1963 plymouth radiators question

[stage3]

hi guys,

just got back from putting break in miles on the new 4.56 gear set,and realized during the run that my stock 22" radiator is not going to cut it..HP is between 6-700..HP generates a lot of heat..temps here today r around 70 degree's,no more.if it was a warm day I would have had to use AAA towing..

I need to throw more radiator at it but only want to do this once $$$!what r u guys using on the street to keep these early cars cool with stout power? I already have a 16" pusher fan on it with no engine fan running the milodon high volume 6 paddle wheel pump..

thanks,,

 

[Yatzee]

hi guys,

just got back from putting break in miles on the new 4.56 gear set,and realized during the run that my stock 22" radiator is not going to cut it..HP is between 6-700..HP generates a lot of heat..temps here today r around 70 degree's,no more.if it was a warm day I would have had to use AAA towing..

I need to throw more radiator at it but only want to do this once $$$!what r u guys using on the street to keep these early cars cool with stout power? I already have a 16" pusher fan on it with no engine fan running the milodon high volume 6 paddle wheel pump..

thanks,,

View attachment 442595 View attachment 442596

My 512 stroker makes a huge amount of heat as well and I contemplated a new aluminum rad but soon discovered that I'd have to go to 26" or larger, and even then no guaranties. I did not want to cut my support so I needed to do some creative thinking. I use two Spectra 94630 heater cores that measure 2 x 3 x21 long and they are connected in series giving me 63 sq. in. more cooling surface. See the product here:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/spectra+premium/cooling+depot,94630,heater+core,6864

If you have enough length in the front grill, they will mount directly behind the grill but in my case they are "side by side" attached just below the bottom tank of the rad and sitting horizontal. The heater hoses route directly from the water outlets at the pump "to and back" from the cores. I have absolutely no use for the heater in the car but you could include it in the loop and probably have over 100 sq in of extra cooling surface. Did it make a difference? F'in right it did, engine now has enough cooling capacity to hold 180 ( with a 180 stat ) at any speed or idling. I can only image the cooling capacity with my internal heater core in the loop. As an added bit of insurance, you can add a shroud and a pair of Spal six inch fans behind the unit - there's more room down in front of the stabilizer bar than you can imagine and the brackets mount easily to the bottom of the existing rad support. I do not use fans on my extra cores. I don't like your pusher fan mounted in the front of the rad because the caging produces about 10% restriction and causes air turbulence. Your air current will disperse as it hits the first set of cooling fins of the rad so the cool air will not get as good a penetration through the rad. Pullers with a shroud are about 25% more efficient, but you need the shroud or you're only really cooling a section of the rad the size of the footprint of the fan - 16 inches in diameter. That's how I got a big engine to run cool but each to his own. Oh, by the way, trash that crap radiator cap and install one of these:

https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/ado-rc27/overview/

If you don't like the painted top, wire brush it off.

 

[Centerline]

I agree.... Ditch the pusher fan. However, IMHO I'd go with one of these....
http://www.speedcooling.com/22-Mopar-BIG-BLOCK-HD-Aluminum-Radiator.html
and one of these....
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wrw-ws-55a
then mount your fan as a puller.

 

[stage3]

thanks guys,,the only reason I put the pusher fan on was I seen a guy in vegas racing a '63 with it set up that way..but,, then again he wasn't down town in stop and go traffic either!

what do u think about this 1 from griffin, https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gri-5-00004 .
1 of the members here installed it in his '65..he provided the part number ... a little fab to get it in but then again the previous owner has already hacked the rad support up a little..so whats a little more at this point..and in rad world..bigger is better..

 

[srw-409]

Wouldn't this Griffin model be more correct for your '63?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gri-5-00024/overview/year/1964/make/plymouth/model/belvedere

I was planning to use this one when I swap motors in my '64. Then I came across this on eBay last week. Very similar to the Griffin but has mounts for early style fan shrouds. Never heard of this outfit before so I'm kind of on the fence, but with the price point and lifetime warranty I may take a chance.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1962-1963-1...01869c1&pid=100033&rk=7&rkt=8&sd=292142068391

 

[Centerline]

Personally I think Griffin and Walker are both over priced. There are several aluminum radiators out there that will cool just as well at half or one third the price. If you must have a larger than stock radiator, then try this one.

http://www.speedcooling.com/26-Big-Block-Mopar-Radiator.html

 

[stage3]

thanks guys..not looking for "correct" because the car is far from stock and original..just want to make sure I do this right the 1st time...ex drag car that has been back halved..motor makes a lot of power and generates heat,,its 1 of those that idles at 1800 RPM's..

thanks for the above links..the diff I see with the griffin is the 1.250 tubes..vs the smaller ones from the others.more flow...?

and others on here seem to be happy with the 26" unit..furious and 540 xram,,the later is where the griffin is from with part numbers..the former with an '69 roarrunner unit..im thinking bigger is better with radiators and tubes..for my application...my last car with a indy 472 hemi making 850 HP I had to throw the biggest be-cool radiator they had to cool it down...that's why im thinking the 26" unit with shroud and clutch fan...and change the cap...

 

[eric383]

I spoke with my brother in law who has a Ray Barton 800 hp Hemi in his 64 Plymouth. I saw the dyno sheet so I know it is 800 hp at the crank. He has a Griffin aluminum radiator in the standard opening. It has the correct mounting tabs to bolt into his car. He did say that he had to drill or elongate the mounting holes to lower it because the top tank stopped the hood from closing properly. Also he is running a mechanical fan (stock fan) and no fan clutch. I cools just fine. He said this came from Summit and was around $600.

 

[stage3]

went with the griffin 26" 2 core unit..1.250" cores..2 spal electric fans as pullers..16lb cap and milodon high flow pump with milodon 160 thermostat...all fabbed in..just some plumbing left to do on the remote oil filters..and misc..wife reminded me that theres yard work that needs to be done...I don't remember the chain saw being that heavy!lol.put new ball joints in also along with the flaming river steering coupling...should be on the road next week..

 

[64plymouth]

went with the griffin 26" 2 core unit..1.250" cores..2 spal electric fans as pullers..16lb cap and milodon high flow pump with milodon 160 thermostat...all fabbed in..just some plumbing left to do on the remote oil filters..and misc..wife reminded me that theres yard work that needs to be done...I don't remember the chain saw being that heavy!lol.put new ball joints in also along with the flaming river steering coupling...should be on the road next week..

View attachment 493190 View attachment 493191 View attachment 493193

 

[64plymouth]

How much fab work was there? I'm looking for something to cool my 64 505 maxwedge. I don't care about originality just something that works. My car has the 22in opening and engine compartment is painted. Mike

 

[Thunderlugs]

How much fab work was there? I'm looking for something to cool my 64 505 maxwedge. I don't care about originality just something that works. My car has the 22in opening and engine compartment is painted. Mike

I would Give Bob a call at Glen Ray Radiator in Wausau. Before you go aftermarket.

 

[64plymouth]

I would Give Bob a call at Glen Ray Radiator in Wausau. Before you go aftermarket.

Never thought of Glen-Ray. I thought they were into the numbers matching stuff. I work in Wausau I stop by and see what they can do

 

[stage3]

How much fab work was there? I'm looking for something to cool my 64 505 maxwedge. I don't care about originality just something that works. My car has the 22in opening and engine compartment is painted. Mike

u can install it 2 ways.but both u will have to drill 4 holes for the mounts and trim the lower opening. .1,do not open up the existing opening beyond whats originally there for the 22" stocker,others have done this with success,,,2,open it up to allow more air flow..thats what I did because someone had already modified it before I got the car and im not concerned about total original the way it came from the factory look.just functionality.also,,it has to drop down a little to clear the hood so the lower support needs to be trimed a little..all very minor mods..but if your 505 is warmed up like my 426 u need more radiator..thats why I went straight to bigger...with the largest tubes ..just like others here did,,it worked and did not go thru multiple radiators looking for ever larger 1's to do the job .

 

[64plymouth]

u can install it 2 ways.but both u will have to drill 4 holes for the mounts and trim the lower opening. .1,do not open up the existing opening beyond whats originally there for the 22" stocker,others have done this with success,,,2,open it up to allow more air flow..thats what I did because someone had already modified it before I got the car and im not concerned about total original the way it came from the factory look.just functionality.also,,it has to drop down a little to clear the hood so the lower support needs to be trimed a little..all very minor mods..but if your 505 is warmed up like my 426 u need more radiator..thats why I went straight to bigger...with the largest tubes ..just like others here did,,it worked and did not go thru multiple radiators looking for ever larger 1's to do the job .

Drilling holes isn't a big deal. I already have an aftermarket radiator in car that I used with a 440 that worked ok for drag racing. But now this new motor will see more street then strip and this one isn't cutting. I was just wondering about the opening mine is 22in. I could try it and if I need more air I could open it up. Thanks Mike

 

[493 Mike]

I purchased a Wizard for my 65 Belvedere with 540 Indy motor. They built it to my specs and put 4 Spal 9" fans on it. The radiator support is stock (22"). It has 1.25" tubes and it's beautiful! I won't know how it will perform until next year when the car build is done though. Good guys to deal with too!
Mike

 

[coloradodave]

Mike,
Hope you checked your hood clearance as it looks like the radiator is sitting pretty high above the fender cross-member? Maybe your 65 is different than my 63, but on mine, the radiator has to sit flush with that cross-member or the radiator cap hits the hood. A little modeling clay on the cap and gently closing of the hood will tell. BTW, really nice set-up.
I'm sure you checked this but just in case...

 

[493 Mike]

Mike,
Hope you checked your hood clearance as it looks like the radiator is sitting pretty high above the fender cross-member? Maybe your 65 is different than my 63, but on mine, the radiator has to sit flush with that cross-member or the radiator cap hits the hood. A little modeling clay on the cap and gently closing of the hood will tell. BTW, really nice set-up.
I'm sure you checked this but just in case...

Dave,
Thanks for your concern, all's well.
Mike

 

[stage3]

I purchased a Wizard for my 65 Belvedere with 540 Indy motor. They built it to my specs and put 4 Spal 9" fans on it. The radiator support is stock (22"). It has 1.25" tubes and it's beautiful! I won't know how it will perform until next year when the car build is done though. Good guys to deal with too!
MikeView attachment 494986

that's quite the set up!if it doesn't work...its not because u didn't try!