One of my other post I committed about installing a new radiator in my '37. I was tired of always repairing the old one. It never leaked very much, just a few drops once in while that got sprayed across the engine from the fan.

I purchased a new aluminum radiator
http://www.afabcorp.com/AFCO_Dynate...Code=80147N&Category_Code=hr_rod-rad ,
from this vendor, http://www.carshopinc.com/index.php/cPath/88_90
It was $434 delivered to my door in 3 days. I removed the stock unit and started checking out this new one. Its just a bit thicker but other wise pretty close. I had to add some side rails so it would bolt in OK, the aluminum brackets were a little short. No big deal, it went right in. Weight is like night and day, it takes two people to get the old brass one out, this new one is a one man job!
First thing I notice is the lower hose outlet is facing the oil pan, so now I have to lower the radiator to clear the pan or raise the engine. I lower the radiator. I had a piece of 1 1/2" u-shaped exhaust pipe left over from a header job so I use that to get from the engine to the radiator. It runs under and along the oil pan, loops up over the fuel pump and around the distributor and into the water pump. I bet the lower hose hold 1/2 gallon of coolant just by itself. The whole coolant system holds 1 1/4 more gallons then the old set up!

I set out on a test drive and notice two things, one it runs really hot and two the fan is hitting and high rpm. I had changed to a 180 thermostat from a 160 since the engine runs better hotter. Now the stock gauge is reading 220+ yet the engine and rad show only 180 to 185. With the 160 t-stat the gauge read 180 to 190, I figured the old gauge was just off that much. I install a new gauge I had laying around and it reads just the same. 250's have the gauge hole in the head between #1 and #2 cylinders, I drill and tap the thermostat housing so the sensor is now right under the thermostat, the guage now reads 180. I guess GM new where the hot spot was in the head!
Next I look into the fan hitting, at high rpm the flex fan is pulling forward and hitting the lower tank seam. I conclude the fan I am using is a cheap-o flex fan with little support for each blade. Looking at all that is available and that would fit, I chose a Flex-a-lite http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=400226+300595+115&autoview=sku
low profile 17". I was lucky and found a new one at the local swap meet for $20. Since I am now losing 1" of blade diameter (the old one was 18"), I decide to change out the water pump pulley to a 6" from the 7" it had. It now spins a bit faster, doesn't hit, and cools just fine. I had to drill out the mounting holes in the pulley, it came off some other engine and the bolt holes were off, just more work and one more time I had to pull the water pump!

So heres what I have
radiator $434
hoses $38
coolant $10
rad, cap $4
fan $20
gaskets $7
steel $11
thermostat $6
shorter belt $6
total $536 for a small leak!

Plus, three weeks of on and off working and test drives!


Joe

1937 Chevrolet Inline-powered Streetrod