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Author
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Topic: Quality aluminum radiator
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Kyle
Gearhead Posts: 240
From: Sumner, WA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 12-02-2002 12:10 PM
   
What are the features that I should be looking for in a good quality aluminum radiator for my Fairlane?------------------
Kyle Laramore 63 Fairlane: 302, Victor Jr. heads and intake, solid lift cam, super comp headers, MSD 6al and duraspark, 650 DP carb, C4 w/ Hughes converter, man. valve body 66 Mustang coupe: 289, offy intake, Holley 600 vac. sec., long tube headers, 3spd stick
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-02-2002 12:19 PM
Smiths Radiator. Best there is, NO BRAG, JUST FACT! www.smithsradiator.com or 765-478-5325 as for Tony. If you have a $100 engine then get a $100 radiator.  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl Quote #1: "I never met a magazine mechanic I liked."
Quote #2: "Make sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth!"
Quote #3: "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!"
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64FalconF-16
Gearhead Posts: 191
From: Republic Of Texas!! Temporarily living in KY
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-02-2002 01:16 PM
I have a Howe alum radiator in my Falcon and I have had good luck with it for three years. It is well made too. It is the second alum radiator I have owned and it is the best one so far. Listen to Alex though, he has more experience with them than I do. ------------------
64 Pro-Street Falcon
351C 4V 8.1s in 1/8
79 Ford Bronco 4 X 4
400 9.9s in 1/8
2000 F-150 XLT 5.4L
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 12-02-2002 01:56 PM
Griffin has a series of 'Nascar' radiators that are geared toward the lower dollar circle track crowd. They are 'universal' units, and have two rows of one inch cores. The 'Pro' series generally sells for around $180 through Summit.They are listed by their length and width, as well as 'chevy' or 'ford' hose locations. The 'Pro' series have two rows of one inch tubes, the 'HP' series have two rows of 1-1/4" tubes. The Pro series is plenty for 99% of all applications. The thicker HP series take a serious duty fan to pull plenty of air through the thick, dense core. The 'chevy' hose locations are for old chevys, the 'ford' hose locations are the orientation of Fox body mustangs. The lower hose mount is angled slightly towards the engine, so hose fitment can be a little more challenging standard hoses are to be used. I've had a few friends who have purchased these for their cars, and are using them with great results. These are of a crossflow design, and generally bolt in to cross flow applications with very little work. The people I know of that are using them have mounted them in Fox mustangs and Chevelles. Go to www.griffinrad.com and click on 'nascar' or go to the 'circle track' section of Summit or Jegs for the part numbers. Once you have the part number, either Summit or Jegs will be able to sell you the radiator. Good Luck! ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220 [This message has been edited by n2oMike (edited 12-02-2002).]
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MrXerox
Gearhead Posts: 326
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-02-2002 05:30 PM
I second the Griffin NASCAR series. I have one in my 71 and it just dropped right in the stock brackets with no mods made whatsoever. 
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Dad Vishus
Gearhead Posts: 540
From: Moscow, Iowa, USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 12-02-2002 05:42 PM
We have used Griffins with good results also. Haven't really tried anything else.KV bought at least one of his Griffins through Bill Mitchell. His prices were much less than the mail order houses and though the Griffin brand was not mentioned in the ad, thats what it was. My Falcon has one also, but a long piece of garden hose would cool that thing with alky injection. I mistakenly made a pass the last day with the water pump shut off and it got up to a whopping 170.  I've yet to turn on the fan. 
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68DARKHORSE
Gearhead Posts: 337
From: Austin, Tx
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 12-03-2002 10:58 AM
quote:
Originally posted by MrXerox:
I second the Griffin NASCAR series. I have one in my 71 and it just dropped right in the stock brackets with no mods made whatsoever.
Do you have a part number?
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64FalconF-16
Gearhead Posts: 191
From: Republic Of Texas!! Temporarily living in KY
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-03-2002 12:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 64FalconF-16:
It is the second alum radiator I have owned and it is the best one so far.
Ok, I take this one back. I have a third Alum radiator in our newest family member. It is a Griffin Radiator in a 32 Ford 3 window coupe. (Has a 90 Mustang 5.0 and 5 speed) No Sacrilege here Babeee. All Ford or No Ford. It leaked like crazy.(Hole) Got it fixed. It is a well made radiator too. Rick
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 12-03-2002 01:02 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 68DARKHORSE:
Do you have a part number?
Measure the radiator's core (this does not include the tanks) then go to the Griffin website and match it up. I believe the 'chevy' style has the top tank inlet on the driver's side. The ford is opposite. Good Luck! ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-03-2002 01:06 PM
I really hesitate to say this as I have not had any experiances with anyone else but Smith's since 1994.
I had one Griffin radiator in my life and it was over priced, didn't fit without serious modifications (even though I had it custom built to my own specs) and it leaked at the seams after only one year. They did nothing for me as they claimed only a one year warrantee. It was one year and 6 days old when I called them about the leaks. 
I had it repaired locally for $25.
The only other race aluminum radiator I have ever had was a Ron Davis product. It fit the application fine but did not cool well. Both the Griffith and the Ron Davis were replaced with Smith's units and I have never used anything else since. 
FYI, MM's radiator is a direct Mustang bolt in replacment style with a custom Smith's shroud. It weighs just 12 lbs with the electric fan. The block is filled and even in 100+ degree heat, driving down the return road back to the pits, it has never seen the other side of 160 degrees. ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl Quote #1: "I never met a magazine mechanic I liked."
Quote #2: "Make sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth!"
Quote #3: "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!"
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MrXerox
Gearhead Posts: 326
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-03-2002 03:45 PM
Part number is 1-26272-X selling at Summitracing right now for $189.95 here is a picture of it in my 71 Mach...http://www.highbeamads.com/71griffin.JPG
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