# Aftermarket radiator fitment



## Orion88 (Apr 24, 2012)

I am in the middle of my restoration on my 70 GTO and I tried fitting my radiator (was in the car when I got it) into my new core support. It doesn't really want to fit, especially with the polyurethane radiator bushings I got for it. It measures 31x18.5x3. Anyone ever used a similar radiator? How did you make it fit?


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Orion88 said:


> ....How did you make it fit?


The best way you can. 

Seriously, welcome to the world of after-market parts. One of the biggest lies ever perpetrated on us poor defeneseless gear heads was the phrase, "bolt on". They never do. You almost always wind up having to modify everything the part touches, everything that's within 2 feet of THOSE parts. If you still have your old radiator, use it as a mock-up and then figure out how to modify/fabricate whatever you need to in order to locate the new radiator in the same spot as best you can.

Bear


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## Orion88 (Apr 24, 2012)

It's the only radiator I have. It was in the car when I got it. I still have the old core support, which was a lemans core support. Maybe if I drag it out of my scrap pike I can figure it out.


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## Bensjammin66 (May 12, 2009)

A/C non-A/C and manual or auto, those are the only things i can see making radiators / core supports different from car to car who are the same year and model. And even so I kinda doubt GM made two different core supports regardless.. It fit before but it doesnt now? So what changed? Just the bushings and core support? If so I think you answered your own question! I blame those bushings for being too tall / wide.. It fit before you know?


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## Orion88 (Apr 24, 2012)

They did make a different core support for the Lemans because of the chrome bumper. When I pull mine out I will take pictures to show you the difference. The core support had also been hacked on quite a bit in various places. I'm mainly just curious what other people have done to get aftermarket radiators to fit in their core supports. I want some ideas before I go all Clarkson on it and get my hammer.


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## Bensjammin66 (May 12, 2009)

Hard to say as I have ZERO experience with a '70. In my '66 I just measured what was in there stock and replaced it with a universal aluminum 2 row front Summit with the exact same dimentions and it dropped right in. 
Different core supports though, that sounds fun. Short of getting a different radiator it might be cut and hack time. Good luck man!


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## Orion88 (Apr 24, 2012)

Thanks. If anyone has dimensions from a 70 GTO radiator I might consider doing that. I already looked on Ames' website which was of course less than helpful. I hope after the PY merge they revamp their website because it's never been very good for parts searching.


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## Bensjammin66 (May 12, 2009)

$160 aluminum 2 row with 1" tubing at Summit, I highly recommend if it comes to you needing a replacement. Ive had the same unit in mine for years. They do not have coolers in them so you need an external if your car is auto. It cooled my 400 fine and now it cools a KRE headed 468 no problem too. Single Flex a Lite 16" electric fan and no shroud. Hottest ive ever seen was 195-200 at a freeway exit ramp in July but it cooled right off to 180 when i started moving again. My '66 takes a 19x25 and its plenty big for the job. 

As far as the dimentions go couldnt you just measure the inside of the core support? Just measure the Width, Height and Depth you need, click pay now and its on its way lol


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Orion88 said:


> I am in the middle of my restoration on my 70 GTO and I tried fitting my radiator (was in the car when I got it) into my new core support. It doesn't really want to fit, especially with the polyurethane radiator bushings I got for it. It measures 31x18.5x3. Anyone ever used a similar radiator? How did you make it fit?



Looking at your photo's, and if memory serves me correct, you have 4 "radiator brackets/saddles" on the lower radiator support - which is 2 to many.

The rubber saddles/brackets go on the ends, nothing in the center. On the factory radiator, there is a raised ridge that forms the outer tanks -just where the core is soldered to the tanks. The rubber saddles fit right over these ridges to hold the radiator in place. The rubber saddles then fits into the matching metal brackets/supports that are bolted on the lower radiator support. 

The other 2 rubber supports go on top of the radiator just as on the bottom, and are fitted/held into place by the "radiator top support plate".

Looking through the OPGI catalog, they have different lower radiator rubber insulators which are based on your radiator core, ie 2-core, 3-core, 4-core. They have a lower radiator saddle bracket for the '68-'72 non-ac cars with rubber insulator to fit a 3-core radiator.

OPGI also offers 1968-'72 repro steel "stops" for the radiator & insulator brackets found on the front lower radiator core support.

The "radiator support top plate" is offered only for the '68 -your car may not have used this. The heavy-duty upper radiator bracket support used on 4-core radiators is for the '65-'67 GTO's. It may not work, but the photo gives you an idea of how a bracket could be formed/shaped if needed.

:thumbsup:


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## Orion88 (Apr 24, 2012)

I figured it was 2 on top and 2 on bottom, I just had them sitting there for some reason or another. 

Thanks for the information Jim. Does anyone have photos of this? I'm much more of a visual guy. Gotta see it in front of me to really understand it. Just ask my professor. Haha


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## Orion88 (Apr 24, 2012)

Found out that Ames is going to start carrying these (if they haven't already). They're supposed to fit perfectly and they look exactly like a stock radiator when painted. I personally don't care if it looks stock or not but it's a direct fit. Are there any cheaper options out there? 
68-71 GM A-Body Aluminum Radiator: Cold Case Aluminum Radiators


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## Bensjammin66 (May 12, 2009)

I mentioned the Summit aluminum ones before. $160 is certainly cheaper than $300. You just need to measure for size. This one i have has cooled mine just fine for many years and id bet it will continue to do so.


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