Champion CC375B Radiator Does Not Fit My '70 Road Runner

[PurpleBeeper]

Wow, am I disappointed. I got a Champion CC375B 3-row aluminum radiator last night & tried to install it. The part did look good & was "square". It fit the 26" wide hole in my core support perfectly....BUT, with the radiator core lined up exactly with the core support hole I can't close my hood. The filler neck & cap stick up past the core support. Really, the problem is that the top tank is about 1"-1-1/2" too tall.

Am I missing something? It looks like I will have to drill some holes & lower the radiator so that about 1"-2" of the core will be behind the bottom of the core support and not get any direct air flow.

The other problem I had is that the "original repro" plastic fan shroud I have wasn't even close to bolting up to the radiator. I spent 2 hours cutting it & adding new brackets & stuff just to get it to bolt up to the radiator & then (like an idiot) I tried to close my hood last (instead of first) and was very disappointed.

Any advice?

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Hope ya didn't hurt the hood! Yes you can lower the rad,

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Hope ya didn't hurt the hood! Yes you can lower the rad,

I know I can lower it...heck, I could install it on the roof with some tall brackets if I wanted to. I just wish the thing fit better....they were so close to having a quality product but missed the mark. I just got off the phone with Champion Tech. Service and they are in complete denial. I guarantee this guy has never changed his own oil. let alone actually installed a radiator in an old Mopar. He just wanted to give me the "sales pitch hype" and not listen to the facts. It doesn't fit as advertised. Dang it, I used to work for a radiator manufacturer that competes with Champion. The tank is too tall & Champion is complete denial.

 

[440+6]

That sucks, a while back someone on this site bought the champion and it didn't fit then sent it back an bought a us radiator and it fit perfectly, can't remember who though.

Ha, just found it
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/aluminum-champion-and-us-radiator-review.60285/

 

[WileE]

Are you looking for the stock look, or would you go aluminum ?

 

[440+6]

That sucks, a while back someone on this site bought the champion and it didn't fit then sent it back an bought a us radiator and it fit perfectly, can't remember who though.

Ha, just found it, slightly different problem though
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/aluminum-champion-and-us-radiator-review.60285/

Hit the wrong button

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

All that stuff don't mean **** now,you can go through the hassle of shipping back & fourth, + shippingst or just drill the holes.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

All that stuff don't mean **** now,you can go through the hassle of shipping back & fourth, + shippingst or just drill the holes.

Well put Hemi-itis.... and for WileRobbie, the Champion is aluminum and I'm not going for a stock look, I just NEED it to cool and I'm too broke for one of the top-dollar ones. Dang, I wish I could TIG weld and cut that top tank down shorter. I think I might have to break out the drill, but I wish I had another option. If I lower the radiator it will be like putting a 26" radiator in a 22" core support....it will work, but not as good as it could have. Any other ideas? I'd say $500 MAX for a radiator (assuming I can return the Champion) and I don't care aluminum or brass, but slight preference for aluminum. I drive this car down the expressway with 3.91's and no overdrive running about 3500-3700 rpm.... I need to keep her cool somehow. My C-body 3-row brass isn't doing the trick, even with two pusher fans added (also factory viscous fan/shroud). I also have a lot of stop & go driving. It seems to overheat both on the highway and in traffic both in the 220-230F range running water-only 15psi cap & no thermostat. YIKES!

 

[HT413]

I drive this car down the expressway with 3.91's and no overdrive running about 3500-3700 rpm....

"Damn it, purple, I'm a radiator, not a miracle worker!"

 

[WileE]

a Wizard aluminum will fit perfectly & the stock shroud mounts exactly

 

[69 GTX]

Smith Radiator......I'm getting ready to call him. A friend has one of his in 22" and hasn't had a problem. Alum. & 1.5 tubes 2 rows. I don't know the price yet but I think around 500$

 

[PurpleBeeper]

"Damn it, purple, I'm a radiator, not a miracle worker!"

True HT413.... but didn't the speed limit used to be 70mph in 1970? Didn't some cars come stock with 4.10's? How in the heck did that work? Get a track-pack or super track-pack rear end & you couldn't take it on the highway?

I've been considering going to a 2-row 1-1/2" aluminum tube radiator. How do these cool on the highway? I've seen quite a few track cars with them, but I am literally building a daily driver & I'm a little scared to run one growing up just thinking "more rows is better"

 

[Mark B]

If you're not running a thermostat that could be part of the problem.... You could also have a bad fan clutch. Just say'n.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

If you're not running a thermostat that could be part of the problem.... You could also have a bad fan clutch. Just say'n.

Hey Mark B, yes, I do need to check the fan clutch...it's only about 2 yrs. old, but we all know that "new" doesn't necessarily mean "working".

On the thermostat thing....I'm not running one. I've heard people say "without enough dwell time in the radiator the coolant can't cool enough" but I'm very skeptical about that. I've never heard a good technical explanation why. In my own experience, removing the thermostat has helped some of my motors run a full 20-degrees cooler.

The main thing I wanted to post is that I did get the Champion radiator to fit & it's "semi-close" to being right. I had to mount it about 1-1/4" lower (drilled two holes in core support) and now my hood closes. Unfortunately I now block 1" of core at the bottom from direct air flow. It's sort of like have a 26" radiator in a 22" core support.