# Looking into a new radiator



## tv66 (Aug 20, 2009)

Hi, 
I'm in need of a new radiator. Have a 66 GTO tri power manual
Can anyone suggest brand names to investigate. I would like to go to an aluminum but I would like to keep the look up on top original
any suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

be cool, or griffin both make drop in replacement radiators but they are natural aluminum color- I got a griffin and then painted it black with some high heat paint specifically for radiators


----------



## tv66 (Aug 20, 2009)

Thanks, I'll look into both . I can't believe the money they want for the (be cool) 
Pontiac's are $500.00 plus and Chevy's are $300. What's up with that?


----------



## xcmac26 (Dec 1, 2008)

Pontiac's better arty:


----------



## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

just limited production for the pontiacs- watch ebay I got mine from a griffin dealer that sells returns or blems- I paid around $250 for a brand new griffin that was blemed because of ugly weld.it looked fine to me and was guaranteed. the company is southern rods & parts 864-848-0601 his seller id is lumpkinsgarage on ebay


----------



## Silver69GTO (May 25, 2009)

I had mine rebuilt by a local radiator shop.
Heck of a lot cheaper than buying a new one.
You may want to try that route first.


----------



## GroundHog (Oct 16, 2009)

has anyone tried the summit racing radiators? price around ~$290


----------



## GroundHog (Oct 16, 2009)

Summit Racing SUM-380457 - Summit Racing® Direct Fit Aluminum Radiators - Overview - SummitRacing.com


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Silver69GTO said:


> I had mine rebuilt by a local radiator shop.
> Heck of a lot cheaper than buying a new one.
> You may want to try that route first.


+1, I had the radiator recored in my Grand Prix for $130.


----------



## Chris Holabaugh (Jan 18, 2009)

I put in a Rodney Red. This was two year's ago, and at that time a be cool would not fit. One's for a Chevelle are to wide for a Pontiac, so you would have to cut out your supports. The Rodney Red fits just fine, but you can not use the rubber mounts in the bottom supports, because it is to big.


----------



## GroundHog (Oct 16, 2009)

has anyone had ay experience with the Summit unit? i need to replace mine and this was the best price i've found, but i don't want to buy cheap crap.


----------



## ylwgto (Oct 27, 2009)

GroundHog said:


> has anyone tried the summit racing radiators? price around ~$290


i run one of these in my 66. dropped right in. only bads are side tanks (so top is ugly), no petcock for draining and bottom outlet points up at an angle and puts the stock hose ina weird position. it takes a little tweaking to get the kink out of it, but eventually works w/out getting a new hose. instantly dropped me 25 degrees in summer. i also ditched my flex fan and set up a dual spal unit that runs off a thermostat.

i sourced all this on ebay for about 175.


----------



## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

I have to weigh in on this...The repro radiators I have seen others buy are inferior in quality to the originals. The tank material is thinner and the corrugation on the tanks are fewer and farther apart. This causes the tanks to kink across the tanks. Since most of our older cars do not use a catch tank system it means there is always some air in the tank that pushes off and returns when the coolant expands and contracts and since the material and design are weak it warps. Here is what I did to mine on my '64... When I had the tanks recored I had the shop add a couple baffles (with the corners clipped for internal venting). one on the top 1/3 of the way across from the top inlet, then one on the bottom tank 1/3 of the way across from the outlet. This way I created a 3 pass cooling and elimnated the poor circulation issues that top tank radiators are known for and kept my original tanks too. JMEO


----------

