Radiator Replacement

[oldmilwaukeeguy]

I just purchased a 1957 4 door Custom.  I have several little nagging things to take care of.  The first of which is the radiator.  It was supposedly re-cored a couple years ago, but it it leaking from the top tank.  Tiny pin holes.  Anyway, looking at replacements.  Is a Custom radiator the same same as a Fairlane radiator? Motor is a 272 with a 3 speed.

[RICH MUISE]

The only difference in 57 radiators is 6 cyl vs 8 cyl. Many of us here have bought the Auto City Classic radiators. I haven't heard of any issues with them from members, I certainly haven't. They are aluminum with a high flow core. If anything, my 4.6 dohc runs cooler than I'd like. The contact info for www.autocityclassic.com is in our list of suppliers, but just clicking on the website I just gave you should work.
JFYI, in case you run across something for sale, the mounting flanges on the two radiators is different, as are the inlet and outlet positions, and I'm not sure if they ever fixed it, but the pic they show on their website for the 6 cyl radiator has the top(?) outlet on the wrong side. When I told them about it, they asked me what the one in the pic woul;d fit, and I replied "nothing that I know of oem"
Rich

[oldmilwaukeeguy]

Thanks, A lot of places don't seem to include Custom for vehicles the radiator fits.  I didn't know if that was an oversight, or if Customs and Custom 300s needed a different radiator

[Contibob]

The only other difference would be automatic trans cooler or no. Yours is a stick so you wouldn't need the cooler

[RICH MUISE]

Trim levels and optional equiptment aside, Fairlanes and Customs are the same from the firewall forward.

[oldmilwaukeeguy]

Thanks a lot everyone for the good info.

[troublemaker427]

What is the correct part number for an Auto City radiator when going from a six cylinder to a FE?  Thanks

[lalessi1]

FE uses the same radiator as the Y block V8's.

[troublemaker427]

Thanks.  I thought I read there was some sort of difference with core supports between the 6 cylinder and Y-block cars?  My memory may be failing me...

[RICH MUISE]

No sir. The core supports for all 57 passenger cars, wagons, Rancheros, etc are the same regardless of drivetrain. It's the radiators that are different 6 vs 8 cyl. BTW, Auto City Classic still has the pic for the 6 cyl radiator wrong if I am correct in my thinking.
The radiator you want will have the top outlet on the passenger side, and the lower one on the driver's side. The PN for the v-8 is R5759B.
They advertise one with a fan and shroud for an additional 100. I have not heard anything about those, nor do I know if it'll fit. Add a -F to the above pn for the one with fan.
If you need more room for the FE with your radiator, there is a fairly easy way of moving it forward 1-1 1/2". Let me know if you need to do that and I'll post a how-to with pics.

[troublemaker427]

Great.  Thanks for your help!

[SkylinerRon]

Core supports are the same 57-59.

If the top part of the upper tank is leaking you can have another top put on. Somebody on here should have a damaged radiator that you can get a top for.

Good luck,

Ron.