Champion radiator for ~500hp small block??

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gzig5

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I need a 26" radiator for my new motor (460+hp) in a 73 Cuda and ran across a barely used Champion CC281B for a Chevy Impala application that is priced right. I will obviously need to figure out if it can be made to fit the opening, but I'm more worried about the cooling capacity and looking for feedback from experience with a similar model from Champion. Specs are below but short story is that it is advertised for up to 650hp and is a three row with .75" tubes. Is that 650hp rating reliable with a proper shroud and fan package? I thought I read a while back that 1" two rows were more efficient, but I can't find that reference any longer. Car will be used on the street a lot and road racing/Auto-x so cooling capacity is important.

Description​

Champion All Aluminum Radiator
3-Row Core | Cools up to 650hp

Radiator Dimensions:
Total: 21.25" tall (21.75" with cap) x 28" (with brackets) (27" Center)
Core: 16" tall x 24.5" wide x 2.5" thick
Inlet: 1.5" passenger side
Outlet: 1.75" passenger side
Tanks: 2.75" thick
Tubes: 0.75" thick

Bracket Mounted

13 lb. Radiator Cap included
Transmission Cooler included (1/2-20 Straight Thread, Inverted Flare)
Aluminum Shroud is also available (sold separately)

When using electric fans:
One 16" or two 12" Electric fans recommended for this core size (sold separately)

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The radiators that are supposed to fit, don't. You really want to buy that? The Champion 26" in my Road Runner, supposed to fit, doesn't, had to modify it. I didn't buy it, came with the car. So my vote is certainly a NO.
 
Radiator cooling tubes & fins.

Summit Racing on radiators.

I have a new aluminum Mancini E-body radiator with a two 1" tube core. But the core is 22" wide x18 1/8" tall and I doubt I'm anywhere close to a Champion radiator.

New ad posted in the "Mopar Performance Parts For Sale" section.
 
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CRUZE 418 said:
The radiators that are supposed to fit, don't. You really want to buy that? The Champion 26" in my Road Runner, supposed to fit, doesn't, had to modify it. I didn't buy it, came with the car. So my vote is certainly a NO.
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I've had very good success with Champion radiators, more so than with others (i.e. ECP and Be Cool). I have a 3 row (.75 each) Champion 26" on my 1970 Duster. The overall height and width fits just fine but I had to drill holes in the mounting flanges & a couple in the radiator support for it to fit. Not a big deal. I am using the Contour electric fans & Dakota Digital controller and it cools my 408 very well. The electric fans don't clear the fan pulley by much but it does. I am using the CVF Racing pulley small block setup (alternator only). It comes with the flat head fan pulley bolts and that is what helps it clear. Considering the same for the 512 big block setup in my 1972 Challenger because it does so well. Champion radiators have worked well for me. Not a big deal to drill a few holes if needed to make things work with electric fans. If trying to use a mech fan/shroud it would be a different decision because the clearances would be a lot more important.
 
I bought a 3 row Champion as well and ran the dual fan setup with a shroud. I found that it worked for my application. I would buy again.
 
I have a 4 core Champion stock A-body width for my 416”. 450+ HP

But I disassembled, cleaned and built my motor. So I firsthand picked all the scale between the water jackets and passages.
I built a custom fan shroud for mechanical fan. How to with lots of pictures here: Building a Custom Fan Shroud: Pic by Pic

Never had overheating problems. Lots of 80-100 degree days out here.
 
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Just remember that Champion and Champion Cooling Systems are 2 different companies that make radiators. Oftentimes, people speak of a Champion radiator in generic terms and call one from either company as a "Champion" radiator. They are different and your cooling performance may be quite different!
 
Demonx2 said:
Just remember that Champion and Champion Cooling Systems are 2 different companies that make radiators. Oftentimes, people speak of a Champion radiator in generic terms and call one from either company as a "Champion" radiator. They are different and your cooling performance may be quite different!
Click to expand...
So which is considered better for a performance application, as opposed to a daily driver? The one I'm looking at comes from Champion Radiators.

Ran across a Griffin two row x 1.25" tube locally as well, but it might be too wide.
 

gzig5 said:
So which is considered better for a performance application, as opposed to a daily driver? The one I'm looking at comes from Champion Radiators.

Ran across a Griffin two row x 1.25" tube locally as well, but it might be too wide.
Click to expand...
Width of the radiator is not as critical as the core thickness. One of the things you need to consider is how thick the core is. The Griffin at 2.5 is pretty fat. Our A bodies have very little room between the radiator and the water pump snout. Space is a premium that needs to be considered.
 
Ricks70Duster340 said:
Width of the radiator is not as critical as the core thickness. One of the things you need to consider is how thick the core is. The Griffin at 2.5 is pretty fat. Our A bodies have very little room between the radiator and the water pump snout. Space is a premium that needs to be considered.
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Going in an E-body but I don't know that there is all that much more room side to side or front to back. It's been torn apart so long I don't remember. Going to have to find some pics from other cars to remind me what all is up there.
 
Ricks70Duster340 said:
Width of the radiator is not as critical as the core thickness. One of the things you need to consider is how thick the core is. The Griffin at 2.5 is pretty fat. Our A bodies have very little room between the radiator and the water pump snout. Space is a premium that needs to be considered.
Click to expand...

another thing is where the aftermarket radiators core is positioned. Many after market radiator to core support side flanges push the radiator back closer to the fan.

That’s why stock recored radiators don’t have fan clearance issues, IF you run the correct fan clutch.
 
autoxcuda said:
another thing is where the aftermarket radiators core is positioned. Many after market radiator to core support side flanges push the radiator back closer to the fan.

That’s why stock recored radiators don’t have fan clearance issues, IF you run the correct fan clutch.
Click to expand...
Agree completely. Why the aftermarket does not faithfully reproduce the dimensions is a mystery to me.
 
I ran a Champion 26" 3 core (CC374) in my Duster for over 12 years. I run an iron headed 340 that's .060" over and is probably in the low 400 hp range. I never had any overheating issues with it, even driving it on 110° degree days in traffic. Most of that time was with a '95-2000 Ford Contour dual fan set up. The radiator did finally start leaking from the fin to tank junctions, but again, 12+ years and close to 50k miles in that time. I think I paid around $200 for the radiator so that's a pretty good run.

I had to drill a couple of new mounting holes in the flanges of the radiator, but considering the price is half what others are, and not even all the "direct fit" radiators actually fit either, I think that's a VERY minor concern.

img_1558_zps3b79216a-jpg.1715187776


img_1559_zpse3b2d10c-jpg.1715187775


img_1563_zpsdd343921-jpg.1715187774


Core thickness won't be quite as much of a concern on an E-body, the clearance is a little bit better. Not by a huge amount or anything but not as critical as an A body. Technically the CC374 was an E-body small block application. Currently I'm running a 26" 3 core KKS radiator, similar price point as the Champion and the same part number, it's a KKS374. The KKS374 dimensions are slightly different from the older CC374 Champion, but close enough not to cause any issues. Again, drill the upper two mounting holes in the KKS flanges and away you go.
 
gzig5 said:
So which is considered better for a performance application, as opposed to a daily driver? The one I'm looking at comes from Champion Radiators.

Ran across a Griffin two row x 1.25" tube locally as well, but it might be too wide.
Click to expand...
I would not call myself enough of an expert to make a comparison between the 2 companies. What I can say is my avatar with its 408 has a Champion Cooling Systems 22" radiator and is driven here in Florida without much drama (dual Maradyne/Jegs electric fan assembly). They were great to deal with and stood behind their product without hesitation when shipping damaged the 1st one I got. Let's put it this way...whenever I need another radiator, I'll be calling them for it.
 
Champion has great customer service in my experience. Ask for Geoff. Knows every part number in the catalog.
 
My champion has been in since 2011. It was tweaked when I got it. Had to stand on it to un-twist it.

Bought for economy reasons
 
72bluNblu said:
I ran a Champion 26" 3 core (CC374) in my Duster for over 12 years. I run an iron headed 340 that's .060" over and is probably in the low 400 hp range. I never had any overheating issues with it, even driving it on 110° degree days in traffic. Most of that time was with a '95-2000 Ford Contour dual fan set up. The radiator did finally start leaking from the fin to tank junctions, but again, 12+ years and close to 50k miles in that time. I think I paid around $200 for the radiator so that's a pretty good run.

I had to drill a couple of new mounting holes in the flanges of the radiator, but considering the price is half what others are, and not even all the "direct fit" radiators actually fit either, I think that's a VERY minor concern.

img_1558_zps3b79216a-jpg.1715187776


img_1559_zpse3b2d10c-jpg.1715187775


img_1563_zpsdd343921-jpg.1715187774


Core thickness won't be quite as much of a concern on an E-body, the clearance is a little bit better. Not by a huge amount or anything but not as critical as an A body. Technically the CC374 was an E-body small block application. Currently I'm running a 26" 3 core KKS radiator, similar price point as the Champion and the same part number, it's a KKS374. The KKS374 dimensions are slightly different from the older CC374 Champion, but close enough not to cause any issues. Again, drill the upper two mounting holes in the KKS flanges and away you go.
Click to expand...
I went to ebay to look for the champion radiator you mentioned. Vehicle fit shows doesn't fit a body.
 
QuickDart360 said:
I went to ebay to look for the champion radiator you mentioned. Vehicle fit shows doesn't fit a body.
Click to expand...

Correct, they never said they did. It’s an E-body radiator. But the mounting points are the same, I don’t know what the difference was on the A-body 26” radiators. I’ve seen them, they looked the same. More than likely it’s a parts book to digital issue.

The only thing I will say is that the CC374B was taller than the CC374 and that was a bit of an issue.

But the KKS374 is in my Duster right now.
 
The OP is looking at a CC281B out of a Chevy Impala, for a '73 Cuda.
 
CRUZE 418 said:
The OP is looking at a CC281B out of a Chevy Impala, for a '73 Cuda.
Click to expand...

Yes, and I think we've made it clear that we have no idea if that one will fit or not.

And we've also included part numbers for a radiator that's like $200 new that will work for a '73 cuda, in addition to showing it will fit an A-body as well. So?
 
My only one complaint with the one in Vixen is, it's somewhat ill fitting compared to the factory radiator. Like someone else already mentioned, the side brackets are welded on too far forward, which throws the core back towards the engine, taking up valuable space in an A body. The other complaint is the inconsistency of which they are made. Most work well, but every once in a while you see where someone gets one that does not flow well and as a result, cools poorly. There are more good there than bad though, by a long shot and I believe they have improved over the years. I have zero complaints about how mine cools. It does a great job.
 
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