Hotrod, it sounds like you are using the 6 cylinder radiator position with the sbc/700R4. I have fit mine up to use the V8 position with a puller electric fan. What drove you to the forward position? Are you using engine driven cooling or electric?


Incidentally, I originally gave Willard (my truck) to my son when he finished High School, however at the time I also had a 73 big block Ranger XLT sport truck which really liked. I told him you can't have both, so I got Willard back and now (15 years later) I am going thru a ground up.

 

I made my own radiator support. I took a length of 3/16x3 flat bar and broke (bent) it into a "U" shape with square corners at the bottom instead of the original rounded shape. I used the punch press at my buddies shop to punch some slotted holes for the fender mounts. I welded some flat bar perpindicular down each side and across the bottom as mounting flanges and additional support.
I am using the front (6cyl) holes. Looking back, I probably could have used the original radiator support in the 8cyl holes and located my radiator in front of it but this looks a bit cleaner.

I am not using the stock air deflectors. I haven't fabricated the defelctors yet but I plan on not using the one inside of the hood at all. I will fill in the area between the hood latch plate and the radiator with some flat sheet metal. The lower defelctor between the bottom of the grill and the radiator will have to be modified slightly also. This will keep all air entering the grill area directed through the radiator. Any air that enters in the front grill openings will just go ove the top of the radiator.

I have been running my big Caddy engine in all kinds of traffic conditions, so far so good. Its been very hot here lately and I havent overheated yet. I'm just running the factory Caddy flex fan, no fan clutch, no electric fan....no problem. But I still want to get the deflectors built and installed.

Bobby

 

Bobby, Thanks for your response. Is it a case with the Dodge truck radiator/Caddy motor that the engine driven fan sits high enough relative to the top (hottest) part of the radiator to get ok cooling? I believe with the stock radiator running a sbc, the center axis of the fan sits very low (make that too low for a hot day in stop and go traffic) in the radiator core. I debated in the past of going to one of the after market setups like Snow White that moves the pump up 5 1/2 inches but my latest plan was to go electric fan. Is the center axis of your caddy fan at or above the center of your dodge truck radiator? I did check out your gallery but could not tell from the photos.

 

Me too! I'm interested in seeing some close up pictures of how the radiator is mounted.

Is that possible?

 

I am using the six cylinder position. The first go round with a radiator, I had my orginal V8 Flathead radiator converted to be used with a small Chevy (Plugged one inlet and one outlet). I mounted a Corsica Electric fan (I think) to it. It stuck back towards then engine and wouldn't fit. I might be able to make it fit in the V8 position now, but I like the extra room. Currently I am running the 16 inch Spal fan that came with the radiator.

Neat story about your truck and your kid. I just took my truck from dad before I graduated, but I don't plan on giving it back. Might give him a ride every now and then.

hotrod48

 

I am using the same Dodge truck radiator Bobby used with my core support in the 6 cylinder location in my 48 F-3. The inlet and outlet is in the correct position for my SBC and I have enough room in front to run a long nosed water pump and a mechanical clutch fan. It fits the core support well with little modification. I have idled my engine in the garage for periods of up to 30 minutes and it stays around 180 consistently. I used sheet metal to close up the gap under the radiator but have no plans to block the air going over at the current time. After I get it on the road I may fab something for that if I need it. I'm hoping the extra air going over the top of the radiator will keep the engine bay cooler. The only thng I don't like about the radiator is the cheesy plastic petcock valve that comes with it. I'd like to replace that with something better if I can find something else that will fit.

Vern

 

Vern, I looked in your gallery for a photo showing the relative position of the engine driven fan to dodge truck radiator. The only pnoto was an engine fitup. My sbc as it sits in the engine bay places the center axis of the fan/waterpump up 7 inches above the base of the U of the radiator support. That puts it approximately 1/3 of the way up in the original radiator core (to low imho). Where is yours position relative to the Dodge truck core?
On a separate note when looking at that pix in your gallery, it looks like the two piece inner fender panel on your truck is on the drivers side. Mine is on the passangers side. My truck was a V8 flathead originally. Are my eyes deceiving me or is your two piece inner fender on the drivers side? I never knew that there was a difference. I always thought that the lower removable piece of the inner fender panel was for starter access which is on the passenger side of both the 6 and V8

 

Will,

Sorry my gallery isn't up to date. Unfortunately the engine is out of the truck right now so I can't give you any measurements. The two piece inner fender on on mine is also on the passenger side so maybe the picture got flipped when I copied it to my computer??? I will try to get a more recent photo when I get the engine back in (hopefully in the next few days) or I'll be happy to take some measurements for you. Mine was a flathead V8 also.

Vern

 

It seems to me that the fan is fairly well centered on the core. I'll try and take some pics this weekend when I get back home. So far my truck runs cool. The big Caddys normally ran at about 220 degrees, so far I'm runnig below that. Only once did I start edging up towards "way too hot" during stop and go traffic.
Here's a pic from the front, and another showing how far it sticks up above the fenders. I'll try and get some better pics this weekend.



Bobby

 

Bobby -

Nice pics. I especially liked the 12-pack of Bud sitting on top of the motor in the second one. For all the "frosty beverages" you always elude to, it was nice to see some truth in advertising.

 

I love the Budweiser air cleaner,

hotrod48

 

Bobby,

Thanks for the pix. It looks like it grew there which is what I look for. Did you try to mount the radiator in the original core support? It sounded like Vern in a post above used the same radiator and used the original core support. I like the idea of avoiding the big$ for a radiator.

 

Vern, Am I reading it correctly that you used the same Dodge truck radiator as Bobby and used your original core support? Did you modify the core support to make it work? I would be interested in a measurement of where your waterpump/fan axis would intersect the core. I think that my sbc sits at about the same height as yours.

 

Will,

Yes, I used the original core support. The only modifications I made was to knock off the cage nuts so I could pass a bolt though the holes and use a regular bolt and nut instead. One or two of the holes even lined up with some on the Dodge radiator flange. I don't remember if I used two bolts per side or three but two would hold it fine. The radiator comes with a "U" shaped flange and I sawed off one of the sides of the "U". I even left the bar across the front of the core support although I had to notch the Dodge flange to do that. It fits the core support very well and as I remember the fan is pretty well centered but I am working from memory (which is like swiss cheese these days). I offset my engine two inches to the passenger side also. BTW, this radiator is a three row not four but it was made to cool a mid 70s V8 Dodge truck so it should cool a SBC with no problem. I had a four row radiator in a 29 Ford a few years ago and cooling was marginal. I always suspected that it was because it is harder to get air through a 4 row than a three. So, I'm a fan of thinner radiators if you can get by with them.

Vern

 

Hey is the 51 suppose to have a Bar across the front for support. Mine didn't have one when I bought the truck but I see pics with it???