I tried to throw this to the main dentside page, but didn't get much of a bite, so I'll put it in here in the actual cooling threads.
I have a '73 250 running a 390fe, and I am going to buy a new radiator for her. I am not sure what brand to get, but I want to get something decent that will last, because it's my daily driver and the temps fluctuate here in Montana from over 100 degrees to well below zero in the winters. I have been looking on sites like Jegs, and Summit Racing and I see brands such as Be Cool, and Griffin as some of the higher end radiators. But I don't know too much about them, even NAPA's stuff is similar in pricing. I think I want something heavy duty, in the 3 inch range. Should I go ahead and put a high volume water pump in while I'm at it? Of does that even matter? Anyways, any feedback would help, as I need to make a decision soon. Thanks.

 

Some people argue that it's actually cheaper to have the brass radiator hot tanked and rodded out than replace with the aluminum. Easier to repair if needed, and they consider them better than the modern replacements. Would be interested to hear what people have to say.

 

Nobody must give a crap about radiators, I know it's not a very exiting subject. I just don't know if it would be the right route to try and refurbish my original radiator. Thanks for the input, though.

 

Can get exciting when there's a problem. So long as the replacement will bolt up without hassle and the hoses and fittings are in the right spot it should be pretty painless.