The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks 60 - 66 Big Block Cooling?

I was wondering if anyone out there is running a stock big block in their 60 - 66, and what you are using for cooling. Will the stock HD radiator work alright with a fan shroud, or did you have to get a bigger radiator? I'm not planning on towing up hills or such, but here in southern CA, it does get warm at times. Thank you for your help.

I have a 409 in my 60 GMC and it is not quite there yet as far as coolness. (Actually it's really cool but....)
I have a new 4 core radiator and a steel fan shroud similar to the 409 cars of the early 60's Th rad. is a new but vintage design, not the crossflow type sold by some vendors(which require hacking to install.) I have a stock fan with no electric fan. It is for an auto trans so it has a trans cooler as well. I am running a 195 deg t-stat. On Sunday it was about 60 deg. for it's maiden shakedown run. It sat at 195 for 70 miles until stop and go traffic caused it to go up to 210 deg.
It didn't boil over, but it was noticeable. On the way home, it rode at about 200 and was fine at highway speeds. no further traffic was encountered.
I think I still have some air in the system and will bleed that out. I also want to put in a surge tank to keep things clean.
A big block is going to run hotter, so do whatever you can to help it out. I don't think that stock 6 cylinder stuff will get the job done.

Put a 180 or even a 160-degree thermostat in it.
I have a crate 350 in my '62; new 4-row radiator, OE-style 7-blade 18-inch fan with mechanical clutch on it. I don't have my fan shroud on it yet, but that fan, sitting a good 8 inches back, will suck a piece of paper to the front of the radiator at idle.

I THOUGHT I dropped a 180-degree t-stat in there last fall, but it turned out to be a 195. It ran too hot for my liking, and once the temperature got into the 70s last week, it REALLY ran too hot for my liking.

I swapped in a 160, and now the OE gauge shows it closer to the cool side of the gauge than it is to the middle. I like the needle to run straight up, because of Atlanta's hot summers. In the past with a 160, it ran a little on the cool side of straight up. I'll have to see what it does next month. Right now, with temps in the 60s and 70s, it would like a 180-degree t-stat.

Put a big multi-blade clutch fan on it, the shroud, an overflow tank and a 160 or maybe 180-degree t-stat, and you should be happy.

-Brad

I have a 454 using stock radiator and electric fan. Fan comes on at 180 and truck temp runs around 195. I need the heat so the TBI computer wont throw a cold temp error.
The biggest problem is the electric fan is real loud pulling air thru the radiator and oil cooler.

Have a 468, bored 454, in my '65 400 auto & 373 gears. Running stock radiator & mech flex fan w/ shroud. 180 deg. stat. No problem yet, but have not been running in peak summer in traffic down here in south west Louisiana yet.