The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Radiator swap needed or not ?

I have a 1940 1/2 ton with the original radiator, it seems to work fine with the 6 banger that is in it. I plan to go to a 350 do I need to change radiators for the bigger engine.Also I will be going to an automatic tranny. Is there a transmission cooler that can be aded to an original radoator?

Hi Derry, from what I understand you should at least consider getting your radiator re-cored. That's quite a tight engine bay and the 350 will need all the help it can get.
I'm doing the same thing with my '50.
Regarding the trans cooler,i'm putting a remote one mounted in the chassis,or possibly in the void between the rad and grill.There are loads of options.
I haven't decided yet.
Someone else will chime in with more advice soon.....

Jock

Original radiator will be too small. I have 46 with a original
Dessert Cooler Radiator that was an option back then and it is very marginal.

For my 1941 1 Ton PU with a 350 and 700R4 I picked up a basic Walker Radiator with trans cooler. Use an electric fan with a shroud and you should be fine.

Dave Murray
[email protected]

Derry,

Take your existing radiator to a radiator shop that builds radiators for race cars. Mid-Am, Late Model, etc. Ask the local engine builder who they recommend. You will then be pointed in the right direction. You can then get a custom made radiator that will look right in the small engine bay and will keep the SBC cool. If you are just using it on the street, they can add a bottom tank cooler for the transmission. If you are planning on racing or towing, then do like Jock mentions and get a separate trans cooler.

If you are using an electric fan, the ONLY two manufacturers that I can personally recommend are SPAL and Tri-Pac. These are the only fans that actually moved the air at the published velocity and pressure based on testing. However if you will be towing, you will need more air flow than an electric fan can provide.

derry, yes you will need to change the radiator out with the 350. I ran the orignial radiator in my '46 panel for a short time with a 350 and it will not cool it enough. What I did was I got a 4 core PRC aluminum radiator and now in mid summer in TX it stays 185 to 195 just fine. The trans cooler is a frame mount so I didn't have to worry about running those lines. What I did have to do is move the radiator forward 1 1/4". I did have to cut the splash apron and upper panel for it to have the room. I also put in a 2700 cfm Spal eletric fan and built the shroud myself. Now I will tell you ahead of time the clearance is close. With the short water pump and the radiator moved forward and the fan and shroud I've only got 1/2" clearance between the fan and the water pump pulley, but it works just fine. I would also recommend the Spal curved blade fan. I got my PRC radiator from a hot rod shop in AL and am very pleased with the whole set up.

I tried 2 different cores in the stock radiator and cooling was very marginal running a 160 stat. Also the stock radiators do not like high pressures and will likely start to leak at the seams. Finally installed a PRC aluminum radiator with a 180 stat and it runs no higher than 190 on the hottest of days.Also get the best puller cooling fan you can get and you should be fine.

Mike
46 1/2 ton rod

Thanks for the info. I guess I knew the answer ,just hoping to save a little money. Does this new radiator have to be special built for this specific truck or does someone have a generic size that will fit without modification. I ordered a walker 4 core for another auto once and it worked great but was very pricey.

derry, Like someone else said the PRC is around $400.00. I got mine from Street Rod garage in Grant,AL. It was made to fit the '46 Panel with the outlets in the same place as the orginal which works out nicely for hose location. I couldn't find it on thier web page but I just called them and it was no problem, they knew just what I was looking for.

A local radiator shop re-cored mine and added a lower tank to cool the 700r4 tranny. The 350 runs nice and cool, have yet to try it out on a real hot day as I have no A/C yet. Imagine A/C will push it over the edge and will need a new one then. The re-core cost me $125. Ed

Anyone know if the original rad would work with a 4.3 v/6 instead of a v/8. Same trans. 700r4 with seperate cooler?
2 less cylinders to cool?

Here we go again. I have a 55 with a 350 and 700R4 trans. I am still running the stock radiator with a shroud.It runs pretty cool even in the summer,around 165 to 175 even in slow traffic.One thing to remember is that a 350 can run a little on the hot side and be OK.200 to 210 is OK for most 350s.As I have found a shroud is very important to running cool.I have seen so many street rods with the regular fan plus an electric pusher fan,and a big wide open space between the radiator and the fan. The fan has to pull fresh air thru the radiator.Without a shroud it is pulling air from everywhere except thru the radiator.

vick it should but the prob you get into with later v-6s engines is massive amounts of electical so its not for the feint hearted specaily if you are runing fuel injection