What's the go to for radiators?

[MadScientistMat]

1966 Dodge Dart, 225 slant six, automatic transmission. No air conditioner. This is a turbo street build.

I'm running a circle track radiator that is giving me trouble finding enough room to clear fans, a transmission cooler (no cooler in this radiator itself), and intercooler. I suspect a stock fitment radiator would give me more clearance - not to mention allowing me to use a built in transmission cooler, meaning I only have two coolers to deal with instead of three. I can find three options right now:

1. Cheap eBay special aluminum radiators. Anyone have experience with these?
2. Champion, but they don't seem to be currently available.
3. US Radiator reproduction brass radiators.
4. Really high dollar custom aluminum radiators.

Which of these would you go for, and why?

 

[slantsixdan]

custom aluminum radiator

Yup, like this (in the radiators chapter linked at the bottom)

 

[Slantsix64]

I get the cheap ebay radiators cut the brackets move the core 3/4 of an inch back. Bolt it on and add auxiliary fan in front of the radiator with a switch and temp sensor that comes on at 200 degrees and drops it down to 175 give or take.

 

[Dana67Dart]

3. US Radiator reproduction brass radiators

That is my bet. You can get various levels of cooling efficiency.

Do some searching on FABO, 90+ percent of the my car overheats start with "I just installed my super duper, super cool, aluminum radiator and my car is over heating".

 

[604B1duster]

My 66 has a really thick stock looking aluminum rad in it but I’m no sure who made it. Just did some searching and found Jegs reproduction aluminum radiators for Early A’s and other Mopar’s. I would try one if I needed one. Go to page 3

https://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/JEGS-Re...=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&pageNumber=3

 

[Bewy]

Alum rad. Stronger & better cooling because of the better tube & fin design you can get with alum, but cannot get with copper. Should last forever if you use corrosion inhibitor.

 

[Car Nut]

#3

I have two, no problems with either of them.

 

[jbc426]

I don't like the look of aluminum radiators or bare aluminum heads, but to each his own. There's always paint, even though it's virtually impossible to find zinc chromate for priming things anymore.

US Radiator was sold to a large company, and is now located in Alabama. Quality has reportedly gone down according to reviews.

I have 2 of their custom radiators from their previous So. Cal location, and they work very well. Each one spec'd to the horsepower etc of each car.

 

[MadScientistMat]

Thanks for the replies so far! Unfortunately the Jegs radiators are all V8 with driver's side outlets. So Champion seems to be the budget go-to.

For another option, does anyone know of radiators from other applications that fit with enough fan clearance? I swapped an Aspen / Volare radiator at one point (it later sprung a leak though, hence the circle track radiator), but these days, that's even harder to find. I've noticed that '70-'74 Chevy Nova radiators are about the right size and have the outlet in the right spot for a slant six, but I'm not going to try one without confirmation.

 

[MadScientistMat]

Alternatively, what about using the more common '67 and later A-body radiators in an early A?

 

[604B1duster]

Just found these

FOR 1967-1973 Dodge Dart 3.7L 3687CC 225Cu.Plymouth 3 ROWS ALUMINUM RADIATOR | eBay

3Rows Aluminum Radiator for 1963-1966 Dodge Dart/Plymouth Barracuda Valiant 3.7L | eBay

3ROW Aluminum Radiator For 1965 1966 Dodge Dart Plymouth Valiant 2.8L 3.7L L6 AT | eBay

Radiator 3.7 Dart 66 | eBay

 

[j par]

They make radiators in every conceivable configuration thickness length with heights that you can dream up...
Measure what you need and buy it... i stay away from jegs at every chance and use summit at every chance...( based on my personal experiences..)

 

[RustyRatRod]

That is my bet. You can get various levels of cooling efficiency.

Do some searching on FABO, 90+ percent of the my car overheats start with "I just installed my super duper, super cool, aluminum radiator and my car is over heating".

Yeah, they're about the best. Whether they've changed hands or not. They make each radiator to order, based on what you have. With all this chinkese crap, we've become spoiled by cheap prices and poor quality that either barely gets the job done or doesn't at all and by the time we find that out, it's too late.

 

[Slantsix64]

I don't like the look of aluminum radiators or bare aluminum heads, but to each his own. There's always paint, even though it's virtually impossible to find zinc chromate for priming things anymore.

US Radiator was sold to a large company, and is now located in Alabama. Quality has reportedly gone down according to reviews.

I have 2 of their custom radiators from their previous So. Cal location, and they work very well. Each one spec'd to the horsepower etc of each car.

I paint them with rust 2x primer semi gloss, it’s been years and it held but perfect

 

[j par]

Yeah, they're about the best. Whether they've changed hands or not. They make each radiator to order, based on what you have. With all this chinkese crap, we've become spoiled by cheap prices and poor quality that either barely gets the job done or doesn't at all and by the time we find that out, it's too late.

Then there's the dumb luck cases like myself that orders that cheap chinese radiator and it seems to last forever and damn near gets my engine too cold...

 

[RustyRatRod]

Then there's the dumb luck cases like myself that orders that cheap chinese radiator and it seems to last forever and damn near gets my engine too cold...

Some work great. Then some don't. You never have seen me say they're all bad. They're just more hit and miss.

 

[j par]

Some work great. Then some don't. You never have seen me say they're all bad. They're just more hit and miss.

I didn't say you said they were all bad ... did i...?

 

[RustyRatRod]

I didn't say you said they were all bad ... did i...?

Bye. again.

 

[j par]

Bye. again.

LOL...

 

[j par]

I guess when be going it gets tough, you get going ... lol...

 

[j par]

A lessened, to everyone not to give a forum.Guru, any pushback... less you get accused of saying something you didn't say....
They will get full of self entitlement and block you l o l...
Or maybe it was just two in the morning, his time and already april fool's....???

 

[MadScientistMat]

Thanks to all who responded. I don't know if a US Radiators radiator is really in the budget right now, so I'm going to see if I can track down a Champion. It's good to know that some have had success with the Chinesium as well, if it comes to that.

 

[RGAZ]

You can use a Drivers side bottom rad if you want. Just do this:

Driver inlet rad on slant 6

I have an extra radiator that has bottom inlet on drivers side. Want to use it with the 73 Duster stock slant 6. Top rad hose is no problem, anyone figured the best option for routing the bottom inlet over? I am sure I can figure something out, but wanted to check the brain-trust first. RGAZ

www.forabodiesonly.com

The combination of the stock hose and the hose I noted, works around to the drivers side pretty well.

RGAZ

 

[MadScientistMat]

Interesting, thanks for posting that!

 

[RGAZ]

I added pictures to the post so people know where to make the connection.

RGAZ