Bed mounted radiator
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Bed mounted radiator
Greetings all!
I'm getting my winter truck projects all lined up and have a few questions.
I want to put a CORR style roll bar in the bed of my truck. It has a steel flatbed now which will come off and be replaced with the roll bar and side panels. I'd like to put the radiator back there and was looking for any tips on setting it up. It's a 78 F150 4x4 with a 460/C6. My radiator does a great job of keeping it cool with the stock 5 blade metal flex fan, but I'll have to go to electric fans when I move it. Besides the REALLY expensive elec. fans from the performance places, what kind of vehicle can I get a good fan out of that'll move enough air to keep this puppy cool?
Also, what is the best pipe to use from the radiator to the engine? Copper? Rubber?
Thanks in advance.
Kevin K.
I'm getting my winter truck projects all lined up and have a few questions.
I want to put a CORR style roll bar in the bed of my truck. It has a steel flatbed now which will come off and be replaced with the roll bar and side panels. I'd like to put the radiator back there and was looking for any tips on setting it up. It's a 78 F150 4x4 with a 460/C6. My radiator does a great job of keeping it cool with the stock 5 blade metal flex fan, but I'll have to go to electric fans when I move it. Besides the REALLY expensive elec. fans from the performance places, what kind of vehicle can I get a good fan out of that'll move enough air to keep this puppy cool?
Also, what is the best pipe to use from the radiator to the engine? Copper? Rubber?
Thanks in advance.
Kevin K.
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From: N. Florida - The "No 4x4
http://www.ford-truck.com/user_galle...hp?userid=5979
Seach on Seth's user name first " proeliator ". He's talked a lot about this a lot and is *quite* willing to answer questions.
HTH.
Seach on Seth's user name first " proeliator ". He's talked a lot about this a lot and is *quite* willing to answer questions.
HTH.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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I have done a radiator job like you are describing in the past on a mud runner. you are going want to go to a salvage yard to find a aluminum radiator electric fan combo out of a early 90s corvett,caprice,etc remember the bigger the better. no trucks they all had manual fans. remember to use pvc pipe to run the long stretches between the engine and the radiator use 90 or 40 degree bends to pipe youre way under the cab.then use flex hose to connect to the pipe.you will also need to build a box out of aluminum of steel to house the radiator.the whole thing only takes hours once you find the parts. oh dont forget to glue the pvc pipe togeather.
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Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Oregon
I'm feeling lazy, so your best bet is to do a search in the offroad forum. I've posted a couple time there in the last year on this topic and every aspect of doing this mod. You can also take a peek in my gallery to see how mine turned out. I advise using copper with brazed connectins over pvc....anyways, its all there in the offroad forum.
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Thanks Pro. I read a few of your posts and you give a lot of great info. I'm printing the one titled "attn: PRO" so I can use it when I do mine.
I have a few questions that your post didn't cover.
What's the bottle in the back - overflow resevoir?
Where (under the truck) did you route the copper? I can't tell form your gallery pix.
Thanks!
Kevin K.
I have a few questions that your post didn't cover.
What's the bottle in the back - overflow resevoir?
Where (under the truck) did you route the copper? I can't tell form your gallery pix.
Thanks!
Kevin K.
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From: spartanburg, SC
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Oregon
Glad you were able to find that. Yup, thats an overflow resevoir. I routed the copper lines along the frame for protection. I think in that post I mentioned the importance of bleeding air out of the system as you will have hot spots otherwise. Have fun...I probably get as many questions and comments about my rad as everything else put together on my truck.
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Thanks Pro!
Did you run one pipe on each side or both on the same side?
I understand about the questions/comments. It's a cool mod and a you did a great job on it. Probably most popular for off-roading to keep the flex fan from choppin' water and doing all kinds of damage. That's my reason, at least.
Thanks again for the insight.
Kevin K.
Did you run one pipe on each side or both on the same side?
I understand about the questions/comments. It's a cool mod and a you did a great job on it. Probably most popular for off-roading to keep the flex fan from choppin' water and doing all kinds of damage. That's my reason, at least.
Thanks again for the insight.
Kevin K.
Post Fiend
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From: Oregon
I ran the pipes together, with small pieces of rad hose spaced between them to keep them from rubbing on each other. It does keep the e-fan out of the water (as I'd drown first, lol), but the main reason is to keep mud from clogging the rad when I'm mud bogging/dragging. Thanks for the compliment~
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