I had installed a stock replacement 1 row aluminum core/plastic tank rad.
(I have a 350 crate motor in the car) I had a 180 thermostat in the car but after driving for a while the temps would be up to 220 or sometimes more.
(this is with the fan running).
I decided to try a Champion rad, but I thought the 3 core was a bit overkill.
I found a Champion 2 core on ebay for $169 with free shipping.
It came on fedex yesterday and I got it installed last night.
I did have to shave the lower mount bushings quite a bit, and I used some tire inner tube cut into strips on the top as I couldn't trim those thin enough.
Tranny lines threaded in with no issues. Stock single fan fit back on fine with no modifications or clearance issues.
Performance wise, all I can say is WOW!
Took it for a 20 minute cruise last night and it never got much above 180.
Before, it would get up to 220 even on a cool day.
The real test will be on a good hot day, but so far I an very happy!

 

Glad to hear you're happy with it. The Champion brand seem to be a good replacement. I'm running their 3 core myself. I may be wrong, but they seemed to be the same exterior dimensions (2 core vs 3 core).

If I lived in a northern state, I probably would have gone for the 2 core just to save a couple bucks. Down south, you need all the help you can get.

 

Reid, how do think an aluminum 3 core will help improve my cooling issues?

Ever since I got the A/C cranking my stock style plastic side tank radiator can't keep up with the heat coming off the condenser. On hotter days the engine will get to 230F especially in traffic before I bite the bullet and turn the A/C off. In the same conditions with no A/C it usually sits around 195F sitting in traffic.

This is with new coolant, a high flow aluminum pump and I even tried tossing in a 160F thermostat with two 1/8" holes drilled in it.

Running the stock single electric fan right now. I have a dual fan setup off an 87 bird but I need the lower shroud before I can put it in.

 

I'd say it's that the current radiator you have can support the heat of the engine itself (but that it's running maxed out), but once you add the heat from the A/C you end up overloading the radiator. Part of the radiator could be plugged, thus why you can keep up under normal driving, but not during A/C driving. Could be corrosion built up inside the radiator (which limits the heat transfer). New coolant alone won't be enough if the radiator is getting old and gunked up.

Another thing I did was bypass the radiator when I got the external transmission cooler. I have an 11x12" stacked plate transmission cooler (Long TruCool LPD brand). There is a small air gap between the transmission cooler and the condenser on my car. Just enough to barely get a finger between......This means that when the car is stuck in traffic, I'm not sending warm transmission fluid into a hot radiator (and thus keeping the transmission cooler). On the other side, this also means if the radiator ever overheated, I wouldn't be burning up the transmission fluid. With your 2800 stall, I would highly recommend a large stacked plate design transmission cooler.

Put it to you this way. I got stuck in a traffic jam for well over an hour with the stock radiator and aftermarket transmission cooler (in August Houston afternoon weather) The radiator was at 235° while the transmission temp only got to 185°.

I also noticed that the car warms up slower with the radiator bypassed. This is good for hot climates and even normal climates. Bypassing the radiator is a bad idea in cold climates though. In these situations, having the transmission run through the radiator acts as a pre-heater to warm up the transmission fluid. Also keeps it warmed up during highway driving in -30° weather. Not an issue where you live nor where I live.

The beauty of the stacked plate design is that they cool the transmission MUCH better than the cheaper tube & fin design. And the Long TruCool LPD has an internal bypass in the cooler itself that allows cold transmission fluid to skip the cooler until it warms up enough. So I have no issues with driving down the highway when it's 40° outside during the wintertime.

 

Reid, how do think an aluminum 3 core will help improve my cooling issues?

Ever since I got the A/C cranking my stock style plastic side tank radiator can't keep up with the heat coming off the condenser. On hotter days the engine will get to 230F especially in traffic before I bite the bullet and turn the A/C off. In the same conditions with no A/C it usually sits around 195F sitting in traffic.

This is with new coolant, a high flow aluminum pump and I even tried tossing in a 160F thermostat with two 1/8" holes drilled in it.

 

part# ec951 right. from what seller did you buy it from.

 

Yes the part # was EC951
I bought it on ebay from "radiator galaxy"
$169.95 with free shipping.
They did a nice job packaging it out and shipped it out quickly.
They ship out of California.