Installed New Radiator on my Dart

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1969VADart

1969VADart

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This weekend I decided to replace the radiator in my Dart. The car had the original radiator in it even after I finished my build. I ordered a replacement from Year One. Have had problems with the car gradually warming to the point of running hot. Got to where I pretty much could not take it out on the highway without it getting hot. First picture is inside the original radiator. Half of the flow tubes were crystallized shut. The new one is obviously better in that regard.
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Thought I would share a couple of observations. First, despite checking all of the dimensions and having them match up to my original, the new radiator still did not mount up perfectly to the radiator support. Second, the holes for the fan shroud were much bigger on the new one than the original, so I had to use hook nuts and screws to secure it. Third, the upper radiator hose connection was closer to the center of the radiator than the original so I had to cut some of the hose off.
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Finally, I would like to slap the idiot that designed the overflow outlet. Why the hell they would have it pointed almost back towards the fan is beyond me. Also, there were no holes on the side of radiator to connect the hose clips for the overflow hose, so I connected them to a couple of holes on the radiator support.
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You could probably have the original re-cored for less than you paid for that YO radiator.
 
That radiator was made by U.S. Radiator out of California. Call the owner at U.S. Radiator, he will make it right.
 
I agree with the posts above. I installed a Champion radiator and expected a few flaws and I wasn't disappointed. But you probably gave up your first born child for that radiator and I would expect damned near perfection. I would never have bolted that in with the obvious mistakes it has.
 
Usually, the only bad part of the radiator is the core. Recoring keeps your top and bottom tanks so the hoses line up, and your outer frame so the bolts line up. I see very little point in ever buying a "new" radiator, if you have any choice in the matter. Even if you feel you need an upgrade, they can add another row. Plus, you are dealing with a local vendor, not some mail order company. Most communities have an "old school" radiator shop that has the know-how to re-core your old radiator.
 
BrianT said:
I agree with the posts above. I installed a Champion radiator and expected a few flaws and I wasn't disappointed. But you probably gave up your first born child for that radiator and I would expect damned near perfection. I would never have bolted that in with the obvious mistakes it has.
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Chinese rads are popular..
 
mvh said:
I see very little point in ever buying a "new" radiator, if you have any choice in the matter. Even if you feel you need an upgrade, they can add another row. Plus, you are dealing with a local vendor, not some mail order company. Most communities have an "old school" radiator shop that has the know-how to re-core your old radiator.
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A friend paid $600 to have the radiator in his 57 Chevy recored locally. I told him that he could have probably bought TWO new radiators for that price. He didn't care, he wanted HIS radiator in HIS car. I think it looks like crap to be honest with the black radiator paint looking like a pre-school art project, but it's his car and I don't tell people how to spend their money. I just smiled and said Nice!
 
BrianT said:
A friend paid $600 to have the radiator in his 57 Chevy recored locally. I told him that he could have probably bought TWO new radiators for that price. He didn't care, he wanted HIS radiator in HIS car. I think it looks like crap to be honest with the black radiator paint looking like a pre-school art project, but it's his car and I don't tell people how to spend their money. I just smiled and said Nice!
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I'm guessing your young? Radiators in our old hot rods were all painted radiator black. I had my original 3 core radiator rodded out in my 69 Dart and you guessed it, painted radiator black. Cools like a new one.
 
Compared to some here I'm young. I'm 56 and my buddy is 61. Been working on cars since the 70's. We NEVER replaced radiators, they weren't available.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
So what color were they?^^^^^^^^^^^^
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I guess I'm missing your point? I wasn't complaining about the color? He paid $600 and it came back looking like a child had painted it with a house paint brush. I would have had to repaint it if it was going on my car. And yes, I would have painted it black.
 
I'm having cooling problems cooling my ride . Had my rad cleaned and flow checked , no difference . Was quoted $380 to recore mine . Crazy ! Aftermarket rads flow better and are lighter than stock . That being said , no matter who made it or where you bought it , or, how much you paid for it , if it doesn't bolt in it's n.g. There is absolutely no reason why radiator makers can't make radiators to fit your vehicle . They are just lazy and don't want to engineer parts . It's a "one size fits all" mentality . The catalog stores have the same ideology . I have complete empathy with you . FYI; there is only one radiator shop in the whole state of New Hampshire and he is retiring this year . Bummer !
 
I have a 68 Dart GTS 340 and my original radiator was not only plugged with crap it had a leak in the top tank where the previous owners tried to fix it but it still leaked. I was going to have it recored but the cost just wasn't worth it even though my car is all original. I talked to Chris at Cold Case radiator and I now have a direct fit aluminum radiator at better than half the cost of a recore with better cooling. I was even able to bolt up my shroud with no problem and the radiator hoses are in the correct spot. The quality of this radiator is second to none. Before I installed the radiator I painted it black except the fins with high temp gloss engine paint then hit it with high temp clear. It came out really nice. I will up load some photos. I highly recommend Cold Case Radiators !
 
I still remember fondly my Uncle "Polly" Limberg back home in Marshall, Texas re-coring, rodding, repairing leaks, pressure testing and painting in his radiator shop. It was one of 2 in town. It was hot, dirty, noisy work, but he was a true craftsman at his trade. He worked with his acetylene torch and a stick of silver solder over an absolutely NASTY vat of water where he would plug the inlet and outlet and apply air to test for leaks. Bygone days, but very fond memories.
 
charliec said:
I still remember fondly my Uncle "Polly" Limberg back home in Marshall, Texas re-coring, rodding, repairing leaks, pressure testing and painting in his radiator shop. It was one of 2 in town. It was hot, dirty, noisy work, but he was a true craftsman at his trade. He worked with his acetylene torch and a stick of silver solder over an absolutely NASTY vat of water where he would plug the inlet and outlet and apply air to test for leaks. Bygone days, but very fond memories.
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I still have a radiator shop in my town, luckily. My original 3 core was not cooling my 360 any longer and it only got worse when I put the A/C back in it. After taking it to the radiator shop and having it rodded out, It runs 185 in Fl. heat and 195 with the A/C on. But these type of shops are a dying art for sure.
 
I think the point is radiator shops usually do a crummy job of "finishing" radiators. If I have something repaired, we get it without paint and work all the slag and seams until clean. Then we etch prime and paint.
 
Here are some pictures of my Direct Fit Cold Case Radiator with the stock shroud which bolted right up. No modifications were needed to install this radiator with the factory shroud on my 68 Dart GTS 340
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SGBARRACUDA said:
Ok, I misunderstood. Sorry
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I took his first post like you Roy so don't feel bad. After his second I realized he was talkin about the quality of the paint, not the color. One thing I have never liked though about radiator shop repaints.....they all use a super gloss black. The factory used an almost flat.
 
It's listed on their website for $ 425.00. Cold Case is a Sponsor on this website and if you are a member you do get a discount. This Radiator will fit 67 through 69 A bodies. Both radiator hoses are on the left side (driver side) and are in the correct location as is the tranny line fittings. My car is a automatic and the only thing I had to do was bend the long line that goes to the rear of the tranny about and inch. Up front there is a large U in the line about a foot back from the radiator and this is where I bent reason being is the new radiator is thicker than the original one and then both lines fit perfect. As much as I would have liked to keep my car as original as possible this was a good investment. It drive ability over originality ! I still have my original radiator which I will keep and when I sell the car it will go with it. Chris is a great guy to deal with and he can answer any questions you might have. I think I drove him nuts with the amount of times I called him LOL, but he is a very knowledgeable about the products they have.
 
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