68 Coronet RT Rad....22 or 26 inch original? Help please....

[johnnyguitar]

Also do you have a 7 blade viscious fan on the car? Clutch fan or no? I run the 7 blade with no clutch. For the power robbed it's worth it cooling wise.....I kicked around doing a clutch fan setup but haven't needed to or done it yet. One of thise bigger fish to fry things. Maybe sometime I'll swap and see how it does.

I think we have a six blade non-viscous. Would a 7 blade make a noticeable difference in cooling?

 

[91r/t]

eh hard to say.

 

[johnnyguitar]

I do know all air conditioning cars left the factory with the 26" radiator max cooling option. Look at your fender tag second line from the top. under the capital letter A, there will be a 1 under it if the car was optioned with the 26" radiator. Not all 440's or big blocks in general had the 26" option. I've seen plenty of Charger R/T's with the 440 and no 26" radiator and a few Coronets myself. Here's a coronet from 68 without it. Second pic is a Charger R/T without it as well.

View attachment 501508

View attachment 501509

Here is an example of a Charger with the 26" coded on the tag. Under the Capital A there is a 1.

View attachment 501510

I have another rad question for you, now that I know my 22 inch is original: Would my RT have come with one of those rare two-piece metal fan shrouds..... or not? Some people don't think that shroud was automatically bolted on at the factory for every car, but that doesn't make sense to me, especially on a 440 RT. Thoughts?

 

[Wietse]

I think the plastic shroud was a standard piece of equipment.
As far as i've seen they are plastic ones, the metal version must have been made for a special reason?

 

[91r/t]

I have seen that debated forever and everywhere. My problem is I am 30 years old, so I never saw these cars before they were all molested and changed. I have honestly rarely ever seen a 22" radiator car WITH the shroud at shows or even carlisle for that matter (usually bigger money more correct cars there), including my 68 Runner. Now is that because everyone has them peeled off or is it because these cars never came with them? I know for a fact some of the lower line cars like the 318's and such came with the 4 blade steel fixed fans and no shroud. Possibly the higher performance cars got the steel shroud and the lower ones got no shroud? Maybe someone who saw these cars before they were altered and 35 years old can chime in and help??

 

[johnnyguitar]

Looks like you have a qq1 blue R/T with blue bucket seat interior. 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 gears. Stripe delete car?

Look around for a build sheet. Check under the rear seat between the springs and seat foam. If not there, maybe take off the bucket seat backs and look there. That will give you more info on your options.

Cool car!!

Thanks for the info. It actually has a white interior, with--for some reason-- bench front seats. And column shift auto and 150 mph speedo. Again, I wonder why this RT doesn't have buckets and console. Son looked underneath chassis for bucket seat bolt holes but inconclusive... not sure if he knew where to look. ???

 

[johnnyguitar]

standard was 22". there was an option package on '68 cars that had the 26" radiator and viscous fan. i believe the same goes for '69 cars. my '69 r/t came with a 22" radiator and 7 blade fixed fan.

Thank you!

 

[johnnyguitar]

I have seen that debated forever and everywhere. My problem is I am 30 years old, so I never saw these cars before they were all molested and changed. I have honestly rarely ever seen a 22" radiator car WITH the shroud at shows or even carlisle for that matter (usually bigger money more correct cars there), including my 68 Runner. Now is that because everyone has them peeled off or is it because these cars never came with them? I know for a fact some of the lower line cars like the 318's and such came with the 4 blade steel fixed fans and no shroud. Possibly the higher performance cars got the steel shroud and the lower ones got no shroud? Maybe someone who saw these cars before they were altered and 35 years old can chime in and help??

Thank you. Let the debate continue......

 

[PP1RT]

Thanks for the info. It actually has a white interior, with--for some reason-- bench front seats. And column shift auto and 150 mph speedo. Again, I wonder why this RT doesn't have buckets and console. Son looked underneath chassis for bucket seat bolt holes but inconclusive... not sure if he knew where to look. ???

You are correct on the blue and white interior. Bucket seat,column shift would have been standard equipment. Your fender tag indicates bucket seats came with the car.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Thank you!

Please see post 14.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Thank you. Let the debate continue......

Not sure there is a debate. Here's what the parts book has to say....

 

[johnnyguitar]

You are correct on the blue and white interior. Bucket seat,column shift would have been standard equipment. Your fender tag indicates bucket seats came with the car.

Thanks. So you saying that you think that our car came with the column shift, bucket seats ....and maybe the fold-up arm-rest instead of a console? I had previously assumed that the Dodge bucket seat option always included a console with floor console shift. Ma Mopar must have allowed alot of exceptions to the rule, I'm wondering now.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Thanks. So you saying that you think that our car came with the column shift, bucket seats ....and maybe the fold-up arm-rest instead of a console? I had previously assumed that the Dodge bucket seat option always included a console with floor console shift. Ma Mopar must have allowed alot of exceptions to the rule, I'm wondering now.

Bucket seats with column automatic was standard. The buddy seat was optional. The console was optional. When the console was selected, the shifter moved from the column to the console.

The tag posted shows bucket seats, no buddy seat, no console.

 

[PP1RT]

The Super Bee in 68 came with bench seat only. The R/T in 68 came with buckets only. No option available to go the other way so if you have a bench seat in there now it was changed.

 

[johnnyguitar]

Bucket seats with column automatic was standard. The buddy seat was optional. The console was optional. When the console was selected, the shifter moved from the column to the console.

The tag posted shows bucket seats, no buddy seat, no console.

AWESOME! Thank you so much!

 

[johnnyguitar]

The Super Bee in 68 came with bench seat only. The R/T in 68 came with buckets only. No option available to go the other way so if you have a bench seat in there now it was changed.

Awesome! A switch of seats was my hunch, you guys confirmed it. Its great to be on a forum with such knowledgeable people.

 

[91r/t]

Not sure there is a debate. Here's what the parts book has to say....

View attachment 512639

So 69coronetrt, the top section gives you the part numbers and the bottom the engines it came on?? Having a hard time figuring out other than it gives you part numbers on what shroud went where if equipped.....

 

[PP1RT]

440 with a 22" radiator should have a shroud i believe.

 

[69Coronetrt]

So 69coronetrt, the top section gives you the part numbers and the bottom the engines it came on?? Having a hard time figuring out other than it gives you part numbers on what shroud went where if equipped.....

Nah...it's a bad copy and paste. Ignore the lower part.

The point was to show the 68 22" radiator got a two piece shroud.

 

[johnnyguitar]

Not sure there is a debate. Here's what the parts book has to say....

View attachment 512639

Thanks. That confirms the two-part metal shroud and gives me correct part numbers, if I ever find one.