove a 74 360 Demon with a 4speed for a couple of years. I backed up to the house every night so I wouldn't have to look at that Pontiac nose. Oh if I'd only known that a 74 Duster clip, with the factory "power-bulge" hood would fit right on there. That was 1977 or 78. Of course that Duster nose was not the greatest looking either, but it sure beats the beak.
I was younger too, just about 24, and shacked up but engaged. We wed the following spring, and a couple of years later, the house payments required the car to go. Beside, Mrs. AJ wouldn't ride in that hotrod anymore. That car had been slightly warmed up by the slightly older,and a lot smarter than me, previous owner, and she was a pretty nice car; except for the fugly fiberglass pro-stock snorkle he put on the hood,sheesh.

 

[Ccas]

Stock 318

I've seen that little 2 row champion cool some stock small v8 motors. As you know, there are a multitude of reasons why a car runs hot. Your's may have one of those reasons that pushes that little 2 row champion too far. You could search for the problem or you can get a bigger radiator instead. That radiator you get doesn't have to be a big aluminum radiator. Try the 3 row copper that you had in there originally or you can also choose a bigger aluminum radiator.

 

[j par]

I detest the name Dart Sport. (But you have one??) Race cars are pretty much useless to me anymore.

Well hopefully we can get you to use it one more time??!