65 Barracuda daily driver
So I finally tackled installing my new Champion aluminum 3-row radiator. So, I initially ordered one for a '65, but it ended up being about an inch to wide. So I ordered one for a '64, which is not wide enough for the opening of a '65 and had to custom make my own bracket out of 1/8" aluminum. I used an original '65 slant 6 radiator as a template. I ended up not using the original bolt locations except for one, so I could have simplified this quite a bit, but where's the fun in doing that...
I guess I went a bit too far with making this rock solid, but I'm sure that won't hurt. I was just afraid that the fan (which is super close) would destroy the fins, if it flexed too much. I also hammered the radiator core support quite a bit to get a bit more space between the fan and the radiator. Not pretty, but nobody is gonna see that...
I already had a new lower radiator hose, but I noticed the upper one was too short (I guess the other radiator had a wider upper tank). Also the hose clamp was broken, so I drove over to the parts store basically just with the short hose barely holding on. The parts store is only about a mile from where I live, so I thought I might make it there before the thermostat even opened. Well, a bit of coolant came out, but not a lot.
Next I will have to fit the A/C condenser in there somehow... Summer is around the corner! The new radiator is part of making the final A/C install possible.
I still have to paint the visible portions of the radiator black. I wish I had done that right away, but I'm sure I'll have to take off the grille and valance to install the condenser anyways.
Back on the road!
So I finally tackled installing my new Champion aluminum 3-row radiator. So, I initially ordered one for a '65, but it ended up being about an inch to wide. So I ordered one for a '64, which is not wide enough for the opening of a '65 and had to custom make my own bracket out of 1/8" aluminum. I used an original '65 slant 6 radiator as a template. I ended up not using the original bolt locations except for one, so I could have simplified this quite a bit, but where's the fun in doing that...
I guess I went a bit too far with making this rock solid, but I'm sure that won't hurt. I was just afraid that the fan (which is super close) would destroy the fins, if it flexed too much. I also hammered the radiator core support quite a bit to get a bit more space between the fan and the radiator. Not pretty, but nobody is gonna see that...
I already had a new lower radiator hose, but I noticed the upper one was too short (I guess the other radiator had a wider upper tank). Also the hose clamp was broken, so I drove over to the parts store basically just with the short hose barely holding on. The parts store is only about a mile from where I live, so I thought I might make it there before the thermostat even opened. Well, a bit of coolant came out, but not a lot.
Next I will have to fit the A/C condenser in there somehow... Summer is around the corner! The new radiator is part of making the final A/C install possible.
I still have to paint the visible portions of the radiator black. I wish I had done that right away, but I'm sure I'll have to take off the grille and valance to install the condenser anyways.
Back on the road!
