Moving Radiator Forward

[JimNolan]

Rich or anyone else.
      OK, I'm ready to move this radiator Rich. I've seen the pictures from the last time we hashed this out. I've still got the tubing spacers to use and I've got three questions to ask that was never really answered with the previous posts. 1.  When you moved the radiator forward did you have to drop the radiator height?. 2. Did you have to alter the core support at the bottom to enable the installation of the bottom radiator hose?. 3.  Did the radiator cause any conflict with the hood clearance?. Thanks Rich and whoevers been there. Jim

[RICH MUISE]

Yes, yes and I don't know....I may have to alter the radiator to make it work, or move it back to where it was. I don't have my sheetmetal on, so everything is just a guess. The guys that have installed the radiator say the cap is close even in the stock position. I have my radiator down as far as it can go without further and major reworking of the core support...I did remove the flange on the inner portion of the core support and rewelded the seam. The bottom tank of the radiator is all the way down and touching the core support bolt head. With that said, this is because I believe the aluminum radiators I and others got from Auto City Classic are a bit taller than oem. If I remember correctly, you are using a griffin?? You may not have any problems moving forward at all....particularly if your cap is mounted on the side of the top tank instead of the top as oem.

[JimNolan]

I'm going to take a real good look at the spacing at the bottom you mentioned. Best of my recollection, the fan I'm running now seems awful close to the top hose anyway. I thought it was one of those "O, ****" type of reactions when I started the engine and saw the clearance the first time. I really need this radiator pulled forward about a 1/2". I found a Motzeratti clutch fan (smallest length they make) that I'm using. but, I need that 1/2".

[rmk57]

I had trim the curved portion at the bottom of the support to fit my aluminum rad in .
It's squared up with new metal welded in, the top is also trimmed and widened .

I didn't lower mine and its moved about 2" ahead with plenty of clearance.

That's with a 460 and I'm using a fan clutch also.

[hotroddonnie]

I completely change mine.....why? I HAVE NO CLUE!

[JimNolan]

I completely change mine.....why? I HAVE NO CLUE!

that's a nice installation, no room for clutch fan either.

[RICH MUISE]

That is a nice installation!,
Jim, what are you running for a radiator? Got pics?

[JimNolan]

Rich,
  I'm running the Griffin Radiator. Two row.

[RICH MUISE]

Here's a pic of mine for height reference back when I was mounting the fan shroud. Like I mentioned...I'm hoping this is gonna work without redoing something.

[JimNolan]

Here's a pic of mine for height reference back when I was mounting the fan shroud. Like I mentioned...I'm hoping this is gonna work without redoing something.

I think I can put an end to my question if it'll fit as the height is now. I'll form a mound of play doe about an inch forward of where the radiator cap is now.(I'm moving it about an inch). Then, I'll slam the hood and check the height of the play doe. If it's as high as the radiator cap is now, it'll work. I'll do that tomorrow. That looks like a nice installation you have, hope it works for you. Jim

[JimNolan]

Here's the results of my play doe experiment. It looks like I will be able to move the radiator straight back 1 1/2" without lowering it. It surprised me how much clearance there actually was. My new clutch fan is 2 7/8" long, my old one is 1 1/2" long. By moving the radiator back 1 1/2" I'll have 1/2" clearance between the fan and new radiator location. Jim

[RICH MUISE]

I love play-doh. Had a really weird socket head screw on something last year...pushed some play-doh in the socket and went out looking for a tool...no guessing.
Looks like yours will work out just fine.

[JimNolan]

It won't let me put all the pictures on at one time so here goes. In this picture it shows where the front of the radiator cap will come to.

[JimNolan]

In this picture it shows the height of the clutch fan. I had to really search to find a short length clutch fan with the same characteristics as a larger clutch fan. I looked up the fan number and it was a Hayden 2765 Clutch Fan with a Hayden 3618 Fan Blade (18"). It was made to go on a 1988/89 Jaguar.

[hiball3985]

Thats nice, I like the way the tank, neck, cap slant forward following a similar line as the hood..