Re-power (was Fabricators forum)

Re: Fabricators forum

Hi jeepers, and Sparky,
I have a question. I'm putting small block in my 48, Please no chastise me. I have a 48 Willys, and putting in a 57 jeep running gear. I have from the motor to the over drive. All fresh and ready to go. I set all the running gear in the frame and set the body back on it. I have enough room for the small block and don't have to cut my fire wall. It's the one thing I won't do. What I have to do is have a custom radiator made to fit inside my grill.
Does anyone know of a place who can build or has done this.
Thanks,
Bruce

 

Rich Imholt who owns the "Bad Bee" Canary yellow 3b that was in all the mags and the Warn ads about 6 or 7 years also has a small block in his. He used a radiator from a '55-'57 Chevy and bolted it directly to the grill with no problems. His grill is taller though so it may not fit under the hood, but maybe gives a starting point. Jeg's and Summit have universal fit aluminum radiators in all different sizes that should cool that small block. I know some people have had to move/modify the front crossmember to fit them in and have had to notch the headlight buckets, but this is very doable without cutting the firewall. I know Rich had to run the short water pump and accessory brackets from an early '60's chev. I think they changed to a long water pump somewhere around '68 or '69. He is running a mechanical fan with no clearance issues. Nickmil.

 

I have a couple of suggestions: first, you can measure the space you have for the radiator and head out to your local u-pull-it yard. Look for a radiator that fits the space you have and the location of the outlets. SOunds kind of hit-or-miss, but I think that's the way a lot of these sorts of conversion problems are solved.

Second, real radiator shops still exist. Most "radiator shops" today simply sell new radiators; I think the cheap labor in Mexico makes most radiator repair uneconomical. There are shops out there that still recore or repair, however. They will have a book with all the core sizes and what vehicles they apply to. Again, measure what you need and ask for applications. Then you can either buy a new radiator or find the right sized used one and have it cleaned, repaired, or recored.

I remember when I was looking for a radiator for my truck, there was a site online that had the actual specs for each radiator. I found that a Jeep truck has the same size core, tanks, and outlets as a CJ7, except the CJ7 brackets are on the back of the radiator instead of the front. Can't look further right now, but maybe you can search.

 

I had trouble finding on too. I needed one that would fit over the crossmember and still clear the hood. Long story short. I found one that fits between the shock towers. It's the smallest 3 row crossflow radiator. It came out of a 78' Chevy Monza. I don't know if a 3 row will be enough to cool a V-8, but you could used the dementions and have a industial core put into it. The 3 row is enough for me because I'm running a V-6.

Radiator is 25 1/2" X 17".

 

Here is a picture.

http://groups.msn.com/ScottMilliner/scottsjeeppictures.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=53

 

Jeez, leave it to me to ask the stupid question! Have you talked to Douglas Radiator? They have a shop down on the south end of Stephens and one in Myrtle Creek. I should think they could steer you to a set of tanks and then fit up an appropriate core for you. Just a thought ( ignorant as it may be).